Yokoso Japan!

One of the main entrances in Kiyomizu-dera, Kyoto

Tomodachi

Tomodachi in Japanese means friend, people whom you can sit down with and share a private world. “Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.” ― Albert Camus

Purification

There are two main religions in Japan – Buddhism and Shinto. Buddhism is practiced in a temple while Shinto, in a shrine. The names of Buddhism temples end with ji and they tend to have Buddha statues and large incense burners. Shinto shrines, on the other hand, have names ending with jingu, and have tall …

You Had Me At Harajuku

Stepping out of the JR subway onto the streets of Harajuku on a weekend is an out of body experience. Oh sure, you’ve heard of Harajuku’s proclivity for teenyboppers and cosplayers, and words like “manic”, “energetic”, “swarms” jump out at you when magazines and travel guides describe the area. But nothing- nothing!– prepares you for …

Nakajima-no-Ochaya

Nakajima-no-Ochaya is a teahouse in the Hamarikyu Gardens. The garden itself is a lush haven in an otherwise metropolitan area, framed by tall skyscrapers in the Chuo business district. The modern and the traditional sit just side by side and make quite an interesting contrast.

Sakura, Under Blue Sky

To see the sakura in flower for the first time is to experience a new sensation. Percival Lowell, The Soul of the Far East

Abstract

A close up of the Tokyo Tower by night. Tokyo Tower employs seasonal lighting. In warm summer months, it is lighted up in white, thought to be a cooling color. In colder months, it becomes a warm, cosy orange.