Paris model photos all by the ultra-talented Tsubomi Photo Studio So you think you can’t rock a kimono because you’re not Japanese? Think again! Tamao Shigemune designs modern versions of traditional Japanese women’s wear with a distinctly Parisian twist, and guess what? You can see them (and try her new summer collection on!) right now in Tokyo, through Sunday MarchContinueContinue reading “Tamao Shigemune: Modern Kimonos That’ll Knock Your Socks Off”
Category Archives: Just…Beautiful
What’s Blooming In Japan Right Now?
So, around this time of year, I get to thinking about how everybody is about to crowd into Japan to see the fluffy pink things, but that cherry blossom season is far from the only time that this place delivers yowzah-level flower extravaganzas. So I made a thing. Here’s what’s blooming when, and the best places to take photosContinueContinue reading “What’s Blooming In Japan Right Now?”
Lost In A Forest Of Blooming Plum Trees
This is just the entry forest Yesterday I got to stumble around doing a 360˚ gawk in a forest of plum trees wearing all their favorite clothes at once. Everywhere you look, tunnels and tunnels of plum goodness Kairakuen Garden in Mito was planted by a genius of a daimyo who totally got that too much of a good thing is never enough. 2,490 fluffy-branched trees later, IContinueContinue reading “Lost In A Forest Of Blooming Plum Trees”
Girls’ Day Dolls…On Steroids
There’s a little town about two hours from Tokyo called Katsuura, where one a year, dolls rule. 12,000 of them, to be exact. Just for comparison, this is about the most extravagant Girls’ Day display I’d seen before going to Katsuura. Most families just put out the emperor and empress, but the ones who areContinueContinue reading “Girls’ Day Dolls…On Steroids”
Plum Blossom Countdown
All of February (and a little of March) is the best time to see fluffy pink and white and red beauties bursting like popcorn all over Tokyo. Here are the best places to see them, in order of when they bloom: Note: These photos were all taken from 2014-2016, so depending on how warm or coldContinueContinue reading “Plum Blossom Countdown”
Rainbow Icicle Wonderland
On the way to the Werewolf Shrine in remote Chichibu, locals have enterprisingly turned the frozen waterfalls that spangle the cliffs and caves alongside the Arakawa River into a winter wonderland! First of all, before the sun goes down and the lights go up, check out the tiny photographer to get a sense of the size ofContinueContinue reading “Rainbow Icicle Wonderland”
The Werewolf Shrine
High on top of a snowy mountain in Chichibu – so far from any train station that you’ll be eligible for a senior citizen discount by the time you get off the bus – is the Mitsumine Jinja. At first it looks like a typical Shinto shrine with fox messengers at the gate… …but a closerContinueContinue reading “The Werewolf Shrine”
Where To See Huge Fields Of Cosmos In Tokyo
If you think that vast fields of blooming wildflowers are something you won’t find in Tokyo…think again! From mid-September to mid-October every year, the lowly cosmos is elevated to extravaganza status at two different gardens, blossoming in snapworthy profusion for about four weeks. • SHOWA KINEN PARK – Tachikawa The first ones to bloom (mid-September to mid-October) in theContinueContinue reading “Where To See Huge Fields Of Cosmos In Tokyo”
The Magical Red Forest
If it happens to be raining when you are invited to walk through a magical forest carpeted with five million blooming amaryllis, do not say no. Because this. If you’re in Tokyo at the end of September and would like to see the higanbana in bloom, get thee on the train to Koma Station (it takes aboutContinueContinue reading “The Magical Red Forest”
Goldfish, Goldfish, Everywhere
Although by now we’re all sort of feeling like “don’t let the door hit you on the way out, you miserably hot & humid Japanese summer,” some of the various celebrations of goldfish are lingering on in a most delightful way until the end of September. Here they are! ART AQUARIUM This summer is the 10th anniversary ofContinueContinue reading “Goldfish, Goldfish, Everywhere”
Wading Through A Sea Of Stars & Flowers
It was the last day of the DMM Planets attraction out in Odaiba today, but if you missed your chance to roll up your pants & wade around in a cloud-like sea of flowers and goldfish with a kerbillion and a half other people, here’s what it was like: My favorite part of the thing, though, was the CrystalContinueContinue reading “Wading Through A Sea Of Stars & Flowers”
The Waterfall Made Of Light
Summer illuminations at Tokyo Midtown delivering all the goodness! This waterfall made of animated LEDs is conveniently paired with a pop-up mojito stand, so you can ooh and ah at the light-up while getting lit up yourself. Which would you rather do: Enjoy the serenity of a cascading river while sipping a cocktail? Or swat mosquitoes while smearing on blister cream after a pesky hike? Naturally,ContinueContinue reading “The Waterfall Made Of Light”
Which One Is The REAL Goldfish?
