Well, finally a breakthrough! The travel ban was lifted, and we were able to return to Japan again! Sure, testing required, and a tedius airport experience upon arrival at Narita.

Tokyo is an eclectic city of contrasts - ultra modern skyscrapers, residential bedroom towns, and ancient temples and shrines. In this guide I will give you some ideas for things to do while visiting Tokyo.  The places mentioned here are not necessarily in any particular order. 

Those that know me are keenly aware that I love a nice bowl of ramen. Well, I found a ramen nirvana of sorts in Shin Yokohama, where you can learn about ramen history, and taste it too!

Back in the early 1990's we visited Osaka on our way to Kobe.  Frankly I remember very little about that trip.  Then in 2023 we had a chance to stop in at Osaka for a couple of days, and we made the most of it.  I've highlighted some major sights to see if you are planning to spend a day or two in this interesting city. 

Kyoto is the heart and soul of Japan. It's ancient temples and shrines are a testament to the history of Japan, and even its future. Kyoto is a modern city with many contemporary buildings, and even its own tower. But at is core are many of the Japan's most well known and internationally recognized UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Toyoko, Elaine and I visited Kyoto for a three day stay. Here's what we saw.

This past fall we signed up for a bus and ferry tour of Shodo Island and Shimanami Kaido, which you can read about here.  To start the tour we had to take the Shinkansen to Nagoya.  So, at the end of the tour, we decided to stay an extra couple of days in Nagoya to see the sights.  I had always wanted to see Nagoya Castle, so this was my opportunity!

This trip would be our first time in Aomori, Iwate, and Akita prefectures. We were lucky to view the most beautiful cherry blossoms, an historic castle, and snowcapped mountains. 

We decided to continue our exploration of the parts of Japan that we had not yet visited with this unique trip to Shodo Island, the Setonaikai National Park, and the islands adjacent to the park. 

Recently I came upon two beautifully restored residences that were built by Marquis Maeda and Prince Asaka, two Japanese aristocrats in first half of the 20th century. This lesson is about the former residence of the Marquis Maeda Toshinori and his family.  His main residence, a western-style building known as the Yokan, is connected by an open pathway to a Japanese style home known as the Wakan.  They are located in Komaba Park, Meguro Ward, Tokyo.

The second residence I came across in Tokyo was built by Prince Yasuhiko Asaka, a member of the royal family with a troubled wartime past.  The design of the home was heavily influenced by his wife Nobuko.  The residence was built on property in Shirokane that was owned by the Imperial Family and bequethed to the young prince at the time of his marriage. The stunning Art Deco interior rooms were designed by Henri Rapin and Rene Lalique.

If you have been following my explolits in Japan you will know that I have written about a couple of estates that were built upon western architectural principles.  The estate built for Hisaya Iwasaki is another great example of Japan's interest in western architecture at the turn of the 19th century.

I have a few destinations northwest of Tokyo for you to consider if you are interested in seeing a bit of nature and even a little hiking.  The first one is in the area between Sawai and Mitake stations, starting at Seiryu Garden Sawanoi-en for lunch, and then a little hike to Mitake Gorge along the Tama River.

My December 2023 visit to Hatonosu Canyon was the beginning of my infatuation with the area along the Tama River beyond Ome.  Nice walking trail along the river and a charming lunch spot were highlights of this day trip.

I took another solo trip out west of Tokyo along the Tama River to Okutama in early November.  Another beautiful sunny day for hiking the Okutama Mukashi Michi Trailhead and a quick peek at Hikawa Gorge.  

Ever wonder where dignitaries from other countries get entertained in Tokyo? I never thought about it until I came across pictures of Prime Minister Kishida welcoming the Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at Akasaka Palace.  I was pleasantly surprised that I could tour this magnificant estate.

One sunny afternoon in December we strolled up to the Ministry of Justice building, or more commonly known as the Red Brick Building.  Getting in to see the museum inside was a bit of a challange, but I have a tip for you so you don't run into a roadblock.

Hatoyama Hall is one of those important residences in Tokyo that many people overlook. Some Japanese folks may know of the Hatoyama family because of their legacy, but your typical tourist will have no idea who they were.  Include me as someone who knew nothing about the Hatoyama's until I stumbled on their little palace in Google Maps.

Located in the western suburbs of Tokyo, the Edo Tokyo Open Air Architecture Museum is a unique collection of buildings that were transported onto this 17 acre site.  The buildings span quite a bit of Edo era history, and provide a glimpse into what it was like to live during that time.

