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Tokyo walks: Kuramae

Come to Kuramae if you like craftsmanship and things that are made well, things made by hand. And come if you like quality coffee, tea, and chocolate. This is a small neighborhood. It is residential, but sprinkled with small stores, ateliers, and a surprising number of good cafes. Kuramae i…(264 words)

David

Kuramae local secret Shopping Taito craftmanship Coffee chocolate handmade Tokyo

Tokyo walks: Asakusa to Kuramae

Walking is a great way to explore Tokyo. Go for a walk and keep your eyes open. Start your walk in Asakusa at the famous red Kaminarimon Gate that marks the entrance to Senso-ji Temple. If you have questions about getting around or need a map, ask at the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Cent…(705 words)

David

Asakusa Walk Kuramae Tokyo Taito local secret

Quiet Retreat at the Seaside in Setouchi

Setonaikai is the Japanese Inland Sea and Setouchi City in Okayama Prefecture faces this beautiful part of the coast in West Japan. When you visit Hiroshima or Himeji Castle, extend your trip and spend some quiet time here.The part of Setouchi called Ushimado is an old seaside town that is the …(381 words)

David

Okayama Setouchi West Japan travel Sea Seafood old Japan

Beautiful Places to Visit in Japan

TripAdvisor published a list of 20 beautiful spots to visit in Japan that are not so well known yet. Let this list inspire you when you plan your next trip - there are islands, forests, temples, and lakes included here that not every guidebook describes. Go out of the city and explore the nature an…(252 words)

David

Japan Travel Japan Visit Nature Trip

Mt Fuji Views from Enoshima Island near Kamakura

Enoshima island is a fun destination for a day trip from Tokyo anytime of the year. You can see the island and its lighthouse from Kamakura further along the Shonan coast.The lighthouse is called the Sea Candle and must be one of the best viewpoints to admire iconic Fuji-san from this side. Fro…(213 words)

David

Enoshima Island Day trip from Tokyo Mount Fuji Lighthouse Walk Kamakura illumination Sea Train

Fuji Ramen - Fresh Noodles in Tonkotsu Soup

Fuji Ramen in Asakusa serves tasty ramen in tsukemen with tonkotsu base soup and noodles made fresh at the shop.This shop is special because it makes its own noodles. You can see the small workshop near the entrance. The noodles are straight, medium thick and very good both as ramen or tsukemen…(255 words)

David

Ramen noodles Tonkotsu Tsukemen Asakusa Tokyo

Chicken Ramen & Tsukemen at Taiga in Asakusa

Taiga is the ramen shop in Asakusa you should visit when you are very hungry, tired, and need "chicken soup for your soul". The chicken soup that makes up the base for the ramen and tsukemen here is that good.Choose from the ramen or tsukemen menu and decide how many noodles you would like. The…(242 words)

David

Asakusa Ramen noodles Tsukemen Hanayashiki Amusement Park Senso-ji Temple

The Best Ramen & Tsukemen in Asakusa

I have started to explore the many ramen stores in Asakusa with my friends, trying ramen and tsukemen. These are our favourites so far:Tsukemen Kobo Asakusa Seimenjo Ramen Shop & Noodle Maker on Kototoidori streethttp://www.deepjapan.org/a/3873 Fuji Ramen near ROX on Kokusai-dori street…(114 words)

David

Asakusa Ramen noodles Tsukemen Senso-ji Temple Hanayashiki Amusement Park Chinese dumpling

Local Tonkotsu Ramen Shop Urinbo in Asakusa

In Tokyo you can try some of the best food from all over Japan here. At Urinbo ramen in Asakusa, you can have good Hakata style tonkotsu ramen without a trip to Fukuoka in Kyushu.Urinbo is a local shop, but don’t be shy to go in. Students, workers, and families with hungry kids all come here. I…(332 words)

David

Ramen noodles Tsukemen Asakusa Tonkotsu Tokyo

Hakata Ippudo Ramen in Asakusa

Asakusa is known for the sweets and senbei sold near Senso-ji temple, but there are also quite a few ramen shops in this area. There must be at least 20. The newest one is Hakata Ippudo Ramen's new Asakusa store. It just opened this March in the new ROX 3G building near the TX Asakusa station.I…(278 words)

