Tag Archives: Nezu Shrine

January 08

Dogs In Kimonos: Shiba Edition!

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The only thing in all of Japan that might be cuter than huskies in kimonos is a parade of shiba inus in kimono. Shibas are well-known for making like the Petrified Forest and refusing to budge until even the tiniest hint of humiliating costumery is removed, but the noble beasts I caught making their first shrine […]

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November 16

Where To See The Best Fall Leaves In Tokyo

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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 – Tachikawa DIRECTIONS […]

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April 22

Azaleas For The Win

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Okay, in a cherry blossoms vs. azaleas fight to the death, where are you going to slap down your hard-earned cash? (Hint: Let me put it this way, I’ve seen Japanese azalea gardens reduce people who are never at a loss for words to just saying…wow.) Here are my favorite places to see them right now in Tokyo… • NI NO MARU, Imperial Palace […]

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December 03

Leaf Season-O-Rama

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Forget those pesky cherry blossoms. Leaf season is the BEST! If you’d like to visit Arisugawa Park, Gokoku-ji temple, Gotoku-ji temple (they’re different!), the Nezu Shrine, Koraku-en garden, or any of the other best places to see autumn leaves in Tokyo, directions & maps to all the shrines & temples and gardens are on my website, […]

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May 31

Air Conditioned Pillow

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You know how when it’s really hot at night, your pillow gets all roasty and makes your head feel even hotter? Well, the day I saw these old-fashioned pillows at a little store near the Nezu Shrine, it was already hitting a toasty 26 degrees C, and I suddenly appreciated the genius of this traditional […]

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May 11

So How Come Azaleas Are Chopped Liver?

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Cherry blossoms are definitely the favorite child. Back in March, as The Season approached, the newspapers all breathlessly reported the movement of the pink tide from south to north, weather forecasts were read as anxiously as tea leaves in order to plan trips to cherry infested locations at the exact moment of full bloom, and […]

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January 18

Cat Map

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Here’s something I definitely couldn’t do in San Francisco: the cat-petting tour of Sendagi! This handy map details all the local feline fiefdoms. It’s posted outside a store specializing in all-kitty merchandise. • This neighborhood is where I spent a lot of time researching Nightshade, the first book in my mystery series. Yumi Hata and Kenji […]

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