As if the total strangeness of Tokyo was not enough to confuse and disorient the Western visitor, it turns out that the streets have no names and the buildings are numbered in a random fashion that was possibly invented by a 13th century Buddhist monk. The secret of deciphering the addressing scheme appears to have died with him. Or maybe not. While it is almost hopeless, … [Read more...] about The Black Art of Finding A Japanese Address
Burning Dolls in Ueno Park
I wandered into Ueno park with every intention of spending a quiet afternoon watching pandas and penguins at the zoo. I started the day with a visit to the statue of Takamori Saigo, the legendary Ronin then wandered among the various shrines and temples located in the park. I paused briefly at the Kaneiji Kiyomizudo Temple. According to the guidebook, this is where women … [Read more...] about Burning Dolls in Ueno Park
JBall: A Real Japanese Pennant Race
It was the middle of a heated pennant race, and there were only three games left in the season when we decided take in a Japanese baseball game. We boarded the train to the Tokyo Dome (aka The Big Egg) with no tickets and no plan. The trip to the stadium itself was more complex than usual. A half a dozen transfers later, we arrived at the Big Egg and were immediately engulfed … [Read more...] about JBall: A Real Japanese Pennant Race
See Japan On $0 a Day
We frequently hear from readers who are put off by Tokyo's status as the world's most expensive city. Because of the extreme cost involved many people fear that visiting Japan is one of those life goals that will never actually be achieved. Now, thanks to Google you can see Japan (all of it) for free. Google's recently expanded map service now includes satellite photo of the … [Read more...] about See Japan On $0 a Day
Ueno Zoo
The zoo is over one hundred years old and now houses two giant pandas (the zoo's most popular exhibit). In addition to outdoor animal exhibits, there is also an aquarium and aviary. While the pandas tend to attract most of the attention, the king pengiuns are also worth the price of admission. … [Read more...] about Ueno Zoo