David

Asakusa Ramen noodles Chinese dumpling Tokyo

Hanami at the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park

Ueno Park is one of Tokyo's most famous places for hanami during the cherry blossom season. Inside the park, make sure to visit the Tokyo National Museum and its beautiful Japanese garden in the spring. This garden lies hidden from view behind the main building. It is open to the public during …(227 words)

David

Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) Japanese garden Tokyo National Museum Art Cherry blossom Exhibition Spring Ueno Park

Hanami at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo

The Japanese garden at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo is one of the best places to see all kinds of Japanese flowers throughout the year. Of course, it is also an excellent place to see sakura - cherry blossoms.The first picture is from the Ninomaru Japanese garden. You can always visit this beau…(308 words)

David

Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) Imperial Palace Cherry blossom Walk Japan Spring

Koishikawa Korakuen Japanese Garden in Tokyo

Tokyo is huge, busy, and rebuilding itself nonstop, but some old Japanese gardens remain in the city. Koishikawa Korakuen is one of these spots where time has stopped and a little bit of old Japan has been preserved.This is a beautifully landscaped area with paths around a lake for a leisurely …(244 words)

David

Japanese plum Tokyo Japanese garden Garden Park Hanami (Cherry Blossom Viewing) Spring Walk

Japan’s Best Onsen For a Day Trip

Japanese travellers love to go on a day trip to an onsen. Spend the day with your friends, try some local foods, and relax in the bath. Higaeri onsen 日帰り温泉 is the Japanese word for a one day trip Japanese hot spring. The Japanese TripAdvisor site released its new ranking of Day Spas and On…(541 words)

David

Onsen day trip Bath Day trip from Tokyo Japan Travel Hot Spring Japan Foot bath

Bunbogu Cafe has the Best Japanese Stationery to Make a Travel Journal

Bunbougu （文房具） is the Japanese word for stationery and it includes all kinds of items that you might use for writing, drawing, or paper crafts. In Tokyo Omotesando, you can find a selection of the best stationery from Japan at the Bunbougu Cafe. It is a stationery store and cafe combined. Pi…(251 words)

David

Stationery Souvenir Omotesando Coffee Wine Tokyo

Imado Shrine - Manekineko Lucky-in-Love Cats

Imado Shrine is one of the main places for Japan's manekineko lucky cats. Here they come in pairs and bring you good luck in love. Although the shrine itself is small, it is home to a huge number of manekineko statues and fortune goods.Buy one of the round ema 絵馬 tablets and write your love w…(349 words)

David

Imado manekineko Asakusa Jinjya (Shrine) good luck love Omikuji Tokyo

Tsukemen Ramen Shop & Noodle Maker in Asakusa Tokyo

This is Tsukemen Kobo Asakusa Seimenjo, a Japanese ramen shop that makes their own fresh noodles and specializes in tsukemen. Take a look at the tiny noodle factory near the entrance. If you are lucky, you can see the staff making fresh ramen noodles. They make three types of noodles here: reg…(360 words)

David

Asakusa Ramen noodles Tsukemen Japanese food tabehodai all you can eat handmade

Anpan Specialist Bakery in Asakusa Tokyo

If you like Japanese sweets, there is a cute Japanese bakery in Asakusa that you should not miss. This bakery specialises in Anpan, soft bread filled with sweet bean paste. A great variety of Anpan is available at the An Desu store (あんですMATOBA). There is the regular anpan with red bean anko…(296 words)

David

Asakusa Bakery Anpan (Japanese sweet roll) Sweets Coffee Bread Anpanman

2k540 AKI-OKA ARTISAN: shopping under the Yamanote line

There is a hidden street under the Yamanote line tracks near Ueno's Ameyoko Shotengai between Okachimachi and Akihabara. Follow the elevated JR train tracks to 2k540 AKI-OKA ARTISAN and you will find a quiet place filled with the best handcrafted Japanese goods.There are about 50 small stores and w…(155 words)

David

handmade Japanese style shopping arcade Ueno Shopping Souvenir Okachimachi Akihabara Train hidden spot

Tokyo Skytree Cake Factory - Projection Mapping at Dream Christmas 2014

This evening I visited Tokyo Skytree to see the Cake Factory projection mapping for Dream Christmas 2014. It was crowded tonight with people waiting to see where Santa’s sweets are made.We went outside on the 4F Sky Arena to the Christmas market. Exactly at 20:00 the projection started with Santa o…(223 words)

