In 2013, located in Cat Street in Harajuku is fashion designer, Marc Jacobs’ “BOOKMARC”. Designed by Stephan Jaklitsch, BOOKMARC sells books specializing in art, music culture and photography. And the concept of the store happened when bookstores began to disappear from the global landscape. Marc Read More …
In America, we think of pancakes as breakfast food and food we make at home early in the morning or go to a place like IHOP or Denny’s breakfast. Typically, we are used to the thin pancakes that we put butter and syrup. But in Read More …
In yesterday’s post, I discussed the Okakura Tenshin Memorial Site in Yanaka and how he started the Japan Art Institute (Nihon Bijutsuin). But not far from the Memorial Site is the Tomb of Kano Hogai, a famouse Japanese painter of the early Meiji era. A Read More …
Okakura Kakuzo (a.k.a. Okakura Tenshin) was a Japanese scholar who is known for the development of arts in Japan. Best known for his book “The Book of Tea”, Okakura was a scholar who learned English while attending a school which was operated by a Christian Read More …
For those who are visiting the Meiji Shrine, sometimes you may find flower arrangements to village dioramas that were beautifully decorated. While I don’t know too much on the history of the actual dioramas, I do know that the chrysanthemum exhibition is often held in Read More …
Located in Omotesando (Tokyo) and in Osaka is a specialty shop known as Crayonhouse. Created with children and also the disabled in mind, Keiko Ochiai wanted to create a company that was not male or adult-centered. She wanted a place where children can enjoy and Read More …
Located near Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium is a shrine known as Hatonomorihachiman Shrine. Established in 860 AD, the shrine built and named after the forest originally in the location, was created under the request of the villagers, so a Goshintai (an object worshiped and housed Read More …
For those visiting/shopping at Aoyama/Omotesando (and a second location at Minato Mirai in Yokohama) will no doubt want to check out Anniversaire Cafe. The name meaning “anniversary” in French, the restaurant was established in 1998, the restaurant is known for it’s house-made pastry and their Read More …
Located in Minato Ward and other locations is the Ueshima Coffee Company (UCC), a cafe that was first created in 1933 in Kobe. The owner of the Kona coffee farm in Hawaii, the company was formerly known as Ueshima Tadao Shoten in 1933 and then Read More …
For those going to Tokyo Dome and are looking for Yomiuri Giants (the popular Tokyo Central League baseball team) gear, you have three options. One is the small official Yomiuri Giants store, the other is the Under Armour Yomiuri Giants store and then you have Read More …
In Tokyo’s Adachi Ward, if there is one name for a shrine that you can find several in Tokyo, it’s Hikawa Shrine. The one I visited is the Hikawa Shrine that is part of the Shigeru Ruins and is often referred to as “The House Read More …
I have written about Zojoji Temple in the past, but one thing I have not written about is the Jizo Statues. If you are planning to visit Tokyo Tower, across the street is Zojoji (or Zojo-ji) Temple and to the right of it are Jizo Read More …
Right across the street from Zojoji Temple’s Sangedatsumon (Main Gate) is a resting area (or smoking area as that is what I see most people doing in this area) are a few monuments. While part of Shiba Park which goes around Zojoji Temple and there Read More …
I was able to visit Commune 246, the cool food court that is hidden in a back area next to the trendy Omotesando shopping area. While Commune 246 closed down at the end of 2016, the location has been reborn on January 2017 as Commune Read More …
In Setagaya, many people flock to Gotokuji Temple which many people call the “cat temple”. Featuring a plethora of statues feat. the lucky cat a.k.a. “maneki neko” (招き猫). The legend and also the Japan National Tourism Organization says that during the Edo Period, af eudal Read More …
Perception. Sometimes when you associate certain words in the Japanese pop culture, one can easily think that the beauty will match the name. In the case of the name “Nogizaka” which means Nogi Hill, the location is named after resident and Imperial Army general, Nogi Read More …
One of the toughest things about traveling and covering so many locations is that you hope to do a write up on a place you visit that is still around. There are times where you fall in love with a place and to find out Read More …