Spot Report

Spot report – Fuchu Kyodo-no-mori Museum (2017-04-04)

Webmaster visited Fuchu Kyodo-no-mori Museum last week. This is a field museum where traditional land scape with old houses is reproduced.   Access: Tokyo (local train 0:50) Bubaigawara (bus 0:06) Kyodonomori-seimon-mae @   Admission:¥200 for adult.  Closed on Monday and year-end holidays.   The main building of the museum   The exhibition on the culture and nature of Fuchu City… Read more →

Spot report – Nippara Limestone Cave (2017-03-31)

Webmaster visited Nippara Limestone Cave (Nippara-shonyudo) last week.   Admission: ¥700 for adult. Open every day except on year-end holidays.   The length of the cave is 1,270m among which 800m is open to visitors.   Access: Tokyo (local train 1:50) Okutama (bus 0:25) Higashi-nippara (bus 0:05 or walk 0:20) Nippara-shonyudo (walk 0:05) @ (The last stop of the bus… Read more →

Spot report – Japan Open-air Folk House Museum (Nihon-minkaen) (2017-03-24)

Webmaster visited Japan Open-air Folk House Museum (Nihon-minkaen) last week. It takes less than one hour from Tokyo by train.   Access: Tokyo (local train 0:14) Shinjuku (local train 0:21) Mukogaoka-yuen (walk 0:13) @ Admission:¥500 for adult. Closed on Monday and year-end holidays.   The entrance house of the museum   More than twenty old folk houses from various region… Read more →

Spot report – Shasui Waterfall (2017-03-06)

Last week, Webmaster visited Shasui Waterfall which is one of Top 100 Waterfalls of Japan.      Access: Tokyo (local train 1:10) Kozu (local train 0:25) Yamakita (bus 0:10 or walk 0:25) Hirayama (walk 0:10) @ (You can also use taxi from Yamakita Station.)   If the waterfall is your one and only destination, it’s OK you can head for… Read more →

Spot report – Omiya Bonsai Art Museum (2017-03-02)

Do you know Bonsai? Bonsai is a miniature potted tree which is grown with special trim and care to have an appearance of natural old trees.   Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, as its name shows, is a museum specialized in bonsai collection. Webmaster visited there this week.   Omiya Bonsai Art Museum: http://www.bonsai-art-museum.jp/en/ Access: Tokyo (local train 0:32) Omiya (local… Read more →

Spot report –Makuzu Ware Museum (2017-02-05)

Do you know Makuzu Ware and Mr. MIYAGAWA Kozan I (1842 – 1916) who is the founder and ceramist of Makuzu Kiln?   MIYAGAWA Kozan I was born in Kyoto as the fourth son of MIYAGAWA Chozo who was also ceramist. Kozan I took over his father’s workshop, but moved to Yokohama later and established Makuzu Kiln in 1871. Makuzu… Read more →

Spot report – Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art (2017-01-31)

  Webmaster visited Kawamura Memorial DIC Museum of Art. Access: Tokyo (local train 0:55) Sakura (courtesy bus 0:20) @ Admission: depending on exhibitions.   The collection of the museum varies from Rembrandt, Impressionism, the Ecole de Paris, 20th century European art and 20th century American art to traditional Japanese art. (Sorry but no photos of the inside of the museum.… Read more →

Spot report – Kawagoe History Museum (2017-01-24)

Webmaster visited Kawagoe History Museum (Kawagoe-rekishi-hakubutukan) where real ninja tools are exhibited. Access: Tokyo (local train 0:24) Ikebukuro (local train 0:30) Kawagoe (bus 0:15 or walk 0:20) Kita-in (walk 0:02) @   This is a small private museum which exhibits historical articles handed down in seven old families in Kawagoe which is an old castle town. Admission is ¥500 for… Read more →

Spot report – Hakone Beer (2017-01-14)

Webmaster visited Hakone Beer. http://www.hakone-beer.com/shop/ (Japanese)   Access: Tokyo (shinkansen 0:37 or local train 1:15) Odawara (local train 0:07) Kazamatsuri (walk 0:01) @ You can drop in at the brewpub on your way to/back from Hakone.   The building of the Brewery. The brewery doesn’t run factory tours for tourists.   Then, we should go to its brewpubs next to… Read more →

Spot report – Five-story pagoda of Hokekyo-ji Temple (2017-01-04)

Webmaster visited Hokekyo-ji Temple in Chiba Prefecture last month. Access: Tokyo (local train 0:04) Akihabara (local train 0:23) Shimousa-nakayama (walk 0:10) @   It can be a half-day trip (for three hours) from Tokyo . Besides a five-story pagoda, there are other historical buildings in the precincts.   The approach with So-mon Gate from Simousa-nakayama Station to the temple   … Read more →