Not easy, is it? Okay, I’ll give you a hint: this one doesn’t need to be fed. The lovely specimen in the wooden saké box is a painting of a goldfish. Actually, it’s about a gazillion paintings of a goldfish. Artist Riusuke Fukahori builds these 3-D wonders by pouring a thin layer of clear resin, painting a slice of goldfish,ContinueContinue reading “Which One Is The REAL Goldfish?”
Hydrangeas: Gateway To A Life Of Crime
I have a confession to make. Although my job is to write about ingenious ways people commit murder and mayhem, when it comes to obsessing about how I’d commit the perfect crime, it always ends up with hydrangeas. Yes, hydrangeas. To be more specific, hydrangea smuggling. Because before I went to Japan, I never dreamed that the humble fluffballs flanking granny’sContinueContinue reading “Hydrangeas: Gateway To A Life Of Crime”
Where To See The Most Gorgeous Peonies In Tokyo
If you’ve never walked among peonies that stand shoulder-high, with flowers as big as your head, get thee to these Tokyo gardens right now and prepare to be amazed! NISHIARAI-DAISHI TEMPLE This garden never disappoints. As you can see, it’s not small! Each bush is pretty much more beautiful than the last. I recommend recording yourselfContinueContinue reading “Where To See The Most Gorgeous Peonies In Tokyo”
The Best Cherry Blossom Spots In Tokyo – With Maps!
Cherry blossoms at the Imperial Palace Chidorigafuchi Moat MAP TO ALL First of all, what kind of cherry blossoms do you want to see? They bloom in four waves of different varieties, starting in mid-March with the dark pink kanzakura… Early-blooming cherries at Shinjuku Gyō-en then the weeping varieties bloom from mid-March to the end ofContinueContinue reading “The Best Cherry Blossom Spots In Tokyo – With Maps!”
Finally, Girls’ Day For Goths!
Is your favorite lipstick color black? Do net quizzes always sort you into Slytherin? Would you rather eat deep fried cod testicles than be seen in a pink kimono? Then this set of Girls’ Day dolls is for you! Goto Dolls has done a major update on the whole thank you very much we’re just sitting here with ourContinueContinue reading “Finally, Girls’ Day For Goths!”
Fox Village: Even Better With Snow On Top!
I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when I finally made it to Zao Fox Village last spring, but it’s a good thing I didn’t actually shuffle off this mortal coil due to fox-induced bliss, because then I would have missed seeing all these fluffy vixen in the SNOW! In the winter, they’re at their fattest and furriest! With tails set toContinueContinue reading “Fox Village: Even Better With Snow On Top!”
