Most Recent First
- Tokyo Sumo, Ryogoku. Fascinating day of Sumo bouts. Agility and speed of wrestlers more apparent in real time. Theatrical entrance ceremonies and sumo snacks for sale. Fanatical Japanese support.
- Sensoji Temple, Asakusa. Tokyo’s oldest temple. Stunning Buddhist structures. Lit at night by hundreds of lanterns adorning the pathways.
- Womb Tokyo, towering nightclub, the centre piece being a disco ball of perhaps eight feet in diameter, hanging in the enormous cavity. Recommended by a friend to me, the night I went, resulted in dancing until 6am with a 60 year old English woman and some friendly Japanese people to the clunking rhythm of James Lavelle.
- Akihabara Technology District, Tokyo. Blend of electronics stores and Otaku “geek” culture, including surreal and strangely dressed people, Manga cafes and gaming centres.
- Nijo Castle, Gion in Kyoto. Old palatial court. Exquisite wooden buildings with large Tatami rooms decorated with gold and pictures of tigers and cranes. Outer walkways have “nightingale” tuneful squeaking flooring to warn of approaching visitors.
- International Manga Museum, Kyoto. Vast libraries of readable Manga books. I looked at the artwork.
- Carps Baseball Match, Hiroshima. I only understand baseball in a rudimentary way but the atmosphere, obsessive fans and hotdogs on a stick made up for it.
- Hiroshima A-Bomb Dome and Peace Park, I walked around at twilight. The dome is a shell of a building which was under the blast. The park felt like a positive contribution to peace.
