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Kobe City Museum 2007-05-02 16:06:20 神戸市立博物館On a glorious spring day, we ride the express train from Kyoto down to Kobe's Sannomiya Station in order to take in the "Mummy: The Inside Story" exhibit at the Kobe City Museum
.The exhibit was co-sponsored by the British Museum, and featured some of the best works from its collection. The experience, though, represented the best and worst of Japanese museum-going.From a block away we could already see tell-tale signs of trouble. First were the young guys in suits yelling out instructions to people lined up in front of and snaking around the corner of the entrance. Also, a prominent sign tells us that the current waiting time to get in is 45 minutes.And so we wait under a beating sun.35 minutes later, we are inside buying tickets. It is cool and spacious. The Meiji Era building has both gravitas and style.After presenting our tickets, we are herded up to the second floor and into a room with television monitors. Young women pass out 3D glasses. After a short video
Chishakuin Temple 2007-05-02 01:01:27 智積院On a day of on-again off-again light showers, which were punctuated by blue skies, we set off from Gosho (the Imperial Palace in Kyoto) on our bikes, heading for Chishakuin Temple
. The route is simple and scenic—and mostly flat.You pedal east on Imadegawa Dori across the Kamogawa River, with Shimogamo Temple on your left a bit to the north, and then turn right on Kawabata Dori heading south. The river is on your right, and the center of the city lies a kilometer or so downriver in front of you.At Nijo Dori, we turn left to take a pass through the torii gates near Heian Shrine and see the museums in Okazaki. From there we head across Sanjo Dori and up a short hill, passing Chionin Temple on the left. Several scenes from The Last Samurai were filmed here but we keep on pedaling.Cutting through Maruyama Park with Yasaka Shrine to its right, we ride along Nene no Michi (Nene’s Path), which is one of the most beautiful streets in Kyoto. Before hitting Kiyomizu Temple—and the
Atami 2007-05-01 01:26:39 熱海Atami is a small town a little way down the east coast of Japan’s Izu Peninsula. The town is less than two hours drive from Tokyo and has long been a favored resort for Tokyoites. Atami literally means ‘hot sea’, and it rises out of the sea in a slow curve that suddenly steepens into the imposing hills that overlook the town – reminiscent of Naples. Eons ago these hills formed one side of a volcano, the other side lost to the sea. The town is built in the remnants of the crater. With this geological history, there are hot springs all over the area, which, along with its fine views of the sea, makes it the ideal resort. The town’s most conspicuous manmade feature is its highrise buildings, mainly hotels, which give this small town of just over 40,000 inhabitants the look of a city at least two or three times the population. On closer inspection, though, a lot of these buildings have an air of yesterday about them. Also, although we visited yesterday (i.e. at the start
Kobe - Chinatown 2007-05-04 17:10:50 神戸南京町Following a visit to the Kobe City Museum, we walked five minutes to Chinatown
for some noisy shopping and lunch. The walk in itself was quite pleasant: tree-lined streets with old and new buildings--and even sidewalks. Whenever I come to Kobe I am also struck at how much lower the population density is compared to Kyoto. In contrast, though, the ratio of very well dressed people seems higher.Both of those observations are upended as soon as we pass through the gates of Chinatown, or Nankinmachi. It was packed with Golden Week visitors in their best casual wear.The area that became Chinatown has about 150 years of history. When the port of Kobe opened to foreign trade in 1868, immigrants from both Europe and China arrived. A settlement was set up for the former as a result of the peace treaties Japan had signed with various Western governments.The Chinese immigrants, though, did not enjoy this privilege and had to settle in a neighboring part of the city.Today there are
Bicycles in Japan 2007-05-04 07:08:39 自転車 Jitensha is the official word for them, but charinko, shortened to chari, is just as likely to be heard when the topic is bicycles. Cycling is huge in Japan
, and is far the preferred means of transport when making your way around the neighborhood as opposed to cars or public transport.Spidery, long-legged racing bikes and little folding bikes are the trendiest to be seen on the streets at the moment, but they are still way outnumbered by the mama-chari, i.e. ‘mom bike’. It’s hard to believe, but according to law, or perhaps by-law, bicycles are supposed to be ridden on the road in Japan, but you’d be lucky to see one in fifty on the road. The vast majority are ridden on footpaths. To be sure, many footpaths come with a special bicycle lane, but it is blithely ignored by cyclists and pedestrians alike.Bicycles