Epic Japanese Quilt Show
“Flowers Of The Cosmos” by Fumiko Nakayama Let me just say right up front that this quilt show exceeded expectations in every way. Something I really love about Japan is that Art-With-A-Captial-A is defined so generously, and artists whose work requires many years of mastering the technical parts of making it are not dismissed as “craftsmen” but givenContinueContinue reading “Epic Japanese Quilt Show”
Flowers By Naked
(I put together this one-minute video because seriously, stills just couldn’t capture how awesome this show is YOU WILL NOT BE SORRY) The name of this exhibition only makes sense if you recognize the name of the digital artists known as Naked, who are the hottest projection-mapping badasses in Tokyo right now. And HOO BOY they did not disappoint! I’m always ready toContinueContinue reading “Flowers By Naked”
Yomiuriland Illuminations
By the time I took four trains and a bus to the gates of the aging amusement park Yomiuri Land, I had already decided that no illuminations could possibly be worth the schlep. Good thing I was SO WRONG! As you can see, no surface in the entire park was spared, and Scrooge was definitely not consulted.ContinueContinue reading “Yomiuriland Illuminations”
The Best Tokyo Winter Illuminations 2015
Are you ready once again to have holiday lights spoiled for-e-ver by the insanely great Tokyo Illuminations? This year, the old favorites do not disappoint, but there are a couple of new contenders amid the light-up extravaganzas going on right now in Tokyo! Feast your eyes on… • TOKYO DOME CITY This dome puts on an everchanging light showContinueContinue reading “The Best Tokyo Winter Illuminations 2015”
Princess Kimono, Animal Style
The bunnies will be all over you at the rabbit café when you swan in wearing this bun-centric obi. Obscure seasonal references to geese and crows? So tenth century! Leaf viewing and strolling beneath the cherry blossoms? Been there, called it a cab. Let’s strap on our princess kimonos and hit the animal cafés instead! Coming or going, let’s show thoseContinueContinue reading “Princess Kimono, Animal Style”
Great Balls O’ Flowery Fluff: Tokyo’s Best Hydrangea Gardens
If someone says “hydrangeas” and you think “boring white puffballs,” you haven’t seen the outrageous ones in Tokyo yet! Here are my favorite hydrangea garden extravaganzas, and they’ll be blooming ’til the end of June, just sayin’… MINAMIYAMA HYDRANGEA MOUNTAIN in Musashi-itsukaichi As you can see, these are wild hydrangeas at their finest! The trail winds up a gully lined withContinueContinue reading “Great Balls O’ Flowery Fluff: Tokyo’s Best Hydrangea Gardens”
How To Make The Most Beautiful Lollipops In The World
One of the most beautiful lollipops in the world. OK, I admit, I did not make this lollipop. I went to the workshop taught by the artist who made it, but the thing I ended up making did not remotely, remotely, REMOTELY resemble this lollipop. First of all – to be fair – we weren’t supposed to be making goldfishContinueContinue reading “How To Make The Most Beautiful Lollipops In The World”
Where To See The Best Iris Gardens In Tokyo
Fields of riotously blooming Japanese iris? Yes, please! The iris gardens in central Tokyo are small, but choice; the ones in the outskirts are vast and exuberant and well worth a pilgrimage! Here are the best places in and around Tokyo to see the Japanese iris extravaganzas of your dreams: HORIKIRI IRIS GARDEN in Horikiri-shobuen TheContinueContinue reading “Where To See The Best Iris Gardens In Tokyo”
Vast Carpets Of Lawn Cherries!
Outside of Japan, nobody has heard of shibazakura, but they should! Check out the rolling hills covered with pink flowers that bloom in the middle of May! (They’re actually a variety of phlox, so I’m guessing the “sakura” part of the name is a feeble-ish attempt to ride the coattails of Japan’s more famous flower season, but they DO deliverContinueContinue reading “Vast Carpets Of Lawn Cherries!”
Flower Dream Strikes Again
Okay, it’s spring in Tokyo, so grit your teeth and strap on your martyr beanie, because it’s time to endure a higher than usual number of flower posts for a while! Today’s is some of the wild and weird stuff I saw last weekend at Flower Dream 2015, the floral design show that’s more likely to feature bark andContinueContinue reading “Flower Dream Strikes Again”
The Best Places To See Late-Blooming Cherry Trees In Tokyo
Many a cherry blossom party has been thwarted by wacky weather or unavoidable business trips, but even if the gods throw a wrench into your best-laid plans, don’t despair! Late-blooming yaezakura come into their full glory after the regular sakura fade to black. The late-bloomers don’t deliver the big pink cloud thing in quite the same way, but I secretly think they’re much more beautifulContinueContinue reading “The Best Places To See Late-Blooming Cherry Trees In Tokyo”
The Best SECRET Cherry Blossom Spots In Tokyo!
