Nezu Shrine Azalea Festival
Close to the University of Tokyo and a short distance west from Ueno Park is a traditional area called Yanesen (谷根千) which still retains many historical structures, in the…
Read articleChurch of Concrete and Steel
Much of Japan’s modern architecture is functional and sterile but last week while riding around my local neighbourhood of Sekiguchi in Bunkyō (文京区), Tokyo I came…
Read articleBuying a Bicycle in Japan
Despite being the mega city to end all mega cities Tokyo is surprisingly accessible by bicycle and is the primary mode of transport for many people.…
Read articleA Wild Sheep Chase in Koenji
We’re nearing the end of Golden Week (黄金週間) in Japan – a cluster of national holidays which effectively give most people the week off work. Last weekend…
Read articleLearning To Walk Again
As if being reborn and able see the world through the eyes of a child again, the first few months living in a new country is…
Read articleEarthquakes in Japan
I have to admit that first few small earthquakes I’ve felt in Tokyo have been equal measure unnerving and exciting. Before moving here I didn’t realise that…
Read articleTokyo Sakura – Part 2
With the weather in Tokyo fluctuating wildly between heat and rain the last couple of weeks, most of the sakura is now over but here’s a…
Read articleTokyo Hanami – Part 1
From the end of March to early May, sakura (さくら cherry blossom) bloom all over Japan, and I was lucky enough to arrive in Tokyo at…
Read articleToday’s Levitation
Back in 2011 I wrote about Natsumi Hayashi, the Japanese girl who takes seemingly impossible photos of herself floating in various places around Tokyo, and then posted…
Read articleUser Experience Lost in Translation
Above is the gas supply control panel in the apartment I’m staying at in Tokyo. Assuming you don’t read Japanese, how would you go about turning it…
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