Visions of AsiaSeeing things differently.
The journal / Visions of Asia
After the marvelous experience of glimpsing Mount Fuji through the clouds, my journey led me toward a different kind of joy, Joy in Motion —the pulsating heart of the Awa Odori festival in Tokushima. This modest city in Tokushima Prefecture has long sustained itself through agriculture, its produce traditionally flowing through local markets rather than […]
After my visits to Shinjuku and Shibuya, despite a canicular heat in Tokyo, by the time I caught the bus at Shinjuku station, for Mount Fuji, it was starting to get gloomy. And as I got on the way, torrential rain started hitting the highway, giving me an idea of the weather ahead, leading to […]
After three long years of COVID restrictions, I yearned for the vivid contrasts of Tokyo’s nights – from the blazing neons of Shibuya’s towering screens and scrambled crossings, to the cozy izakayas tucked away in Shinjuku’s Omoide Yokocho.
Writing about Kyoto is also writing about the Japanese essence, as the city is so much enshrined in traditional Japanese culture. As autumn paints the city in vibrant hues, Ginkakuji becomes a true embodiment of the Japanese essence. Fall gives to this garden which is already magnificent additional colors literally making the place an enchantment […]
In my previous post, I talked about my visit to Fushimi-Inari shrine at dawn, and how I thereafter headed to the historical center of Kyoto. Visiting ancient Kyoto is a bit akin to traveling back in time, as the whole area is pedestrianized. The number of persons in kimono in that area thrusts you back […]
A long overdue post on my fall trip to Tokyo and Kyoto, last fall, before the coronavirus virtually grounded all of us. Visiting Kyoto in Autumn is the occasion of navigating between “zen” and trend, as the Japanese city shines in the fall colors. Traveling to Kyoto There are two ways to get to Kyoto, […]
As I returned to Japan, almost two years after my first trip, my priority for this solo trip was to connect with Japanese nature and tradition. I definitely wanted to do a hike in Japan, and the closest place to Tokyo to do so was Mount Takao. But if you follow this blog, you know […]
One of the highlights of our trip to Japan in December 2017 has been the day where we traveled to Tomamu. Tomamu is a ski station situated inland on the island of Hokkaido, about one hour by train from Sapporo. The village has many ski resorts and winter sport stations, so it was the occasion […]
When you visit Tokyo, a must visit if you are in the area of Asakusa is certainly Sensoji, the oldest shrine of the city. A visit to Sensoji shrine is not only the occasion of watching Japanese and their beliefs which intricates elements of Shintoism along with Buddhism. It is also the occasion of watching […]
A major place to visit upon any visit to Japan is the Shibuya crossing. Popularized and made iconic by countless photographers and/or instagram posts, the Shibuya crossing is famous for the sheer amount of people crossing the streets at any time during the day. Hachiko Shibuya crossing is also near to the famous Hachiko statue. […]