on the footpath add to what, as a pedestrian, you have to keep an eye out for. Most cyclists approaching will either ring their bell, apply squeaky brakes, or ma
Summer in Tokyo 2007-05-04 03:09:54 東京の夏In this very cycleable city, Tokyo
, I cycle to work whenever the weather allows it. Now summer is here and – the rainy season being over - cycling days have begun again. Shops are so frigidly air conditioned that cycling down a high street you are literally doused with great clouds of escaping cold air.However, being in the generally cooler eastern part of Japan, Tokyo summer days, although hot, are mostly not as stifling as they are further west. And as with anywhere not too near the equator, summer days linger and linger. Here in Tokyo at the end of July it is still fairly light at 7pm making for a beautiful clear twilit sky as you speed home under it down the broad sweeping streets. (Click on photo above taken at 7.15pm in the business district of Yotsuya.)With the sun out in full force during the day, the streets of Tokyo often resemble fields of weird bobbing mushrooms as the women of the city seek shelter from the harsh UV under any number of hues of lacy, frilly fo Read more:Summer
Tokyo Toilets 2007-05-03 17:18:12 東京のトイレTokyo
has thousands of public toilets. Nearly all rail and subway stations have public toilets, though most are accessible after you have purchased a ticket and gone through the barrier.Many public toilets in department stores, fast food restaurants and hotels will have both Western-style thrones and Asian squat toilets.Public toilets in stations, parks and on the street will normally be squat style only.Most of these toilets will not have toilet paper, soap or, least likely of all, anything to dry your hands on.Be prepared and carry a handkerchief to dry your hands and a packet of paper tissues.Public toilets have become more sanitary in Japan over the years and Tokyo has some striking designs to look out for.If you have a good shot of a Japanese public toilet, we'd love to hear from you, so please contact us.Bog StandardsWorld Toilet Day is on November 19th each year.Japan also celebrates its own Toilet Day in November.The Japanese company Toto is the world's larg
Tado Shrine Festival 2007-05-07 17:37:07 多度神社の祭りTado Shrine
, near Kuwana in Mie, hosts its annual festival on May 4-5th.Listen to Tado festival music piped from loudspeakersThousands of people from the local area around Nagoya flood this rural site each year to witness a bizarre ritual known as ageuma. Horses ridden by 12 young men (chosen by lot as representive, albeit, 'juvenile' samurai) ride in a processiontowards Tado Shrine. Horse and rider then try to scale a 3m high muddy slope to the flat square of the shrine's main buildings, where the round starts again. For the young, local men chosen as riders, reaching the top of the slope, still aboard the horse, is a rite of passage celebrated with jubilation. Many riders are thrown, and not wearing helmets, the potential for physical damage is great.The crowds, from grandmas to glam girls, are huge, lining the route from the road to the steps of the shrine. Temporary, wooden stands are built for the residents and guests at the sides of the road, and the hors Read more:Festival
Tado Shrine 2007-05-07 17:35:12 多度神社Tado Shrine
, in Tado, a small town about 8km from Kuwana in Mie Prefecture dates from the 8th century. Tado Shrine is connected with the 1500 year-old legend of a white horse that acted as a messenger for the local people's prayers to the kami (god), who lives on Mount Tado.To this day a white horse is kept near the shrine and horses are a major part of Tado Shrine's big festival on 4th and 5th of May each year. Animal rightists should not despair, this is no Spanish donkey, the horse is only kept inside the small shrine for a few hours on special days and has a large open space all to himself for the rest of the time.There are exhibitions of horseback archery (yabusame), a procession involving retainers in Edo Period costume escorting a young boy made up with white face paint and red lipstick, and the festival's highlight, known as ageuma of horses ridden by latter-day "samurai" trying to scale a 3m high muddy cliff. There are some good images of this on the shrine's w
Entsuji Temple 2007-05-07 16:27:22 円通寺、京都Kyoto's Entsuji Temple