David

Tokyo Skytree Projection Mapping illumination Christmas Winter Children

Ashiyu - Onsen For Your Feet

Have you tried onsen in Japan? There are many famous hot spring areas in the country and most of them offer both full baths and ashiyu. Ashiyu （足湯）is an onsen foot bath. Try it. A warm foot bath is the perfect way to rest, especially after a long walk. Kinugawa Onsen near NikkoIn many o…(524 words)

David

Onsen Bath Foot bath Kyoto Nikko Enoshima Island Yugawara Kanagawa Day trip from Tokyo

Rikugien Japanese Garden in Tokyo

There are a number of old Japanese gardens in Tokyo that have survived fast city development and natural disasters. Rikugien is one of them and an especially nice park in Tokyo.See the autumn leaves at nightThis is the Japanese Garden Rikugien at night. I visited it for the first time last …(359 words)

David

Japanese garden Autumn Color Cherry blossom Park Tokyo illumination Light-up Walk

Tokyo Skytree Winter Illumination & Events

Tokyo Skytree and Tokyo Solamachi are illuminated beautifully in the winter. Tall Skytree itself shines every evening of the year in changing colors and now the big Solamachi shopping mall at its base is also sparkling with lights and decorations.I took a walk around Solamachi to see the Tokyo …(450 words)

David

Tokyo Skytree illumination Winter Projection Mapping Christmas Souvenir

Catch a Yokai Watch Ghost at the Supermarket

Watch out for Jibanyan in Japan. Enter any Japanese supermarket and you will realize that Japanese food packaging has turned into a cute crazy art form populated by the most famous anime, manga, game, and Disney characters.The all-time favorites with Japanese kids like Anpanman, Doraemon, Micke…(213 words)

David

Food Anime Yokai Watch supermarket Japanese food

Origami Shop & Exhibition at Narita Airport

Flying is not always fun, but this origami paper and book store can help make waiting at Narita a little better. When you fly out of Tokyo´s Narita airport, go to Nippon Origami Museum. It has books about origami, origami papers, and a selection of paper art on display. Check out the origami p…(204 words)

David

Origami Narita International Airport Stationery Souvenir books Play Art

Kaisendon - Sashimi Pub Lunch at a Seafood Izakaya

How is your sushi vocabulary and experience? If you have tried a few sets of sushi and sashimi, try kaisendon. Kaisendon is sashimi on rice. Don 丼 is short for donburi, food served on top of a bowl full of rice. Magurodon for example is tuna on rice, kaisendon is mixed seafood on rice. It coul…(283 words)

David

Izakaya Sashimi (Raw fish) Lunch Fish Sushi Seafood Tokyo Asakusa

Tokyo Izakaya for Sashimi and Seafood

Izakaya are Japanese style pubs, great places to meet and have drinks. Many izakaya also serve excellent food. Try having a few drinks while you sample some popular izakaya foods. If you like fish and seafood, you should try one of the Isomaru Suisan 磯丸水産 izakaya. Isomaru is a seafood speci…(287 words)

David

Izakaya Seafood Sashimi (Raw fish) Sushi Fish Asakusa Food Japanese

Sweet Tokyo Skytree Souvenirs from Solamachi Mall

Solamachi "Sky City" Mall at Tokyo Skytree is one of the best places to go shopping for Tokyo souvenirs. This is a very big nice shopping mall with over 300 stores. There are many restaurants and cafes here as well. You could spend a rainy day inside.Solamachi is also very easy to find. It sits…(237 words)

David

Tokyo Skytree Shopping Souvenir Tokyo Rainy Day Depachika Food

Tenugui - Printed Textiles with Japanese Patterns

Tenugui are small pieces of cloth for everyday use. They make perfect gifts and souvenirs. Now many Japanese carry small towels in their bags, but before the more fluffy towels became popular tenugui was widely used.A tenugui is a thin piece of cloth made from cotton. It dries very quickly, is …(334 words)

David

Souvenir Tenugui (Japanese towel) craftmanship Art Asakusa

Delicious Sushi Adventure in Shibuya

This week I went to the small sushi izakaya Tamagawa in Shibuya for the first time. I had the opportunity to speak with the sushi chef. This is the chef's advice for really enjoying sushi:- Eat each piece of sushi in one bite.- Use your hands to eat sushi instead of chopsticks if you want.- T…(411 words)