It's been a long time since I posted a lesson about a restaurant. I was intending to last fall, as I visited a couple of well known ramen shops. But for whatever reason I never got around to it. So, here is a quickie review of Nobunaga, a tasty ramen shop on the edge of Ginza.

The Creative Noodle Factory Nakiryu was on my short list of ramen places to visit in 2025. This classy ramen shop had won a Michelin star in 2017, so it is going to be good. How good was the question.

This spring we took a bus tour to a few beautiful locations for viewing cherry blossoms, referred to in Japan as sakura. The first stop in the tour was Byodoin, an ancient Heian temple located in the southern part of Kyoto. Most folks visiting Kyoto are not aware of Byodoin. It is a bit out of the way in Uji, and well, there are so many temples and shrines closer to the center of Kyoto that Byodoin is kind of an afterthought, if thought of at all.

To-ji is an important temple on the southwest side of Kyoto. It is especially pretty in cherry blossom season, and in the fall when the colors change. It's probably not a place you will visit on your first visit to Kyoto, with all the other more well known temples to see, but you will not be disappointed if you have time to visit To-ji.

The mountainous region of Nara known as Yoshinoyama has been known as one of the best places to visit during cherry blossom season. So we wanted to see if the reality was up to the hype. Well, I am here to report that it did, with flying colors!

Himeji-jō, known as the White Heron Castle because of its distinctive white exterior, is the most visited castle in Japan. We had visited other castles in Japan before, but this one was at a different level. Not only is Himeji-jō very well preserved, but in cherry blossom season, it is absolutely spectacular.

Over the years I have seen many pictures of The National Diet Building in Nagatacho, but never actually came close to visiting it. Well, finally that day came, and it was grander than I expected. And we even got a chance to visit the Parliamentary Museum and the National Diet Library before our tour started!

A little known sports bar in Nihonbashi got my attention last year with its Philly theme and pursuit of an authentic cheesesteak. The owners just returned from a pilgrimage to Philadelphia to show off their version. So it must be good right? Well, I did the taste test, and...

During our time in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture we were able to explore the ancient fortress on the hill, Matsuyama Castle. A cloudy and rainy day made the castle seem overly gloomy, but there were facinating historical artifacts and displays inside the castle that made up for it.

I was looking at some old photos the other day and stumbled on a place off the beaten track that I had pretty much forgotten about.  Our friends took us for a ride in their car to a unique park and museum complex called Clematis no Oka in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture. You may want to go too after reading this, but unfortunately, one of its key museums is closed indefinitely! Sigh.

Mt. Takao is another place off the beaten path that you can visit while you are in the Tokyo area. It has its share of visitors but is still not a hotbed of tourism, at least not yet. It's a nice alternative to the crowds at Hakone.

If you're in Japan during the fall months, it's always a nice idea to plan an outing outside Tokyo to see the fall colors. We made a plan to do just that, and tacked on a trip to Matsumoto to see the famous castle. Well, plans change when life gets in the way, but in our case not so much!

If you're visiting Kawagoe you'll probably want to stop somewhere for lunch. Here are a couple of restaurants that I have tried recently that might work for you. One is a traditional Japanese sushi restaurant, and the other is a burger joint. Yes, quite a contrast! Bon appétit.

Kawagoe is an historic Japanese city in Saitama Prefecture, nicknamed "Little Edo" for its well-preserved Edo-period buildings, featuring Kurazukuri warehouses, old merchant streets, and ancient temples. It's an easy day trip from Tokyo that allows you to experience some of old Edo Japan. We recently went once for lunch, and then I did a solo encore to check it out some more. 

My wife's cousin Jun composed the music for an opera, and we were invited to attend - in Sapporo! A blend of Japanese history and original music greeted us with this new opera. And while we were in Sapporo, we took a quick tour of the city.

Kamakura is often referred to as the Kyoto of Eastern Japan, and for good reason. Its historic temples are stunning examples of architecture introduced from Song Dynasty China with Zen Buddhism's influence. Kamakura was once the administrative capital of Japan. And so it has the history, sure, but that is not all it has to offer. I've visited Kamakura numerous times over the years, so it was about time I wrote something about this interesting city south of Tokyo.

Did you ever want to just get away from it all? And have a nice lunch in the bargain? Well, I may have the place for you.

Yokohama's history, compared to other cities in Japan, is rather recent. It was one of the ports opened in 1877, and since has expanded to become Japan's second largest city. In this lesson we'll explore some of the history of Yokohama, and some places in the city worth a visit.