Kicking back under clouds of pink blossoms in the warm spring sun, eating a picnic and drinking with friends – it’s something you always dreamed of doing in Japan, isn’t it? And then you get here, and you discover that unless you’re a member of a work group that puts on a hanami party, you’ll beContinue reading “Hacking Hanami: How To Get Yourself Invited To A Cherry Blossom Party”
Tag Archives: Yoyogi Park
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 – Tachikawa TellContinue reading “Where To See The Best Fall Leaves In Tokyo”
Fishing For Women
Of all the rakugo performances I’ve seen, Fishing For Women is my fave. It’s got great characters, including a guy who’s more of a nightmare than the worst Tinder story you’ve ever heard! THE CHARACTERS In this story, a nice old fisherman is visited by a beautiful ghost, but the dateless wonder next door has other ideas… And then…! If you watch the video,Continue reading “Fishing For Women”
Fish Flag Day!
On a fine spring day, how can you not be cheered by spotting koi nobori swimming through the sky? It’s Children’s Day again, here in Japan, and fathers & sons everywhere are celebrating by having iris fights in the bath. Here are last year’s beauties at Tokyo Tower and hanging from a kite string at Yoyogi Park: Swimming InContinue reading “Fish Flag Day!”
Swimming In The Sky
I love these. Every year on May 5, families fly koi nobori outside their houses as a sort of prayer that their sons will become like the carp that climbed the waterfall to become a dragon. These fish flags always cheer me up, but this year for some reason the public displays are particularly exuberant!Continue reading “Swimming In The Sky”
Sit Down Stand Up
One day last fall, as I was walking through Yoyogi Park on my way to fall off the slackline, I saw this guy standing by a tree in a vaguely medieval-looking costume. In America I’d have hustled by, careful to make ZERO eye contact, sure he was either a member of a rabidly proselytizing religious cultContinue reading “Sit Down Stand Up”
Running Blind
Today in Yoyogi Park I saw a big group of runners warming up near the place where I regularly fall off the slackline. That’s not unusual – packs of them regularly lope through Tokyo, getting their exercise on. What was different about this group is that half of them couldn’t see, and some couldn’t hear.Continue reading “Running Blind”
Manga Schoolgirl Dogs
I didn’t think the Husky Club could outdo last month’s Husky kimono parade, but yesterday in honor of Japanese graduation season, they all turned up at the park dressed as manga versions of schoolgirls! •
Rockabilly Spring
When I went to Yoyogi Park on Sunday, it was still too cold to unzip my jacket, the cherry blossom buds were still tight as fists, and even the dogs were still wearing little hoodie sweatshirts, but I knew that spring had officially come because the rockabilly guys had changed their uniforms. Black leather jackets:Continue reading “Rockabilly Spring”
Dogs In Kimonos
You can’t help but throw your head back and laugh in amazement when fifteen dogs parade by, dressed in Japanese formalwear. In honor of Hina Matsuri (the doll festival that happens every year at the beginning of March) the local Husky club turned up in Yoyogi Park yesterday all decked out in kimonos. I’ve seen this clubContinue reading “Dogs In Kimonos”
Elvis is Alive and Performing in Yoyogi Park
It was a beautiful autumn afternoon yesterday in Yoyogi Park, and the rockabilly clubs were out in force. These guys gather around boom boxes near the Harajuku Station entrance, occasionally swigging from a bottle of whisky, taking turns dancing their hearts out to “Blue Suede Shoes” and other classics from when The King was king.Continue reading “Elvis is Alive and Performing in Yoyogi Park”
Only In Japan 