Geek Heaven

Geek Heaven

In Tokyo, the place to go and take your fill of electronics, gadgets, hobbies, games and cosplay is a district called Akihabara (often abbreviated as Akiba).  Located around a major multi-storey local rail crossroads station, it is easy to access from any part of...
Firefly wall

Firefly wall

This unique patterned wall was found  at the preserved home of 17th century Haiku poet Kyorai Mukai. Located in a quiet area of Arashiyama, Kyoto, with rice paddies nearby, the home and its garden is well worth a visit for an introduction to the refined...
Cherry Blossom Season

Cherry Blossom Season

Blossoming is a weather driven event, so there are long term forecasts in Japan as to the first day of cherry blossoms in the various regions of Japan.  Here is a map provided by Otenki.jp.  The dates are month / day.  You can follow the wave of blooms by travelling...
Be careful of Tsunamis

Be careful of Tsunamis

This helpful sign was seen at Enoshima, a popular seaside resort not too far from Tokyo.  There is even a “Billabong” surf shop there, presumably not catering to the Tsunami surfer market.  But seriously, this sign indicates that a Tsunami would flood this coastal...