is a wonderful off the beaten path temple with relatively few tourists. It is best known for its use of shakkei, the Japanese landscape design technique of "borrowing" and incorporating a view into the garden you are creating. In the case of Entsuji, the borrowed view is that of Mt. Hiei, which looms in the distance and is perfectly positioned in the view from the temple veranda.To get there, we walked the kilometer or so up from the Eizan railways' Seika Daigakumae stop. The mountain road is narrow and experiencing growing pains thanks to development in the area. The nearer you are to the main road and station, the newer (and uglier) the homes; as you get closer to the temple, the homes are old Japanese farm houses with charm (and maintenance) to die for.The priests at the temple seem almost anti-visitor and anti-tourism. (How contrary! Compare that to the Gold Pavilion and Silver Pavilion and Kiyomizu Temple.) En route, there is one small st
Tokyo Skyscrapers 2007-05-06 13:10:44 東京の摩天楼Tokyo
has more high rise buildings than any other city in the world. Tokyo's skyscrapers are built for both business and residential use, with apartment blocks over 40-50 storeys becoming the norm.The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (Tocho) remains the tallest skyscraper to date at 243m. Other super high rise buildings include: the Sunshine 60 Tower in Ikebukuro at 240m, DoCoMo Yoyogi Building 240m, Roppongi Hills at 238m, the Tokyo Opera City Tower 234m, the Shinjuku Park Tower 233m, the Marunouchi Building at 179m and the Shin Marunouchi Building, both near Tokyo Station, at 198m .The Mid Town Tower in Akasaka will become the tallest skyscraper in Tokyo at 248m when it fully opens later this year.Tokyo Tower remains the highest structure in the capital at 333m.Japanese BonsaiTabi BootsTagsTokyo Japan skyscraper High Rise Architecture
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Shin Marunouchi Building 2007-05-06 12:34:37 新丸の内ビルThe new Shin Marunouchi Building
just opposite the Marunouchi exit of Tokyo Station is one of the most impressive of Tokyo's skyscrapers.The cool, black tower is 198m tall, has 38 storeys and opened on April 27, 2007. Britain's Hopkins Architects were part of the design team with Japanese partners Mitsubishi Jisho Sekkei.Only the first basement floor to the seventh floor is open to the general public with the rest of the building taken up by office space.The panelled wood interior has 40 bars and restaurants catering to just about every taste. The Raimu Raito bar is women only; the Nippon Saisei Sakaba on the fifth floor is a tachinomi (stand up and drink) bar appealing to male office workers.The new building replaces the original 1952 Shin-Marubiru and hopes to pull in enough visitors to help revitalize the Marunouchi business area, whose workers traditionally ate and drank in other places, such as Ginza, after work. Most of the bars and restaurants will close at 1
Japan This Week 5/05/07 2007-05-05 14:25:36 今週の日本Top secret leak of Aegis information strains Japan
-US relations.YomiuriYanks and Bosox to open 2008 season in Tokyo?NY TimesUS Congressman presses for examination of postwar brothels in Japan.NY TimesTim Blackman defends accepting money in wake of daughter's murder.The GuardianWorld's loudest granny set to be released from jail, former neighborsterrified.MainichiLast Week's Japan NewsJapanese Art - Geisha FansJapanese Art BooksTagsJapan Tokyo News Lucie Blackman Masks
Spectacles Rap 2007-05-10 01:13:27 めがね屋のラップWatch a movie of a rapper outside a glasses store in Shinjuku, Tokyo.If you can't find it Shinjuku, it probably doesn't exist. Tokyo's major entertainment and shopping area is where all kinds of Tokyo's poor and well-off rub shoulders in a neon commotion of everything from sedate old department stores and high street boutiques to pachinko parlors and sex shops.Something very much made it through the commotion on a recent visit there: a rapper outside an optometrist's, appealing to people to see what's on special and what's just come in. The streets are so innured to shouting through cupped hands and megaphones, that this store got creative - and it seemed to be paying off. The guy was guaranteed a small crowd of the curious all day.Japanese Art - byobu screensJapanese Art BooksTagsJapan Tokyo glasses rap advertising
Japanese Wigs 2007-05-09 05:55:19 鬘Japanese
