Raj Sensei had given us directions to Kinokuniya, an 8-story bookstore in Shinjuku ( Read more... )

It rains a lot in Tokyo. Raincoats would be too hot to wear in the muggy weather. Everyone has umbrellas and they're for sale all over the place ( Read more... )

On Monday Jen and I went on a bus tour to Mount Fuji.

The weather in Tokyo has been very cloudy/muggy of late, so we were doubtful whether we would even see anything.

The bus ride takes about two hours. Fortunately, the tour guide was a very entertaining Japanese fellow named Harry. He regaled us with lifestyle anecdotes and an ongoing history of ( Read more... )

On Sunday Jen and I travelled to Kita-Matsudo in Chiba Prefecture. It's a 45 minute train ride from the Akasaka-Mitsuke station (with one transfer, from the Monouchi line to the Chiyoda line). Our destination is located outside Tokyo proper; it's on the Japan Rail line. After leaving Tokyo, the train travels above ground. We could see as the urban ( Read more... )

Saturday Jen and I journeyed to Ginza and Akihabara. A whole day set aside for shopping!

( An account of our shopping spree. )

Over the past couple of weeks I managed to connect by e-mail and phone with Raj Sensei and Chikako-san, students of Esaka Sensei in Tokyo. Armed with an invitation to train, and with directions and a map, Jen and I were able to find the dojo without a hitch. The grounds are beautiful, with many tori gates and a shrine ( Read more... )

Jen has a week off before returning to work for a final couple of days next week. This was our first full day together in Tokyo.

( Click here for our meanderings through Asakusa and Akasaka. )

( Stuff about swords, both old and new. )

Today I spent quite a while at the Sengakuji Buddhist Temple, where are located the graves of the 47 Ronin (or, as they call it here, the 47 Loyal Retainers, the "Ako Gishi"). Also buried there is their lord, Asano Takuminokami, and his family. Right by the gate to the temple grounds is a statue of Oishi Kuranosuke, Asano's former chief retainer ( Read more... )

I spent Monday afternoon wandering around Akasaka. There must be hundreds of restaurants and clubs within a kilometer of the hotel. I sat down after awhile at a Häagen-Dazs restaurant. Green tea ice cream sunday with red beans. Very yummy ( Read more... )