31 Aug: Did you know... The Oldest Structure in Sumida, Tokyo
One of my sightseeing trips brought me to Sumida, outside the touristic areas, at the Sumidasan Kisshoin Tamon Temple. The gate of this temple, built in 1718, holds the record of being the ... »
Read more » 26 comments » 
There are many buildings at the Toshougu Shrine in Nikko, and each has its own role. The building from this photo is the Shinyosha (Shed of Portable Shrine), the place where the mikoshi are stored. ... »
Read more » 25 comments » 18 Aug: From Genghis Khan to Kamikaze
In the year 1227, on this day of August 18, Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, died at 65 years old.
His grandson, Kublai Khan, tried two times to invade Japan, in 1274 and in 1281.
... »
Read more » 27 comments » 13 Aug: A Japan Photo per Day - The Dinosaurs from Roppongi Hills
Do you like dinosaurs? If yes, and if you're in Tokyo, you can admire a series of statues representing 23 dinosaur species.
I discovered this expo, called The Dawn of the Dinosaurs - Dinosaur ... »
Read more » 24 comments » 
About 11 months ago, I was writing about the construction of the Tokyo Sky Tree tower. Yesterday, I went again to visit the construction site, to see how the work progressed.Well, 2 years after ... »
Read more » 62 comments » 15 Jul: Travel to Japan preparations
I'm preparing to leave for Tokyo, so for the last weeks I've been researching...
As you know, one of my main interests are the Japanese festivals, matsuri. Some of these events are taking place on ... »
Read more » 135 comments » 
Inside the complex from the Kanda Miyojin Shrine, I noticed a miniature architectural jewel, a shrine dedicated to Inari, Kanda Myojin Suehiro Inari Shrine. Everything looked so shiny and magical ... »
Read more » 27 comments » 22 Jun: Did you know... Dogu figurines
I wrote some time ago about the ancient Jomon ceramic vases, with their surface decorations made with a twisted rope.
However, the Dogū figurines, from the same period are a lot more ... »
Read more » 22 comments » 17 Jun: Did you know... Senjafuda
At many shrines and temples from Japan, I noticed small pieces of paper randomly glued on walls, pillars or even ceilings:Daigyo-ji Temple, KamakuraSome are new, but most of them are old, ... »
Read more » 26 comments » 
If you remember, one year ago the Japan Railfan Club awarded the Blue Ribbon Award for the best train of the year 2009 to the Odakyu's Romancecar type 60000 MSE.This year is the East Japan ... »
Read more » 24 comments » 10 Jun: Did you know... Binbogami
There are myriads of kami (gods) in the Shinto religion. To honor the kami, the Japanese people build shrines and organize festivals (matsuri). Many Japanese have in their homes small kamidana ... »
Read more » 36 comments » 07 Jun: Cool yourself with a... Matsuri
I'm quite resilient to high summer temperatures, but in Japan, the summer sun can be scorching.
And since the last two of my Japan trips took place during summer (and this year's trip will be the ... »
Read more » 31 comments » 04 Jun: Did you know... Hotaru
Around the half of June, the firefly (hotaru) season begins in Japan.Even from the ancient times, the Japanese enjoyed the light shows created by fireflies during warm summer nights, close to ... »
Read more » 31 comments » 
Here's a reflexion I enjoyed a lot, with the Rainbow Bridge seen reflected on the entrance of the building hosting the elevator to the pedestrian walkways.Click on photo for higher ... »
Read more » 19 comments » 25 May: Odd Japanese Customs - Baku
We all have bad dreams from time to time... Some treatments are available to avoid the nightmares, but in Japan we can get some exceptional help: baku, a creature who feeds on... nightmares!No, ... »
Read more » 56 comments » 
In a previous article, I folowed Hiroshige's steps in 5 of its "100 famous places of Edo", trying to discover if there are in Tokyo places that still look like they did in the old Edo. Today ... »
Read more » 30 comments » 10 May: Japanese Narrow Buildings - Photo 13, Yodobashi Camera Ueno
Yodobashi Camera Multimedia from Ueno is not actually a narrow building, but the proportions of its northern corner, located close to the Ueno Station, justify its presence in the narrow building ... »
Read more » 20 comments » 06 May: Then and Now - Five of the 'One Hundred Famous Views of Edo'
Tokyo is a continuously changing city, with a rate of demolitions and rebuilds higher than in most cities and I noticed many places changing from one year to another.This made me wonder... are ... »
Read more » 42 comments » 
As the Japanese girls have the Hina Matsuri on March 3rd, the Japanese boys have their own festival, Tango no sekku 「端午の節句」, on May 5th, which was ... »
Read more » 23 comments » 
Many cultures have ancient rituals for invoking or for stopping the rain, and Japan is no exception. However, Japan is one of the few countries where these rituals are still part of the daily ... »
Read more » 47 comments » 29 Apr: Sayonara Kabuki-za
The first Kabuki-za, the main theater in Tokyo for kabuki drama, was built in Ginza in 1889 and lasted until 1921 when, being a wooden construction, was destroyed in a fire.
