Tag: Tokyo

And now for an unscheduled feature... I have returned to Japan! This is a bit of a different experience, because this time around (my third visit to this wonderful country) I am here for work -but I had a weekend before, and then afterwards I’m taking off on my own to unknown reaches. But first,… Continue reading Yanaka, Odaiba

The sun shone bright this morning when we left Kanazawa and took the shinkansen back to Tokyo. As usual, the 10:56 train left the station at 10:56 on the dot. Going back to Paris is going to be devastating after these two weeks.We arrived at Tokyo Station two hours and change later, just in time… Continue reading Tokyo’s National Art Centre

Our last day in Tokyo! After walking up and down the city for about five days, two and a half hours sitting down tomorrow in the shinkansen sound pretty good right now!We decided to start the day with a good dose of culture and hopped on the Yamanote line to go to Ueno, on the… Continue reading Ueno and Shinjuku

So our plan to spend this beautiful, sunny day in Kamakura went out the window when the airline failed to deliver our luggage yesterday, after we spent all afternoon stuck in the apartment. After two excruciating phone calls with customer service, in Japanese as well as English, we discovered that the deliverymen had actually visited...… Continue reading The Ginza Experience

Save for a couple of jetlagged awakenings, I had a good night's sleep and woke up to blue skies, the shining sun, and a glorious 17°C. Back to the suitcase with the winter clothes!Today's plan was to do a tour of Tokyo's fashion hub around Harajuku. We had a very early start because I wanted… Continue reading Tokyo Fashion Tour

I'm on the road again! As you probably know, ever since I first came to Japan three years ago I've been looking for an excuse to come back. When my mom said she wanted to go, I took the chance to volunteer my services as a guide and here we go!Last time I came here… Continue reading Japan, Round Two

Yesterday, my last day in Tokyo, was mostly about tying up loose ends. I began the morning peacefully enough, by doing laundry. A little Ueno housekeeping to start the day on the right foot! Sawanoya has a washing machine, a dryer and an iron, and the whole thing adds up to only 300 yen.At around… Continue reading Last day in Tokyo

This morning I went to the Ghibli Museum, the hometown of all things Totoro in Japan and, consequently, the world. Tickets are sold out months in advance, and although the entire journey there didn't seem very busy at all, once inside the museum it was indeed a full house.I was most charmed by the building… Continue reading Ghibli Museum; Nezu Shrine

For the afternoon, I had tickets to see a Kabuki play at Shinbashi Enbujo, near Ginza. While Kabuki-za is still being renovated (set to reopen later this month or April, I believe), Shinbashi has apparently picked up as the main Kabuki stage in Tokyo these past few years.Once again, I thought I was hopelessly lost… Continue reading Kabuki and Tarantino

Today was shopping day! I headed down to Ginza to check out the shopping heaven of Tokyo. It was a beautiful, sunny day, and it was just a pleasure to be out and about.This is where the flagship stores of Muji and Uniqlo are located. The former is at least moderate in its hugeness, but… Continue reading Ginza