Cherry blossoms and crowds go together like long bathroom lines and hanami parties, but at these secret Tokyo spots, you can enjoy the pinkness without getting trampled, even at peak season! Here are my favorite places: • ARK HILLS New for 2019! The Ark Hills development in Roppongi is nothing to write home about…until you see theContinueContinue reading “The Best SECRET Cherry Blossom Spots In Tokyo!”
Where To See The Best Plum Blossoms In Tokyo
Suddenly, on the busy shopping street of Kappabashi-dori: these! I am a total, total sucker for plum blossoms. The flowers are much more beautiful than cherry blossoms up close, and you gotta admire that the damn things even bloom in the snow. I mean, they famously bloom in the snow (thousands of haiku can’t be wrong.) HereContinueContinue reading “Where To See The Best Plum Blossoms In Tokyo”
How To Walk Across The Rainbow Bridge
This has to be the most gorgeous walk in Tokyo. If you start at twilight, you can see the entire Tokyo waterfront slowly light up like the best holiday light show ever! Here’s how I do it: I get off the train at Tamachi station and go out the main exit. There’s about a five minute walk, across two canals, untilContinueContinue reading “How To Walk Across The Rainbow Bridge”
The Mother Of All Illuminations Theme Parks
When I was a kid, every year in mid-December we’d all pile into the car and drive around to find the house with the most over-the-top Xmas decorations. No surprise, I am a total, total sucker for Xmas lights. But I never saw anything that even came close to the amazing, blazing Illuminations displays that Tokyo neighborhoods started puttingContinueContinue reading “The Mother Of All Illuminations Theme Parks”
Where To See The Best Fall Leaves In Tokyo
I hope you’re all rested up from our cherry blossom death march last spring, because it’s time to strap on your camera and a couple of extra batteries to hunt down the best autumn leaves in Tokyo! Here are my picks, from momiji season through ginkgo: Arranged from earliest to latest: SHOWA KINEN PARK There areContinueContinue reading “Where To See The Best Fall Leaves In Tokyo”
Where To See The Best Chrysanthemums In Tokyo
These eye-popping exhibitions will change your opinion of those humble fall flowers forever! Here’s where to see the best chrysanthemums in Tokyo: • JINDAI BOTANICAL GARDEN It’s worth the trip out to Chofu, just to see the cartload of fox tails But they also have the full complement of pagodas, Elvis pompadours, perfect specimens of manyContinueContinue reading “Where To See The Best Chrysanthemums In Tokyo”
「Yokohama Smart Illuminations」: Wow. Just…wow.
Last night I went to see what I thought was going to be a modest art-light event on the Yokohama waterfront, secretly expecting that the photos from past years were exaggerating the quality of the illuminations. I was SO WRONG! This event was spectacular. See for yourself! You know you’re in the right place when you chance across aContinueContinue reading “「Yokohama Smart Illuminations」: Wow. Just…wow.”
Festival Of 10,000 Lanterns
Every once in a while, Japan so wildly exceeds expectations, it’s hard to put it into words, so I’ll just show you pictures of last night’s Oeshiki Ikegami festival instead. Strong men twirling pikes announcing the names of their temples danced through the streets ahead of their lanterns. Every lantern was different. This one was fantastically decoratedContinueContinue reading “Festival Of 10,000 Lanterns”
Up To My Knees In A Vermilion Sea
As you may have guessed by now, in Japan no flower is safe from being planted together en masse, in order to deliver total sensory overload at the appointed moment. It’s no surprise that cherry blossoms, wisteria and azaleas all vie to attract record crowds as they burst into bloom, but who knew that lesser-known denizens have their ownContinueContinue reading “Up To My Knees In A Vermilion Sea”
Art Aquarium
Part laser light show, part aquatic extravaganza, Art Aquarium is the newest take on the old idea of keeping cool during the steamy Japanese summertime by contemplating goldfish bowls. Over 3 million people have visited this summer-long exhibition since it started in 2008, and now I see why: giant artfully-designed aquariums use inset lenses, unusual facetedContinueContinue reading “Art Aquarium”
Asakusa Lit Up At Night
The grand dame of Tokyo temples, Senso-ji Asakusa is always entertaining by day, but it’s totally stunning at night. From theatrically lit temples to glittering reflections on the Sumida River, this neighborhood never disappoints. The fiercest guardian deity in the land The main gate, shining in the rain The promenade Even the doors are larger thanContinueContinue reading “Asakusa Lit Up At Night”
Gorgeous Japanese Hydrangeas
Remember those big white snowball-y bushes that bloomed next to Grandma’s porch all summer long? Believe it or not, those everyday flowers were where they started hybridizing to get these fancypants. Some temples in Japan have whole hillsides covered with so many varieties of hydrangea, you can’t count them. Here are a few: •
Peonies As Big As Dinner Plates!