wigs are well-known throughout the world for their quality and styling.Japanese wig-making techniques date back to seventeenth century kabuki theater when men, who traditionally shaved the top of their heads, had to play the roles of women and thus a theatrical wig-making industry grew up to serve the onnagata kabuki actors (men portraying women). Wigs are also worn by geisha and other traditional and contemporary Japanese dancers and performers.Japanese wigs do not come cheap. The wigs (pictured) in a speciality store in Asakusa can cost between US$1400-2500 for a full head wig. Interestingly, the mannequins have western features. Hair to make the wigs must be at least 10cm long and as well as domestic supply, Japanese wigmakers import hair from as far away as India.Japanese Art - masksJapan BooksTagsJapan Tokyo Wig Kabuki hair
Shichifukujin 2007-05-09 05:12:05 七福神The Seven Lucky Gods or Shichifukujin are an mixed bag of lucky demi-gods frequently seen in temples all over Japan.The eclectic band of deities consists of Benzaiten, Bishamonten, Daikokuten, Ebisu, Fukurokuju, Hotei and Jurojin.Only Ebisu is native to Japan, whereas Benzaiten, Bishamonten and Daikokuten originate in India and Fukurokuju, Hotei and Jurojin originally came to Japan via China.Benzaiten, or Benten, is a goddess of music and art and is the only female member of the group usually depicted carrying a lute (biwa).Bishamonten is a deity for warriors and war and is often seen with a fierce countenance to ward off evil and carrying weapons or clad in armor. Bishamonten's messenger is a pigeon.Ebisu is a deity for fishermen, good luck and business and is seen with a fish (tai, sea bream) and a fishing rod.Daikokuten is the deity of wealth and prosperity and the guardian of good harvests and is often paired with Ebisu in Japanese folklore.Fukurokuju is the archetypal, v
Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens 2007-05-09 05:09:06 小石川後楽園Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens
, a short walk from Tokyo Dome, dates from the early Edo Period.The garden was begun in 1629 by Yorifusa Mito, the first feudal lord of the Mito Tokugawa family and eleventh son of patriarch Ieyasu Tokugawa. Korakuen was completed by Mitsukuni Mito, Yorifusa's son.The garden is heavily influenced by Chinese garden design. The name - Korakuen - comes from a Chinese text and can translate as "garden for enjoying power later". The central lake was designed by shogun Iemitsu Tokugawa and contains an island with a shrine to Benten, one of the Seven Deities of Good Luck.The landscaped, strolling garden covers around 7 hectares and includes a Chinese-style stone bridge (Engetsukyo), a waterfall, an iris pond and in season flowering plum and cherry blossoms. The Naitei, or inner garden, was a former inner sanctum for the Mito Tokugawa family and contained a guesthouse separated from the rest of the garden by a Chinese-style gate. The huge garden an
Suizenji Jojuen Garden 2007-05-08 16:25:39 水前寺成趣園A short tram ride southeast of Kumamoto Castle is Kumamoto's other must-see sight - Suizenji Garden
.This beautiful strolling garden and tea arbor was built over a period of 80 years from 1632 by three successive Hosokawa feudal lords.The centerpiece of this Momoyama-style garden is the pond which is fed by pure, underground streams from nearby Mt. Aso.The layout of the garden represents the 53 Stations of the old Tokaido highway from Kyoto to Tokyo.The garden contains an instantly recognizable, miniature Mount Fuji and Lake Biwa, Izumi Shrine (dedicated to the ancestors of the Hosokawa clan), an Inari Shrine, a Noh stage (with Noh performances in spring and fall), a statue of the garden's creator Tadatoshi Hosokawa and a classical teahouse.Suizenji Garden takes about 30-40 minutes to walk but is also a favorite spot for cherry blossom viewing or just sitting and relaxing in general.Suizenji Garden8-1 Suizenji Koen Kumamoto City862-0956Tel: 096 383 0074Admission 400
Tokyo Station 2007-05-12 10:29:49 東京駅Tokyo
's station is located in the Marunouchi business district not far from the Imperial Palace grounds and the Ginza shopping and entertainment area. The distinctive three storey, red-brick facade, designed by Kingo Tatsuno, on the Marunouchi side of Tokyo Station
dates back to 1914, when the building was first opened after 6 years in construction.There are 10 platforms with 20 lines and the main concourse runs east-west, between the Yaesu and Marunouchi entrances to the station.Tokyo Station is a main terminal for the JR Tokaido Shinkansen, Akita Shinkansen, Joetsu Shinkansen, Tohoku Shinkansen, Nagano Shinkansen and Yamagata Shinkansen Lines as well as the JR Yamanote Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, Chuo Main Line, Keihin-Tohoku Line, Keiyo Line, Marunouchi Subway Line, Sobu Main Line, Tokaido Main Line and Yokosuka Line. The Narita Express also runs through Tokyo Station.Tokyo Station is also connected by underground walkways to Otemachi Subway Station which is served by the C
