In the early morning and late evening hours around Hokan-ji in eastern Kyoto, the streets are nearly deserted and you can enjoy a magical moment of alone time with this six centuries-old pagoda. Sitting on a sloped narrow stone path, this historic pagoda is mostly surrounded by traditional wooden shops and residences. At one time the pagoda…
Tag: Architecture
Walk The Rainbow Bridge
Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge connects the artificially-made island of Odaiba with the rest of the city and is used not only by vehicles and a monorail, but by foot traffic as well. The 30 minute walk on a nice day or evening affords spectacular views: the Tokyo skyline on the north side and the modern buildings of Odaiba on…
Omotesando Dori
For a taste of unique modern architecture and luxury boutiques, stroll down stately Omotesando Dori. Start or end at Omotesando station at one end and Meiji Jingu-mae station at the other. Weekends, the sidewalks are packed with people but you can also enjoy an excellent used kimono outdoor market at the corner opposite Tokyu Plaza (with…
Tokyo Station Renovation
The grand old train station has been undergoing a lot of changes recently and for good reason: it celebrated its 100-year-anniversary in December 2014 and had to get dressed up nicely. The area around Tokyo Station has also seen renovation recently, the huge ultra-modern structures now standing guard over the classic beauty. The beautiful domes atop the…
Log Road Daikanyama
Singapore talent and model Esther Leong enjoys a cup of coffee from Log Road, a boutique shopping center in the trendy Daikanyama area of Tokyo. Log Road opened last year to much fanfare though it really only houses a few shops and cafes. But each is unique to Tokyo and many to Japan: LA clothier…
Fuji TV Building
Looking across Tokyo Bay at the man-made island of Odaiba, the Fuji Television building stands out even among a crowd of architectural marvels. Designed by Kenzo Tange and completed in 1997, it is the headquarters of one of Japan’s major networks. The sphere on the upper floors has a viewing deck that is open to…
Old vs. New
The dichotomy of Japan’s attempt to maintain centuries-old traditions while staying on the cutting edge of the modern world is most striking in its architecture. Tokyo has ancient shrines and historic gardens resting in the shadows of skyscrapers dozens of stories tall. In Ginza, a small shop built over 100 years earlier is literally sandwiched…
Tower of Hermes
Ginza is known for being the home of Japan’s flagship department stores Mitsukoshi and Matsuya as well as dozens of boutique shops and high end restaurants and is a major tourist destination. When it was first built in the late 1800’s, it wasn’t well received by foreigners who saw it as too western for their…
川越 Kawagoe (Saitama)
The city of Kawagoe is barely half an hour from central Tokyo by express train, but it feels like you have traveled back in time when you arrive there. While Tokyo experienced fires and bombings that destroyed many of its ancient buildings, Kawagoe was spared from bombing during WW2 and before that, made some decisions that helped…
南禅寺 Nanzenji (Kyoto)
Nanzenji is one of Kyoto’s most beautiful temples, in the foothills on the eastern side of the city. However, one can’t help but notice the large brick structure that cuts through the temple grounds. The structure is an aqueduct built to carry water and goods to the people of the neighboring Shiga prefecture. Though the…
365 JAPAN 