(Image by IQRemix via https://www.flickr.com/photos/iqremix/17923925840/) Hidden away behind Roppongi Station, the National Art Center, Tokyo has no permanent display. In that sense, it is a venue that hosts ever-changing art exhibitions. With its 12 galleries, the National Art Center, Tokyo can hold a variety of exhibitions at the same time, which means that you are bound to find something that appeals to you. Access to the National Art Center Tokyo is generally free, but some special exhibits may require tickets. Designed by Renowned Architect Kisho Kurokawa (Image by Dick Thomas Johnson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/31029865@N06/8050551986/) Since opening in 2007, this stunning structure designed by Kisho Kurokawa has been considered one of Tokyo’s … 続きを読む

Without a doubt, many of us out there are familiar with the beckoning cat that greets customers in front of Japanese restaurants and stores. Known as the maneki neko, or literally “the beckoning cat”, the small doll is believed to be a lucky charm that brings in customers and money into the shop. Brief History of Gotokuji Temple While there are several legends about the origins of this cat charm, one of the widely known story regards Gotokuji as the place of origin. Legend holds that the maneki neko originated back in Edo period, when a feudal lord from Hikone (a city in present-day Shiga Prefecture) passed by a temple … 続きを読む

(Image by Marufish via https://www.flickr.com/photos/marufish/4152761393/) Tokyo Dome in the Koishikawa district of Tokyo’s Bunkyo ward is Japan’s biggest indoor baseball stadium, seating over 40,000 people. Tokyo Dome is the major feature in the Tokyo Dome City entertainment complex. It covers 4.67 hectares (about 11.5 acres) and is almost 62 meters (292 ft) high from playing field to roof. The fabric roof is supported by the air pressure being kept a little higher inside the Dome than outside. Brief History of Tokyo Dome Tokyo Dome opened in 1988. From 1871 until 1935, the site it is on was Koishikawa Arsenal, producing munitions and early warplanes. After the war, it became the … 続きを読む

(Image by The White House via https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/47938171263/) Ryogoku Kokugikan – A Stadium with a Museum Sumo is perhaps the most famous sporting export of Japan. It is in equal parts an awesome athletic display and a tradition-laden spectacle that is sure to please any visitor who happens to catch one of the major tournaments spread throughout the calendar. In Tokyo’s famous sumo stadium called the Ryogoku Kokugikan, however, there is more to see than just the matches. To be frank, there is pretty much no reason to visit the Kokugikan Stadium unless you’re watching a sumo match. But if you are already at the Edo-Tokyo Museum next door, consider a … 続きを読む

(Image by David Offf via https://www.flickr.com/photos/67162482@N07/6122921436/) The Birthplace of Kawaii Culture Harajuku (原宿 in Japanese) is a station located between Shibuya and Shinjuku on the JR Yamanote loop line around central Tokyo. Many people get off the train at Harajuku Station to visit such popular spots as Yoyogi Park, Meiji Shrine and Omotesando, a boulevard of luxury brands and other high-end shopping experiences. Historically, Harajuku was a post town, which is reflected in the kanji characters that make up its name: “meadow lodging.” But today Harajuku has a completely different, and global, appeal as a birthplace of kawaii (cute) culture. The building that used to house Harajuku Station was a … 続きを読む

The Old Heart of Town (Image by Natalie Maguire via https://www.flickr.com/photos/natalietracy/42491342465/) Ueno Park is at the heart of the Ueno area, which is part of Tokyo’s “shitamachi”—literally “downtown,” but more like “old heart of town.” Ueno Park’s history begins in 1873, at the beginning of the Meiji Era, when it was established as one of Japan’s first public parks. In 1924, Emperor Taisho officially passed the administration of the park to the city, giving the park its official name: Ueno Onshi Park (“onshi” means “imperial gift”). Its long history both as a seat of a culture and as a “people’s park” has created a very special mix of elegance and … 続きを読む

(Image by Wei-Te Wong via https://www.flickr.com/photos/wongwt/17258265426/) One of the Country’s Greatest Museums Japan’s Kokuritsu Kagaku Hakubutsukan, the National Museum of Nature and Science, is one of the country’s greatest museums. No matter what age you are, you will walk away with a better understanding of nature, science, and technology, and have fun doing it. It is located inside Ueno Park in Tokyo, right next to the National Museum of Western Art. The museum originally opened in 1871 and has been renovated in the 1990s and 2000s. It consists of a wide variety of natural history exhibitions and interactive scientific experiences. It is the only integrated national science museum in Japan. … 続きを読む

(Image by hans-johnson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/hansjohnson/49948726307/) A New Symbol of Tokyo Visible from all over the city, Tokyo Skytree has overtaken Tokyo Tower as the new symbol of the capital. A trip to the top gives you sweeping views of the metropolis and beyond; in good weather you can spot Mount Fuji looming on the horizon. Surrounded by the modern shopping complex Tokyo Solamachi, the retro shopping streets of Shitamachi Ninjo Kirakira Tachibana Shotengai, and a number of interesting and interactive museums, the Tokyo Skytree area is much more than just the tower. Tokyo Skytree Town (Image by hans-johnson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/hansjohnson/26373562351/) Yes, that is totally right! Tokyo Skytree is not just … 続きを読む

While the “inner” wholesale section of Tsukiji has sadly closed, the good news for culinary travellers is that Tsukiji’s lively and colourful outer market remains an incredible place to immerse yourself in Japanese cuisine. Many years ago, when Tsukiji originally began to attract travellers, its highlights were both the outer public portion of the market (jogai in Japanese), as well as the inner wholesale section (jonai). Then, in the handful of years leading up to the market’s move in 2018, Japan experienced an astonishing tourism boom, while culinary travel simultaneously became a global phenomenon. Tsukiji’s Inner Wholesale Market (Jonai) As a result, overcrowding became an issue at Tsukiji, particularly in … 続きを読む

Sensoji (浅草寺, also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple) is a Buddhist temple located in Asakusa. It is one of Tokyo’s most colourful and popular temples. The legend says that in the year 628, two brothers fished a statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it always returned to them. Consequently, Sensoji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, making it Tokyo’s oldest temple. Sensoji in the Modern Age (Image by hans-johnson via https://www.flickr.com/photos/hansjohnson/33889583165/) With the establishment of the new Meiji era, the Tokyo city government appropriated the … 続きを読む