Top 100 : Cherry blossom illuminations at Inokashira Park in Kichijoji

I have known of Inokashira Park on the west side of Tokyo and had visited this place a couple of times in autumn for beautiful color season. Had never been here in spring and it was a discovery that Inokashira Park is one of the top 100 famous cherry blossom spots in Japan! Went over

Asakusa Sensoji – Night time illumination of cherry blossoms or “yozakura”

Tokyo’s hotspots for cherry blossoms implies locations like Kudanshita (Chidorigafuchi), Ueno Park, Shinjuku Gyoen, Meguro River. Sumida River is also one more popular location in the neighborhood of Asakusa. Asakusa or the famous tourist spot of Sensoji itself finds less mention in terms of a destination to see the Cherry blossoms and is mostly overlooked especially in

Tokyu Plaza Ginza : Kiriko Lounge and Terrace

Tokyo has got a brand new FREE OBSERVATION terrace and lounge. The Tokyu Plaza Ginza. Opened for business on March 31, 2016, Tokyu Plaza Ginza is a brand new department store in the upscale shopping district of Ginza with a brilliant exterior motif of a traditional Japanese craft—Edo Kiriko cut glass.The exterior is brilliant piece

Ueno Park cherry blossom night illumination “Yozakura”

Lined endlessly with a number of cherry trees, Ueno Park main street is a favourite place that many Japanese people would think of when it comes to a beautiful scene of cherry blossoms in spring. During the festival, 1000 lanterns, which were originally intended for nighttime security, illuminate the park and invite people to celebrate

Rikugien Gardens : Weeping cherry tree blossoms

Every year I visit the Rikugien Gardens in spring and autumn. At Rikugien Garden, the shidare zakura (weeping cherry tree) and feudal lord’s garden are lit up, creating memorable spring scenery end of March and early April. Brilliant 20 meters wide and 15 meters tall tree it is one of the biggest weeping cherry tree in

Cherry Blossoms 2016 : Roppongi Hills is now in full bloom

March 29, 2016 : The Cherry blossoms at the base of the Roppongi Hills are now in full bloom. The light up in the evenings is beautiful and you can also go to Tokyo Midtown where too many cherry blossom trees are in full bloom now.The blossoms have been late than what was predicted, but

Automated Gate : Save your passport pages from entry exit stamps in Japan

Although I hate flying for work reasons am a frequent flyer. I fly out every month to some destination and my passport has all the stamp art made by the immigration officers from various countries who feel these pages are their canvas to exploit where they merrily put the ink on the passport. Every trip

Birthplace of Sumo tournaments : Tomioka Hachiman Shrine at Monzen Nakacho

For a cultural immersion most travelers to Japan head to Kyoto, the cultural capital of the country.  Understandably so, but Tokyo has many hidden gems and one in my neighborhood Tomioka Hachiman Shrine at Monzen nakacho is one of them. If you are interested in the history of the Sumo sport, this shrine should be on your to-do-list

Pepsi SAKURA : Tastes like medicine, a Sakura flavoured cola drink…

It’s the second week in the month of March. The cherry blossoms are a few days away, but the marketing machines of companies are already working full speed and many brands are getting the “sakura” treatment. Alcohol brands like Suntory, Kirin and Asahi already have their sakura flavours out… In the discount store around Kasai,

5 years since the earthquake of March 2011

I still remember the sunny afternoon on a Friday in Kobe, I was looking forward to a regular weekend and was busy closing most of the actions and head off to Tokyo back home. I used to stay in city of Kobe all the five days of the week and go back to my family

Tokyo Olympics 2020 : Shizuoka plans to develop a giant Wave Pool

Everyone wants a pie of the Olympics in 2020 and the neighboring prefectures of Tokyo are announcing development plans one after the other. A few months back Kanagawa Prefecture proposed the Enoshima-Shonan base for the surfing event  at the Olympics. Chiba, another hot spot for surfing activity threw its hat in the ring and Chiba Governor Morita positioned

Kiba Koen Plum Blossoms

Ume or the Plum blossoms are everywhere now in Tokyo in the first week of March. The Kiba Park in Koto Ward (if you stay around Koto Ward, Edogawa Ward quite easy to reach here) is a pretty wide park and recreation boats an area of 24 hectares to relax in the suburbs of Tokyo from every

Shiba Koen : Early spring Plum and Nano-hana flowers

February end – March first week, the moment when the winter slowly starts to subside making way for the spring to take over. The cold winds from north are still keeping things chilly but I witnessed pockets of spring blossoms on the weekend when  I went for a stroll around the Tokyo Tower area and the Shiba

Ariake Sports Center : 400 yen swimming bliss!!!!

A few days back I blogged about a skating arena in Tokyo, today its time for another sport. This was nearly four years ago, that on a walk along the Tokyo Bay area around Odaiba that me and my wife spotted this odd looking building and were curious to find what it was all about. It seemed