You may have noticed that my blog output hasn’t been up to snuff recently. Indeed, kanagawacement is going through a bit of a sea change, quite literally. In the last few days I have seen every possession in our apartment packed into more than 50 boxes, our furniture hauled with ropes down the second story […]
Today, in Japan, is known as Coming of Age day or Seijin no hi (成人の日). A day when all those who have turned twenty in the previous year dress in traditional kimono and attend events at their local city hall. Unfortunately for them, the Tokyo region was hit with a relatively large snow storm, rather […]
One of the most intriguing things to witness in the Tokyo metroplex is just how little residents utilize balcony space. Most are simply relegated as spaces for hanging laundry, which admittedly, is all there seems to be room for. But laundry isn’t always drying, and it is in those instances when residents should look to […]
Sakura season came and went in rather delayed fashion in the Tokyo Region this past year. Several weeks behind schedule, the blossoms finally came out around the second week in April and managed to hold on strong for about 10 days. The tree lined road between Musashi-Kosugi and Motosumiyoshi (Nakahara Ward, Kanagawa Prefecture) offered some […]
In my constant quest to discover green space within the Tokyo-Yokohama Metroplex, I came across one of the more startling contrasts between cityscape and nature at the Todoroki Valley (等々力 渓谷) in Setagaya Ward. The Todoroki Valley is a walking path approximately 1 km long which follows a small cascading stream and terminates at a beautiful […]
For many years I have been an avid collector of 花札 (hanafuda, traditional Japanese flower cards). I first became familiar with this unique card game years ago in South Korea, where the game is still intensely played on a regular basis, even on the sidewalks in more rural areas. When I first began living in […]
Tokyo on Foot: Travels in the City’s Most Colorful Neighborhoods by Florent Chavouet My rating: 4 of 5 stars This book called out to me the moment I saw it in the book store. There are numerous books which try to capture the feelings one has when visiting Japan for the first time. Few do […]