One of the most entertaining things you can do in Tokyo is wander around town after the sun goes down! The wizards of stagecraft have worked their magic all over Tokyo, and all kinds of interesting stuff lights up after dark, in dramatic and technologically inventive ways. Everyone can enjoy ogling everything from traditional templesContinueContinue reading “These lovely Tokyo sites light up at night”
Tag Archives: Tokyo at night
The Best Tokyo Illuminations 2017
It’s time again for the best free holiday light show ever! Here are this year’s Tokyo Illuminations offerings, some of them even better than before: • TOKYO MIDTOWN This one is from the “Venus” themed show, which is the Friday offering This year’s “Starlight Garden” extravaganza is super lavish, with different shows for each nightContinueContinue reading “The Best Tokyo Illuminations 2017”
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”
「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”
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”
Inside Tokyo’s Wildest Host Clubs
Turn down the lights, hire a bunch of cute hosts, and keep the drinks coming, and it shouldn’t matter what your club looks like, right? Actually, no. Designing host clubs is a lot like designing casinos and supermarkets – if you want to inspire women to spend money like water, you better make sure you have a bunch of these:ContinueContinue reading “Inside Tokyo’s Wildest Host Clubs”
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!”
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 •
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”
Tokyo Tower, On A Rainy Night
It’s still rainy season in Tokyo, but that just means more opportunities to take beautiful pictures at night! Here’s Tokyo’s beloved orange replica of the Eiffel Tower, shining through the raindrops running down the window of my friend’s car… •
Tokyo Streets At Night, Shining In The Rain
It’s rainy season in Tokyo right now. But the steamy, gray, days turn into magical warm nights, the pavement shining like a river of melted neon… •
The Sumida River At Night
As the sun goes down in Odaiba, the dinner boats gather like fireflies By day, the Sumida River is a busy thoroughfare of boats and ferries, but at night it turns into a magical sea of sparkles. As night falls, the boats take off upriver As darkness falls, the river begins to glow Every boatContinueContinue reading “The Sumida River At Night”
I Thought I’d Seen Tricked-Out Cars, But…!
I’d whipped out my camera to capture some arty-farty reflections of the Shibuya neon on cabs stuck at a traffic light, and when I looked at the display YOWZERS there was this CAR! And because traffic getting through Shibuya was wicked slow even at midnight, Lady Luck smiled upon me and gave me a halfContinueContinue reading “I Thought I’d Seen Tricked-Out Cars, But…!”
Tokyo At Night: Kabuki-chō
The Hanazono Shrine, where everybody in the neighborhood makes offerings to ensure good business In Kabuki-chō, the day starts when the sun goes down. The streets are thronged with those who are looking for a good time, and those who are looking to provide it. I got to know this area pretty well when IContinueContinue reading “Tokyo At Night: Kabuki-chō”
Holiday Lights Just Don’t Get Any Better Than This!
Forget the plastic Santas and bobbing dwarves mistaken for elves – let’s skip right to the computer-choreographed field of lights that pulses and ripples to wintry electronic music! The display at Tokyo Midtown this year is jaw-droppingly spectacular, with shadowy shapes that flicker across the twinkly landscape like clouds passing in fast motion, punctuated byContinueContinue reading “Holiday Lights Just Don’t Get Any Better Than This!”
The Leaves Are Nice, But It’s All About The Sticky Rice Balls
Yeah, yeah, I know – leaves glowing in autumnal splendor, fall evening clear and crisp, moon shining bright, pond like a mirror, and the photos are sure to wow the folks back home. But let’s go bottom line: it’s really all about the miso dango. I’ve waited ALL YEAR for the Rikugi-en garden in Komagome toContinueContinue reading “The Leaves Are Nice, But It’s All About The Sticky Rice Balls”
Live Music for Eight
Last Saturday night, sitting with the band at the Apollo. Remember how I was talking about shoebox-sized businesses here in Tokyo? Well, around the corner from Eat A Peach in Shimokitazawa is the Apollo Jazz Bar. As you walk by on the narrow street outside, the sound of pro musicians jamming wafts up the steps fromContinueContinue reading “Live Music for Eight”
Celebrating New Year’s, Japanese Style
When I made my hatsumōde (first shrine visit of the year) to the Nezu Shrine this morning, it did not disappoint. New Year’s is observed with all kinds of traditions in Japan, but none were more entertaining than this troupe of beautiful women taiko drummers. They make it look easy, but taiko drumming is a workout thatContinueContinue reading “Celebrating New Year’s, Japanese Style”
Little Blobs of Heaven on a Stick
On the last night that the fall leaves were illuminated at Rikugi-en, we stumbled across the mitarashi dango stand. In a little hut beneath the maple trees, this man and his wife were dishing up skewers of rice cakes, roasted over charcoal and slathered with miso sauce. Sometimes mitarashi dango – the traditional balls madeContinueContinue reading “Little Blobs of Heaven on a Stick”
Only In Japan 