Tokyo Subway Museum 2007-05-12 10:23:56 地下鉄博物館The TokyoSubwayMuseum
, located at Kasai Station on the Tozai Line, is a perennial favorite for train-mad kids and their parents.The refurbished museum (which first opened in 1986) features a number of historic train carriages, video displays, poster exhibitions, model train layouts and simulation games.Visitors enter the museum through a subway ticket gate and first up is a section on Tokyo's first underground line between Ueno and Asakusa (now part of today's Ginza-Line) which opened in 1927. On display in the 1920s-period reconstruction of Ueno station is an original 1927 model 1000 subway carriage, which was modeled on New York Subway rolling stock and a 1954 model 301 Marunouchi Subway Line carriage.The museum also has displays on tunnelling technology and some excellent simulation games, where kids of elementary school age and above are allowed to "drive" the trains under the supervision of the uniformed attendants.The museum also contains a 1938-model 129 el
Narita Express 2007-05-12 10:20:59 成田エクスプレスThe Narita Express
or N'EX, operated by JR East, is the quickest way to get to Narita Airport from downtown Tokyo Station. All seats on the Narita Express trains are reserved and tickets are available from ticket machines in the terminal buildings at Narita Airport.All Narita Express services pass through Tokyo Station. There are services every 30 minutes during peak periods and every hour through the rest of the day. There are also Narita Express services to Shinjuku (hourly) and less frequent services to Ikebukuro and Yokohama. Travel times range from approximately 53 minutes for the fastest service from Tokyo Station and one hour 20 minutes to Shinjuku.Fares are currently 2,940 yen to Tokyo Station, 3,110 yen to Shinjuku and Ikebukuro and 4,180 yen to Yokohama. The JR East Pass and Japan Rail Pass are valid for this train.A cheaper, though slower alternative, is to take a JR rapid (kaisoku) train from Narita to Tokyo Station (hourly; 90 minutes; 1280 yen).Co
Yamanote Line 2007-05-12 10:19:51 山手線, 東京JR's loop line in Tokyo the Yamanote Line is one of the capital's main transport arteries.The Yamanote Line was completed as a full loop in 1925. The first part of the line between Shinagawa and Akabane stations was opened in 1885.The Yamanote Line carries on average 3.55 million people daily and connects many of Tokyo's main rail stations and entertainment and shopping areas.The light-green colored trains run from 4.20am to approximately 1.20 am with trains about every 2-3 minutes at peak periods. A complete loop of the Yamanote Line takes just over or just under an hour.Trains run in both clockwise (外回り, sotomawari) and anti-clockwise (内回り, uchimawari) directions around the loop.JR tickets from places outside Tokyo remain valid to any destination on the Yamanote Line.There are 29 stations on the Yamanote Line, only 2 of which do not connect to other lines.Here is a list of stations travelling from Tokyo Station in a clockwise direction and connections.
Eikando Temple 2007-05-11 04:33:55 永観堂、京都On a blazing hot weekday in early May, we rode over through Kyoto's museum area in Okazaki en route to Eikando Temple
.Surrounded by temples and old villas, the neighborhood near Eikando is one of the few in Kyoto that retains most of its pre-1960s charm.From the museums and the massive torii gate in Okazaki, you can walk up Nijo Street for about 10-15 minutes and arrive not too exhausted to enjoy the scenery.Go past the zoo on your right and keep walking towards the mountains at the edge of eastern Kyoto.Another possibility is to walk the Philosopher's Walk to its southern end; the temple is not far from this point.Eikando is known for many things, primarily though as the home of the priest Yokan who was better known as Eikan (and hence the name of the temple). He converted to the Jodo sect of Buddhism around 1225 and from that time on devoted himself to the poor and sick. Eikando Temple was, like much of Kyoto, destroyed during the Onin War (1467-1477). It was the
Naked Tokyo 2007-05-16 01:14:35 Naked Tokyo
Naked Tokyo is pretty straightforward. It is a photographic exhibition featuring nakedness that happens mainly in Tokyo. Yesterday evening, 14 May, was Naked Tokyo, Part 4, and it took place in Super Deluxe in Roppongi, an underground event space only a minute’s walk east of Roppongi Hills.I spoke to organizer, Tim Porter, also a renowned photographer (although not represented there last night). Under the auspices of curator Kanji Embutsu, he and a team of five others – including three of the evening’s exhibitors – brought the event to life. And life, not why it is lived, but how, is – Tim Porter stressed to me – what the show is all about.Life as performance was the theme of co-producer Mumi Trabucco’s works which featured portraits of the renowned Tokyo performance artist Barae whose face was a fascinating mixture of supplication, ecstasy and contemplation.Fellow co-producer LeRoy Howard’s work was similarly dramatic but in a way that explored the dramas