Kabuki-za in 1907, ... »
Read more » 29 comments » 
Even from the first visit to Japan, I was fascinated with torii, the gates marking the entrance to the Shinto shrines.Torii at Futarasan Shrine, NikkoAlthough an usual part of the Japanese ... »
Read more » 76 comments » 
For me, a visit to the flea market is always an opportunity to see (and eventually learn) new "old" things. Because you never know what you can find... and even more so in Japan. ;)Click on ... »
Read more » 49 comments » 
This is an interesting group of four buildings, three of them quite narrow, located on Asakusa Dori, close to the Ueno Station.
This group draw my eye (and camera) with its variety of ... »
Read more » 21 comments » 16 Apr: A Photo Visit to Akiba Shrine
I like sometimes to wander aimlessly on Tokyo's backstreets, because almost every time I discover something nice: a shop or a restaurant, an old Japanese building or a small temple or shrine... ... »
Read more » 29 comments » 
Today, I would like to show you an image a little different from the modern looking views included until now in this category, a photo snapped at a shrine I accidentally discovered in Asakusa, the ... »
Read more » 8 comments » 12 Apr: Odd Japanese Customs - Kotobuki Bako, the Umbilical Cord Box
I wrote before about the Suiten-gu Shrine, located in Nihombashi, near the Suitengumae Station, dedicated to the God of safe childbirth and blessing of pregnancy.Right from the entrance, ... »
Read more » 25 comments » 
Inside the Inokashira Park, on the lake's shore, across the Benzaiten Temple, I stumbled upon a beautiful small shrine, dedicated to the Inari god. The actual shrine is hidden in vegetation and ... »
Read more » 28 comments » 
On April 8th, Japan celebrates Buddha's Birthday, Hana Matsuri (花祭り - The Flower Festival). According to Buddhist tradition, Prince Siddhartha Gautama (Sakyamuni Buddha), the ... »
Read more » 32 comments » 31 Mar: Did you know... The Connection between Sakura and Mount Fuji
One of the best places to admire Mount Fuji is located in the Five Lakes region (Fujigoko) near the Kawaguchi Lake... and not incidentally, many sakura trees were planted around the lake.Images ... »
Read more » 40 comments » 
A walk on Takeshita Dori represents a unique experience, even if you're not interested in shopping or in Japanese fashion trends.Takeshita Dori EntranceLocated right across the Harajuku ... »
Read more » 41 comments »
Here is a narrow building I've actually visited, an anime figures shop ("Toys Golden Age") from Akihabara. I've presented in this series several narrower buildings, but the ratio between height and ... »
Read more » 10 comments » 
A "reflections" photo I took in Ginza, featuring two of the many narrow buildings that were built in the area.I was a little unsure whether to place this photo in the "Reflections" or in ... »
Read more » 13 comments » 22 Mar: 12 Great Sakura Videos
From the end of March until the beginning of May, the Japanese celebrates Hanami ( 「花見」 - the flower viewing).The custom is not strictly related to the Japanese ... »
Read more » 29 comments » 15 Mar: 12 Sakura Manhole Covers
The main role of the relief drawings from the manhole covers is to prevent wheel slipping and potential accidents, especially when the metallic surface is wet.However, only in Japan, the ... »
Read more » 103 comments » 11 Mar: The Sad Story of the Hidden Ginkgo from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
In order to reach the main building of the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, you have to climb 61 steps.On the left side, it was impossible not to notice an impressive 1000-year old ginkgo tree, ... »
Read more » 32 comments » 
At less than half a kilometer south-east of Kamakura Station, you can visit one of the most beautiful temples from Kamakura, the Hongaku-ji Temple.The Temple belongs to the Nichiren Sect ... »
Read more » 18 comments » 03 Mar: Customs and traditions of Japan - Hina Matsuri: Dolls and Deli
On March 3rd, Japan celebrates Hina Matsuri 「雛祭り」, the Japanese Doll Festival, also known as the "Girl's Day", an important event, especially for families with ... »
Read more » 48 comments » 24 Feb: A Photo Visit to Yakumo Shrine
At less than a kilometer from the Kamakura Station you can find the Yakumo Shrine, established in 1082 by Yoshimitsu Minamoto, the grand-grand-grandfather of the Kamakura Shogunate founder, ... »
Read more » 21 comments » 22 Feb: Reflections, photo 18 - Shinjuku
On my latest visit to Shinjuku, I remembered my first "reflections" photos, Inter-dimensional Mirror and Inter-dimensional Gate... :)
So I couldn't resist taking another picture of the same ... »
Read more » 11 comments » 
Even since my first visit to Japan, my attention was attracted by the manhole covers (manhoru in Japanese), many of them unusual decorated: cute characters, plants, castles, buildings...I ... »
Read more » 60 comments » 
At the Kanda Myojin Shrine I photographed this beautiful statue of Ebisu, one of the Seven Gods of Luck (Shichifukujin), God of fishermen, good fortune and commerce, the only god from the Seven ... »
Read more » 7 comments » 
Japan was and remains a unique place. Whether we talk about traditional festivals or traditional theater, religion or pop culture, architecture or transport, food or clothing, martial arts or ... »
Read more » 96 comments » 12 Feb: Japanese mascots - Noppon Brothers and the Valentine's Day
Some slightly less known mascots from Tokyo, the Noppon Brothers are the mascots of Tokyo Tower.
