Muza-chan's Feed Releases for September 2010

In many areas in Tokyo you can find a restaurant on almost every street, tempting you with appetizing aromas and delicious looking sampuru. But even with so many choices, there are some restaurants where there’s always a queue at the door, like this...

Nishi-Shinjuku is one of my favorite strolling areas in Tokyo. First time when I visited this place, I liked Tochō (officially called Tokyo Metropolitan Main Building No.1) so much, that I forgot to take pictures with other buildings… I took this...

The Hakone Shrine is located close to the shores of Lake Ashi, but the shrine buildings are hidden by the thick cedar forest. The path to the shrine is bordered on both sides by beautiful wooden red lanterns. The place place looks magic in any seaso...

The Sumiyoshi Shrine from Tsukudajima is dedicated to the god who prevents disasters at sea. It is related to the Sumiyoshi Shrine from Osaka and it was established by the fishermen from Tsukuda village, Osaka, who moved to Edo and developed a commun...

It looks delicious, although it’s wrapped in plastic foil… Yes, it’s not food, it’s sampuru, Japanese food plastic replicas, displayed at the Japanese restaurants. Sampuru are handmade, carefully sculpted, amazingly painted and customized for each r...

Another typical Japanese image, another Japanese railway crossing… This time, it’s near the Omorimachi Station, in Ota-ku. I love these Japanese streets, with colorful buildings and ads, compelling me to explore… Click on photo for higher resolutio...

O-wakudani, the Great Boiling Valley, is an area located around a crater formed 3000 years ago, at the last eruption of the Hakone Mountain. Before 1876, the valley was known as O-jigoku - Great Hell, because of the sulfur vents and hot springs. 1000...

Kokeshi are traditional Japanese dolls, originally created in Northern Japan, made from various woods, with a simple body and a large head, without arms or legs. Initially there were 11 types of “traditional” kokeshi, but after the second World War,...

A few days ago, a friend asked me about a representative image for Ginza… I think that this group of buildings, at the crossing between Chuo Dori and Harumi Dori, defines the richness and the brightness of Ginza. The glass cylinder is the San-ai Bui...

JR East Ochanomizu Station was opened in 1904. Although quite small, it is an important station, according to a statistic from 2007, there are 100000 passengers per day and almost 20 million passengers per year! I used it often, especially to change...

The giant rose from Roppongi Hills was created by Isa Genzken, a well known German artist. The 8 meters tall sculpture, made from stainless steel, aluminum and lacquer, is a symbol of love and beauty. Click on photo for higher resolution: Roppon...

Paifang (or Pailou) are traditional Chinese archway gates, made from wood or stone, lavishly ornate and vivid painted. In China, a paifang usually marks the entrance to a temple, a building complex or a town. They are also built to commemorate or to...

The lotus is an important Buddhist symbol, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are often represented sitting on a lotus or holding a lotus. According to Buddhist tradition, the lotus has its roots in the mud (samsara), but the stem grouws through the muddy wate...

The Animate store from Ikebukuro is my favorite, it always seemed to me better supplied than the more famous branch from Akihabara. I like the building too, with its big colorful billboards. And I like it even more this year, when it was featuring b...

Ever since the Edo period, on the Tsukudajima island, the area nearby the Sumiyoshi Shrine was famous for the shops selling tsukudani, a type of food invented here: small pieces of meat, fish, shrimp, seaweeds and even… grasshoppers, prepared with so...

It surpassed the height of 400 meters and it is already the tallest artificial structure in Japan. However, it is still in construction, far from the final height of 634 meters… Click on photo for higher resolution: … and it will be opened for pu...

The Senso-ji complex is probably the place I have visited the most while in Japan. It’s true that I was always accommodated nearby… but the truth is that I like the usual street scenes of Kaminarimon: people passing by, waiting, taking pictures, Rick...

A Japanese proverb says: “The crane lives 1000 years, the tortoise 10000 years”. In Japan, the tortoise is also a symbol of good luck and happiness. But what does this cute tortoise symbolize? Seen outside of a small hotel in Nikko. Click on photo...

Visiting Sunshine 60 at night, I had the pleasant surprise to admire this beautiful night view of Tokyo Sky Tree, with the observatory fully illuminated. If you look thoroughly, you can also see other landmark buildings from Asakusa: on the right yo...

Hakone Sekisho was, during the Edo period, the most important checkpoint along the Tōkaidō road, controlling the guns and the girls of Edo. It was reconstructed in 2007 and now it is arranged to look as it was during its glory days. This is the Oban...

There are several places from where you can admire Odaiba and the surroundings, like the observatory from Fuji TV or the Ferris Wheel from the Palette Town. However, the best place to take photos is the observatory from the Fune no Kagakukan (Museum...

Tokyo Tower was the world’s tallest steel tower and a symbol of Tokyo for over 50 years. Now, Tokyo Tower is probably living its last months of glory, until the inauguration of the new Tokyo Sky Tree, which will certainly become the new symbol of th...

What we have this week in the Japan links? Great onsen photos, a couple of interesting trips, a glimpse of history and a very interesting insight on… women Sumo! Some interesting news too: Japanese authorities are considering to charge Mount Fuji cl...

Riding Himiko on Sumida River is great, but if you want to take pictures, I highly recommend one of the “regular” boats. I took this picture from the stern of a Sumida waterbus… Kachidoki Bashi is the last bridge over Sumida River, before it flows i...