David

Sushi Sashimi (Raw fish) Sake (Rice wine) Shibuya Tokyo Fish Seafood

Chrysanthemum Exhibitions - Enjoy Japanese Flowers in Autumn

Chrysanthemums are an important flower in Japan. They are at their best in the autumn and are celebrated with an exhibition in Tokyo's Shinjuku Park every year in the beginning of November.You can see the flowers also displayed at some shrines and temples. I have seen them in Tokyo at Senso-ji …(267 words)

David

Autumn Chrysanthemum Flower Tera (Temple) Senso-ji Temple Garden Meiji Shrine Shinjuku Park

Hanayashiki - Asakusa's Beloved Tiny Amusement Park

Asakusa is an old part of Tokyo. In a city that changes quickly and often, it is not surprising to read about the many changes that have happened in this area. Asakusa was a major entertainment district filled with theaters and restaurants. While many of the theaters disappeared, the small amusemen…(571 words)

David

Asakusa Children Hanayashiki Amusement Park Amusement park Senso-ji Temple Tokyo

Take the Pandabus in Asakusa or at Tokyo Skytree

If you do not want to walk from Asakusa to Tokyo Skytree, you can choose between train, taxi, ricksha, and panda. There is a boy panda bus and a girl panda bus with faces, ears, and paws. All the passenger seats inside have their own small ears. And the bus is free.Take the Asakusa line route to vi…(325 words)

David

Asakusa Bus Pandabus Panda Tokyo Skytree free Visit

Street Performers, Arts & Entertainment in Asakusa - Local Tokyo

Senso-ji temple is the most famous spot in Tokyo's Asakusa district, but there is more to see. Performers and performing arts are also part of Asakusa’s heritage. So when you come to Senso-ji and look at the temple’s buildings, statues, and big gates don’t stop there. Please take a walk around …(623 words)

David

Asakusa Art Japanese style shopping arcade Tokyo Walk Senso-ji Temple Theater

Tokyo Skytree Changing the City's Landscape

Tokyo Skytree has changed the landscape of Tokyo. The tall tower is overlooking everything else in Tokyo. From the park along Sumida river in Asakusa you have a good view of Skytree and it is a popular spot for visitors to take pictures. Another spot for Skytree pictures is the Tourist Center in As…(299 words)

David

Tokyo Tokyo Skytree Photography Light-up Building

Good Travel in Japan Includes Good Lunch

Make lunch one highlight of your days in Japan, because food is an important and celebrated part of travel in Japan. Japanese guidebooks introduce foods, cafes, restaurants, bentos, and food souvenirs to buy for your families, friends, and colleagues. Model day trips usually consist of visiting…(542 words)

David

Lunch Japanese cuisine Teishoku Bento (box meal) Restaurant Japanese food tabehodai all you can eat

Gotokuji - Tokyo's Manekineko Lucky Cat Temple

Gotokuji is a lovely old neighbourhood in Tokyo's Setagaya ward. Gotokuji temple is the home of the Japanese good luck cats called "manekineko". One is waiting for you in front of Gotokuji station.Go from the station towards Gotokuji temple and you pass through a Japanese style "shotengai" stre…(353 words)

David

Gotokuji manekineko Tera (Temple) Japanese style shopping arcade Setagayaku good luck Tokyo Train Japanese

Japanese-style depachika food courts

Japan has the most elegant restaurants as well as vending machines and convenient stores selling snacks and beverages on seemingly every corner. Somewhere in the middle on the gourmet scale are the food courts of the big department stores. Usually they are located in the department store basement a…(314 words)

David

Food Depachika Department store Bento (box meal) Sweets Souvenir

The Fastest of Japanese Fast Foods: Kaitenzushi, Gyudon & Curry Rice

How do you define fast food? Let’s not think in categories such as burgers and fries, but consider what the fastest foods are you can order in a restaurant.Sushi is prepared very quickly and kaitenzushi is already waiting for you to take from the conveyor belt and eat. So as the fastest Japanes…(434 words)

David

Curry rice Gyudon (Beef bowl) Fast food Sushi Kaitenzushi (Conveyor belt sushi)

Fresh Coffee at Japanese Convenience Stores

Japan has many coffee shops, chains like Starbucks or Doutor and old Japanese style cafes called kissaten. Coffee is also available from vending machines everywhere, both hot and cold canned coffee. The many convenience stores offer a variety of coffee products, now also including freshly brewed co…(256 words)

David

Convenience store Coffee Cafe Vending Machines Coffee shop Drink

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