Records Shops in Tokyo
Mar 26, 2024 By Michael Stigall
Did you know that April 21st is Record Store Day? Sure, the modern music industry is well and truly established in the digital world, but record stores still cling on for those preferring the sound of vinyl. Most people access their favorite artists now through Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music, and...[ Click to read more ]
Day Trips from Tokyo
Mar 25, 2024 By Michael Stigall
Now that the weather is getting better, we can start focusing on my favorite Tokyo pastime: Getting out of town. There are actually more options to accomplish this than you would think. Sure, when talking about trains in Japan, people either think of the Shinkansen high-speed rail lines linking Japan's...[ Click to read more ]
It’s back! teamLab Borderless
Feb 28, 2024 By Michael Stigall
When most people think of art and Japan in the same vein, images on the order of Hokusai’s Great Wave of Kanagawa spring to mind. You could tour the traditional art scene in Nippon seemingly forever, enjoying a multitude of museums throughout the metropolis. However, there was a legendary museum...[ Click to read more ]
Hanami in Tokyo 2024
By Michael Stigall
Rejoice for the end of winter is nearly here, and one of the best times to be in Japan is almost upon us. I am speaking, of course, of cherry blossom viewing or hanami. Just picture it! The weather will soon be warmer, the days longer, and it'll be time...[ Click to read more ]
Bouldering in Tokyo in 2024
By Michael Stigall
I doubt that there is a single kid in the western world and a few from other places in the world who does not want to crawl the walls like a certain well-known web-slinging superhero. While most of those climbing feats aren’t possible, it is still possible to do some...[ Click to read more ]
Volunteering in Kanto
Jan 31, 2024 By Michael Stigall
Winter is a time where we often have more time on our hands than we know what to do with. It is cold, wet, and mostly dark, so we often assume that there is not much that we can do. However, this is not true. One thing to do during...[ Click to read more ]
Snow Festivals in 2024
Jan 30, 2024 By Michael Stigall
It been a warm winter so far, but it is finally beginning the drop into the single digits. With that said, the possibility of snow begins to come to mind. You see, because Japan is over 70% mountainous and located in the temperate latitudes of the western Pacific where the...[ Click to read more ]
Plum Viewing in Tokyo – The Top Umemi Spots in 2024
Jan 29, 2024 By Michael Stigall
While the cherry blossom is the flower that tends to dominate the imagination of Japanese botanic appreciation, it is perhaps the plum (ume) blossom that should be the more celebrated. Sporting reddish pink or white flowers, they are distinguishable from the sakura by their split ended petals and their strong,...[ Click to read more ]
Ice Skating Rinks in Kanto
Dec 27, 2023 By Michael Stigall
For most of us from colder climates, it is hard to imagine winter without ice skating. Luckily, many in the metropolis share that view, and there is a wide selection of ice rinks to choose from. We’ve looked high and low for the best places to hit the ice this...[ Click to read more ]
Winter Food in Japan
By Michael Stigall
As an American, there are certain foods that I look forward to when things start getting chilly. Most of those foods, like a roasted turkey or pumpkin pie, are simply not that easy to come by in Japan. So, what's a person to do when you want something warming and...[ Click to read more ]