If you could smell these right now, you’d be in heaven. Nishiarai Daishi Temple, Tokyo Not to be outdone by the cherry blossoms, azaleas and wisteria, the peonies of Tokyo come into their glory in May and June! First the big boys, like these at the Hama-Rikyu Garden, then the lovely fragrant ones at NishiaraiContinueContinue reading “Peonies As Big As Dinner Plates!”
Yes, This Is One Wisteria Plant!
In case you need proof that “the harder a garden is to get to, the more spectacular it is,” look no further than Ashikaga Flower Park. Two solid hours from Tokyo by car (or two and a half hours hopping on and off four different trains), I didn’t believe any flowers could be worth the trip. But as youContinueContinue reading “Yes, This Is One Wisteria Plant!”
Flower Dream Expo
You know how everybody thinks Japanese people sit around in their kimonos all day, arranging flowers into works of art? Well, they don’t. But when they do…it’s amazing. I admit – this one is my favorite. If you’re in Tokyo in April and you’d like to go to Flower Dream, check their website for more info. •
Cherry Blossoms Lit Up At Night: My Favorite Spots!
Oh no, don’t think you can put your feet up and flip some channels after the sun goes down during cherry blossom season – thanks to the current craze for “illuminations,” the ogling opportunities will seriously cut into your TV time. Here are my favorite nighttime viewing spots. Get thee to the nearest grove and give your camera aContinueContinue reading “Cherry Blossoms Lit Up At Night: My Favorite Spots!”
The Godzilla Of Cherry Trees
Don’t let this big daddy sneak up on you in the dark! In Japan they don’t mess around when it comes to cherry trees. I saw this explosion of goodness last night at Rikugi-en garden in Tokyo, where they light up the all-powerful sakura until 9:00 every night during The Season. But this one isn’t the only monsterContinueContinue reading “The Godzilla Of Cherry Trees”
Neon Wonderland At Night
Tokyo isn’t a beautiful city, except when it rains at night. Then the neon flows into the streets, brighter than liquid gold. Shin Okubo’s main street More Shin Okubo Kabukicho Takadanobaba Shin Okubo again •
Early Spring At Shinjuku Gyōen
Today it was raining. But I went to Shinjuku Gyouen garden anyway. If you’d like to visit Shinjuku Gyō-en garden the next time you’re in Tokyo visit my website, The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had. •
Tokyo Illuminations 2013
Tokyo Midtown Once again, the holiday light displays in Tokyo were totally over the top! Tokyo Midtown in Roppongi led the way, with another lovely abstract creation set to a dreamy soundtrack. This year, the lights leapt free of the ground in glittering arcs, bounding across the ever-changing field of blue. Since couples on romanticContinueContinue reading “Tokyo Illuminations 2013”
Akihabara At Night
If Electric Town makes your heart beat faster during the day, just wait until nighttime! Crowds of Forever Alones and idol worshippers alike are drawn to its pulsing neon, mesmerized by the glow. Robot lovers and idol fanboys stream toward the side by side Gundam Cafe and AKB48 center. The whole neighborhood is bathed inContinueContinue reading “Akihabara At Night”
Only In Japan 