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Onsen Hopping in Kyushu

I can hear the gushing of the stream as its white-frothed water cascades over a small boulder and rushes towards a cluster of rocks. It’s snowing. Big feathery snow flakes swirl towards me, threatening to turn my hair white and my face red.  But I am sitting in a pool of perfectly warm hot-spring water, comfortably insulated from the snow and chilly air around me. Evocatively named “bath in the forest,” or Mori-no-Yu, this onsen open-air bath overlooking the rushing stream… Read more »

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Tokyo takes art to the wall

 On a side street just off the main shopping arcade in Koenji, a residential neighborhood west of central Tokyo, a giant eagle spreads its wings over lush trees and a sparkling stream. The larger-than-life eagle, in a soft shade of pink, is the centerpiece of a massive mural that covers the side wall of a privately-owned five story building. Painted by WHOLE9, a two-person artist unit based in Osaka, the mural, titled “SYNC,” depicts the people of Koenji in the… Read more »

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Keiji Mori’s Favorite Things

1.Where do you live and why did you choose to live there?  During the week I live in Shibaura, in Tokyo, and on the weekends I return to Hayama in Kanagawa Prefecture. My home is in Hayama but my restaurants – and my work – are in Tokyo so I stay there when it is convenient for work. Since I was born and grew up in Hayama, I have many old friends there. And as my hobbies are surfing and… Read more »

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Mark Robinson's Favorite Things

Where do you live and why did you choose to live there? I live in Asakusa. It’s got a river and a history and a fascinating role in early 20th century literature as a setting for writers like Junichiro Tanizaki, Kafu Nagai, Yasunari Kawabata, Takuboku Ishikawa and many others. Kawabata’s “Scarlet Gang of Asakusa,” a serialized novel, captures beautifully the riotous, delinquent nature of the prewar neighborhood. Asakusa also has one of Tokyo’s oldest and biggest temples (among hundreds of… Read more »

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Sugalabo – more than just fine dining

A restaurant that calls itself Sugalabo, or “Suga’s lab” in Japanese, may conjure images of beakers full of rainbow-colored liquids and steaming test tubes.  And the decor of Suga’s lab – shiny metal accentuated by transparent light bulbs with glowing filaments – does set the mood for futuristic culinary experiments. Whatever experiments may take place there, the restaurant where chef proprietor, Yosuke Suga, and his staff prepare their fare, is a tightly controlled ship. Meticulous attention to detail and careful… Read more »

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Naomi Pollock's Favorite Things

Where do you live and why do you choose to live there? We no longer live in Japan but over the course of our multi-year stay, we lived in different parts of Tokyo: Shimouma, Nanpeidai, Moto Azabu, Minami Azabu and, finally, Minami Aoyama. After bedding down in low-scale apartment buildings, we opted for a high-rise for our last hurrah. As an architect, I probably would have protested the construction of our building. But our views of Tokyo Tower and, especially,… Read more »

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Yuzukosho: Capturing that Citrus Zing 

I have long been a fan of yuzukosho, a condiment made with the Japanese citrus fruit, yuzu, and chili peppers. The yellow-green paste gives an added kick to dishes with its fresh citrusy aroma and spicy zing. It is a delicious accompaniment to grilled chicken, fish or roast beef, or simply mixed into the soup of a hotpot. In recent years, yuzukosho has been discovered by the culinary world outside Japan and re-discovered in its home market — becoming one… Read more »

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Nicolai Bergman Hakone Gardens

I had always been curious about Nicolai Bergman, the Danish flower artist whose eponymous shops are a treasure-box of colorful, eye-catching floral creations, both fresh and preserved. Neatly packed into beautifully designed boxes or transformed into flower sculptures, Bergman’s preserved flowers are in a class of their own because they look so natural. Walking by Bergman’s shop in Roppongi Hills or Omotesando, it is difficult to resist the temptation to stop by, if only to have a look at what… Read more »

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Hot Spring Hopping in Tohoku (1 ) – Toshichi Onsen

Hitou, or hidden hot springs, are the holy grail for onsen lovers. Often difficult to access, usually exposed to the elements and generally for mixed bathing, hitou are not for the shy or faint-hearted. But for those with fewer inhibitions who enjoy a steaming soak under open skies, surrounded by pristine nature, hitou are the perfect place to relax and rejuvenate and feel at one with the universe. I had a taste of that sense of abandon and oneness with… Read more »

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Peter Tasker’s Favorite Things

Where do you live and why do you live there? For the last 15 years, I’ve been living in Nakameguro in central Tokyo. It’s outside the Yamanote Line belt, yet amazingly convenient. When the weather allows, I walk to my office near Aoyama Gakuin University (in Shibuya) in about 40 minutes. The Hibiya Line gives easy access to Ginza and the business district. The Toyoko Line express takes you in two stops to Shinjuku 3-chome and entertainment districts, which would… Read more »

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Fran Kuzui's Favorite Things

Where do you live and why do you choose to live there?  Although I have homes in New York and in Tokyo, I like to think I live in the present moment. It’s certainly where I choose to live rather than being attached to some place. You could say that means there’s very low maintenance. Do you have a local haunt? A cafe or bar? Somewhere you go for comfort food or just a chat with the proprietor? The last… Read more »

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Natsuko Toda’s Favorite Things

1. Where do you live and why did you choose to live there? I was born in Tokyo and lived in Setagaya ward until I was about 20. When Hiroo Garden Hills was developed, it looked like a good place to live. Back then, you could only buy an apartment there if you won a lottery. I was lucky I won the lottery and was able to buy an apartment, probably because it was on the fourth floor. (The number 4 in Japanese is… Read more »