They are twins, 2.23 meters tall and 11 years old (they were born on December 23 1998, on the 40th ... »
Read more » 8 comments » 
Several photos taken in Akihabara, on Chuo-dori, with reflections of Akihabara's landmark buildings Comic Toranoana and Animate.The building on which these reflections are ... »
Read more » 17 comments » 
Japan's love for Mount Fuji, the most famous place in Japan, remained unchanged over the years. Fuji-san (富士山) is definitely the most represented place from Japan, starting ... »
Read more » 62 comments » 05 Feb: 40 great vintage Geisha Photos
Today we almost cannot think about traveling somewhere without taking photos, with more or less sophisticated cameras or at least with the mobile phone...A hundred years ago however, when the ... »
Read more » 73 comments » 
Setsubun ( 節分 ) is a Japanese traditional celebration taking place in the last day of a season. From the four annual festivals, the most important is the one taking place today, on ... »
Read more » 20 comments » 02 Feb: 40 Sapporo Yuki Matsuri Photos
Between February 5 and 11, in Sapporo takes place the Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri), one of the biggest winter events in Japan. It is estimated that this year more than 2 million ... »
Read more » 31 comments » 
The 10th installment of the Japanese Narrow Buildings series features two shops located near the Ueno Station.
I especially like the design of the left one, with the vertical red stripe, that ... »
Read more » 10 comments » 
The "robot anime" (ロボット, robotto) (known outside Japan as mecha anime) is a Japanese animation genre featuring walking robots (called mecha), usually bipedal, with ... »
Read more » 73 comments » 27 Jan: Edo Kabuki Theater
Do you like Kabuki theater? About two years ago, I had the rare opportunity to enjoy a stunning performance by the Heisei Nakamura-za, led by Nakamura Kanzaburō XVIII. I fell in love with ... »
Read more » 11 comments » 
In Ota-ku, near the Omori Station, in a nice little park I found an interesting fountain:Why interesting?
Because the fountain is a scaled up replica of a Jomon period (14,000 - 400 BC) ... »
Read more » 15 comments » 25 Jan: The Great Buddha from Ueno
In the Ueno Park, near the Bells of Time and the Monster Lantern, there's a small hill known since the Edo Period as Daibutsu Yama (the Great Buddha Hill).The first Daibutsu (Great Buddha) ... »
Read more » 16 comments » 
Two photos with the splendid skyscraper Mode Gakuen Cocoon Tower, reflected on the Shinjuku i-Land Tower.
When I took the pictures, I think I was standing somewhere around here: ... »
Read more » 8 comments » 
After enjoying the trip with the Hakone pirate ships, from Motohakone-ko to Togendai I took the Hakone Ropeway...
Click on photo for higher resolution... and after a few ... »
Read more » 20 comments » 
If you traveled to Japan, chances are you've seen some unusual looking objects like this one:Kumade, The Shitamachi Museum, UenoThis is a kumade, a wide rake made of bamboo, traditionally ... »
Read more » 21 comments » 
One of the few buildings in Ginza that survived the bombings of the Second World War was the Hattori Clock Tower, also known as Ginza Wako.
Located at the hearth of Ginza district and owned today ... »
Read more » 11 comments » 
One of the best known temples in Kamakura is the Hongaku-ji Temple, belonging to the Nichiren Buddhist Sect.Little known is the fact that before the construction of the present-day Temple, on ... »
Read more » 7 comments » 
This is an old building that I like very much, on Asakusa Dori. I passed by it on every trip I made to Tokyo...... and when I returned home I discovered that I never took a picture with it. ... »
Read more » 21 comments »
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02 Sep: A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji 
Gokokusan Tenno-ji Temple was established some 600 years ago (sometimes between ... »
Read more » 21 comments » 01 Sep: A Japan Photo per Day - Asakusa Shrine Haiden 
Asakusa Shrine is built in the gongen-zukuri style, a complex of three ... »
Read more » 21 comments » 31 Aug: Did you know... The Oldest Structure in Sumida, Tokyo 
One of my sightseeing trips brought me to Sumida, outside the touristic ... »
Read more » 26 comments » 31 Aug: A Japan Photo per Day - Yamada Denki LABI Akihabara 
One of the most popular stores in Akihabara, opened 13 years ago, is the Yamada ... »
Read more » 21 comments » 30 Aug: A Japan Photo per Day - Inari Shrine at World Trade Center 
Choosing the wrong exit from the Hamamatsucho Station, I discovered this ... »
Read more » 23 comments »
Japan photography, travel in Japan, Japanese culture, Japanese history, customs and traditions, J-music, Japanese cuisine, Japan facts and trivia
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From Genghis Khan to Kamikaze
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
Did you know... The Oldest Structure in Sumida, Tokyo
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji
A Japan Photo per Day - Rainy Day at Gokokusan Tenno-ji