Blogs from Tokyo, Japan, Asia - page 7

This blog is a record of my memories of travel for myself, family and my friends. It is mainly in pictorial form but I will add some stories and text as time goes on. 2015 - September My family from Australia, Roz and Jim, visited in Tokyo before leaving Yokohama on the Diamond Princess Cruise ship. I went to Yokohama with them and waved goodbye as the ship left the wharf. It was a very good visit because both of the mothers - my Mum and Roz - had their birthday on the same day - 4 September. We celebrated at Maison Barsac.... read more

Cherry Blossom - A walk along Meguro River #heygo http://www.heygo.com Meguro River is one of the most popular places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo. It’s located in Nakameguro area which is near Shibuya, central of Tokyo. The best highlight of Meguro River Cherry Blossoms is over 800 cherry trees lined for about 4 km along the river which displays the spectacular view. During the main season for cherry blossoms, a cherry blossom festival is held near the river and there will be a lot of stalls selling food and drinks. There are also many cafes and restaurants along the river and some of them have terrace seats where you can enjoy delicious food with the cherry blossoms views. Cherry blossoms are a symbolic flower of the spring, a time of renewal, and the fleeting nature ... read more

http://www.heygo.com 21st February- Early Spring Plum Blossom It was 11pm Sunday in U.K. & 8am Monday in Tokyo when we visited Koganei Park close to where our virtual guide lived in a Western suburb of Tokyo. The park covers 200 acres & through the seasons and abundance of plum blossom, cherry blossom, hydrangeas, wisteria & rhododendron. Volunteers help with the upkeep of the park. Originally introduced from China, the Japanese plum has played an important role in Japanese culture for many centuries. The plum is associated with the start of spring, because plum blossoms are some of the first blossoms to open during the year. In most areas of Japan they typically flower in February and March. Plum blossom came to symbolize perseverance and hope, as well as beauty & purity. Most plum blossoms have five ... read more

http://www.heygo.com 10th February - Hokusai Ukiyo-e and Immersive Experience I admit I knew very little about this artist so it was a very interesting morning, The introduction from our guide. In this digital art exhibition, all forty six views of Mt. Fuji prints are digitally recreated in super fine resolutions (2 Billion pixels). Ukiyo-e are very susceptible to light so original printings are only on display at limited times. But this digital technology gives us more chances to enjoy beautiful Ukiyo-e. In this tour, you can also enjoy an “immersive experience”, where you feel as if you were in the raging ocean waves. (This tour is made possible by the great support by NTT InterCommunication Center, Tokyo, Japan) Hokusai (1760-1849) is one of the greatest Ukiyo-e (woodblock prints) artists in Japan. His “Thirty-six Vie... read more

This year, Children's Day is May 5. Of all the children-centric holidays, I miss Children's Day the most. Why? I felt it was special, for Japanese American children, in a culture that cherishes tradition, family, and outright spoiling of children. (Written in 2009) Many of you think of May 5 as Cinco de Mayo. But May 5 is a big day in Japan as well, for it is an annual event, now called Children's Day, or originally Kodomo no Hi. It is set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness. It became a national holiday in Japan in 1948. It was always a special day when my son was a little guy. And of course, like most Asian families, the boys are favored with ... read more