We will never know the full truth behind what drove Asano Naganori to unsheathe his sword within the confines of Edo Castle in 1701, and in so doing trigger the famous raid of the 47 Rōnin nearly two years later. We do know where this long and bloody tale ended: the serene precincts of Sengaku-jiContinue reading “Field Report: In the footsteps of the 47 Rōnin at Sengaku-ji, Tōkyō, Japan (05 July 2015)”
Category Archives: Japan 2015 (2nd)
Field Report: A day at the JR East Railway Museum, Saitama, Japan (04 July 2015)
Diego travels to a major transportation museum just north of Tōkyō, where the exhibits are bound to leave train enthusiasts feeling as giddy as kids in a toy store.
Field Report: Facing the ghosts of warriors past at Hiraizumi, Japan (03 July 2015)
When I awoke one balmy July morning last year to find Tōkyō in the midst of a heavy shower, I settled upon a simple solution to salvage the day: flee hundreds of miles north to the sunnier, drier environs of Iwate Prefecture. There, I would soak up not summer rain but the glorious memories ofContinue reading “Field Report: Facing the ghosts of warriors past at Hiraizumi, Japan (03 July 2015)”
Rail Report: A touch of trainspotting in Tōkyō, Hiraizumi, and Ichinoseki, Japan (03 July 2015)
On a wet July day in Tōkyō (just a sliver over a year ago now), I decided to escape the dreadful weather by travelling hundreds of miles north to the drier landscapes of Iwate Prefecture … but we’ll save the sightseeing part for a different post. Right now, let’s talk about something else: the trainsContinue reading “Rail Report: A touch of trainspotting in Tōkyō, Hiraizumi, and Ichinoseki, Japan (03 July 2015)”
Field Report: A real teahouse and a surreal swimming pool in Kanazawa, Japan (02 July 2015)
Walk into one of Kanazawa’s beautifully preserved Edo-period teahouses in the present day, and you’re likely to emerge gently invigorated after sipping a soothing bowl of freshly whisked matcha and gazing serenely at an immaculately maintained courtyard garden. But walk into the very same place two centuries ago, and you’ll probably stumble out tipsy fromContinue reading “Field Report: A real teahouse and a surreal swimming pool in Kanazawa, Japan (02 July 2015)”
Field Report: A quiet garden stroll in Kenrokuen, Kanazawa, Japan (01 July 2015)
The last time I set my feet upon the winding paths of Kenrokuen, it was – if memory serves – a dreary, dim, cloudy day, with barely enough sunlight to see by and cold droplets of rain pelting my head at odd intervals. It was also – if memory serves – a uniquely peaceful andContinue reading “Field Report: A quiet garden stroll in Kenrokuen, Kanazawa, Japan (01 July 2015)”
Field Report: Kanazawa Castle, Japan (01 July 2015)
From the late 16th century up to the end of the Edo Period, the Lords of Kaga Domain presided over one of Japan’s wealthiest fiefdoms from within the secure precincts of Kanazawa Castle (金沢城, Kanazawa-jō). Although most of its wooden buildings and watchtowers were either destroyed by fire (particularly during a massive conflagration in 1881)Continue reading “Field Report: Kanazawa Castle, Japan (01 July 2015)”
Field Report: Summer rain and ninja secrets in Kanazawa, Japan (01 July 2015)
The city of Kanazawa is richly endowed with historic sites that hearken back to its glory days as the capital of the former Kaga Domain, one of the wealthiest fiefdoms in Edo-period Japan. It is also richly endowed with something entirely different: rain. Lots and lots of rain.
Field Report: Maruoka Castle and Kitanoshō Castle, Fukui, Japan (30 June 2015)
Diego visits two castles in the space of a single afternoon: one whose main tower still stands high above the ground, and one brought so low that not even its very foundations have survived intact.
Field Report: Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum, Katsuyama, Japan (30 June 2015)
Some places make one feel almost like a child again. Amusement parks, zoos, old-fashioned game arcades … and of course, one shouldn’t forget dinosaur museums.
Within striking distance 