Aoi Festival, Kyoto 2007-05-15 15:51:25 葵祭、京都Kyoto
’s Aoi Matsuri, or Hollyhock Festival
, is an annual festival that climaxes on May 15th with a procession that moves from the Gosho Imperial Palace via Shimogamo Shrine to Kamigamo Shrine.Aoi Matsuri is thought to be one of the world's oldest festivals. It dates to the sixth century following the destruction of one year's fall harvest. In order to appease the ever angry gods, then Emperor Kinmei ordered that special religious rites take place at Shimogamo and Kamigamo Shrines. According to legend, it worked.In the year 807, Aoi Matsuri was then annointed as an official imperial event, and, but for a two century interruption beginning with the Onin War, has continued to this day.The festival consists of the imperial messenger's court and Saio-Dai, a young princess from the imperial family who was the head of the two shrines.All of the shrines, costumes, and horses taking part are decorated with hollyhock leaves and branches. Because it w
Kyu Furukawa Gardens 2007-05-14 18:43:20 旧古川庭園、東京Kyu Furukawa Gardens
is a short subway ride from Korakuen Garden and it is worthwhile seeing both gardens in the same day as well as trying to squeeze in nearby Rikugien Gardens as well.Originally the property and grounds belonged to Mutsu Munemitsu, a colorful Meiji-era politician, who allied himself with Saigo Takamori in the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877, was subsequently imprisoned but was later rehabilitated and became Japan's foreign minister.The western-style house in the gardens was designed by the prolific English architect, Josiah Conder (1852-1920), who also built the Rokumeikan, Nikolai Cathedral and Kyu Iwasaki-tei in Tokyo and the Rokkaen in Mie Prefecture.The brick and slate country house now serves as the Otani Art Museum and is set in terraced, British-style rose gardens with a large, adjacent lawn.The Japanese gardens were laid out by Kyoto-based landscape designer Ogawa Jihei, aka Niwashi Ueji (1860-1933) and include a pond created in the shape o
Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens, Tokyo. 2007-05-14 18:31:26 旧岩崎邸庭園Listen to the sounds of the crows at Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens
, Tokyo
.Yesterday was the second day of the Taiiku-no-hi (Sports Day) long weekend, Monday being the holiday. It was a perfect day, and a friend and I visited the grand 'Kyu-Iwasaki-tei Gardens' in Tokyo's Taito ward. The property was once owned by the founder of the Mitsubishi Group, Iwasaki Yataro. It features his residence, which is distinguished by being the best surviving example of European architecture in Japan from the 19th century, built less than a couple of decades after Japan began to modernize. The architect was the Englishman Josiah Conder.The grounds are made up mainly of velvety lawn and groves of trees. The palatial house looks out over the gardens, and is open to the public. You pay 400 yen, put your shoes in a plastic bag, and are directed through the house. The main part of it is accessible, but unfortuntately one of the most potentially interesting parts (certainly the part that most w
Rokkaen Kuwana 2007-05-14 18:29:17 六華苑、桑名、三重県The city of Kuwana, west of Nagoya, is home to a hidden gem of Meiji Era architecture - Rokkaen.The Rokkaen was designed by one of the Meiji Period's favorite foreign architects, Josiah Conder, who also built the Rokumeikan, the Kyu-Furukawa Tei and the Kyu-Iwasaki Tei in Tokyo.Completed in 1913, the combined Western and Japanese-style house was the former residence of Seiroku Moroto, a local rice magnate, who made his fortune in the area.Besides the two main buildings, which were restored in 1993, the complex incudes a strolling garden and Japanese-style kura or storehouses, reflecting the owners business in the rice trade.The European building, with the original furnishings still in evidence, includes a four-storey tower, sunroom and veranda and connects directly to the long Japanese-style tatami-floored annexe.Access: A 15 minute walk east from Kuwana Station663-5 Takaba, Aza, Oazu, Kuwana CityHours: 9am-5pm (last entrance 4pm)Closed MondaysAdmission:
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