Trip Plans
Japan 2012
- Destinations:
- Aoyama-Omotesando,
- Asakusa,
- Asia,
- Ginza,
- Hakone,
- Harajuku,
- Japan,
- Kamakura,
- Kyoto,
- Marunouchi,
- Nihonbashi
Items
Though Kyoto's famous temples and shrines are under government protection, the city's traditional houses, or machiya, are rapidly being destroyed. Enter Iori.... more
Editor's Pick
If you've heard rumors of Tawaraya, you've heard that it's a favorite of heads of state, movie stars, and obsessive Japanophiles. You may have also heard that... more
Editor's Pick
This inn, now in business for more than 200 years, is worth experiencing—if you're lucky enough to get a room. There are seven, but owner Haruji Ukai is... more
Editor's Pick
Don't overlook this inconspicuous shop in Teramachi if you have any interest in that most accessible of Japanese art forms, the ukiyo-e, or woodblock print:... more
Editor's Pick
Marks & Web sells no-nonsense botanical toiletries from Matsuyama, the old Japanese soap company. Although rarely found outside Japan, this brand is well... more
Editor's Pick
As one of Japan's oldest (and most historic) department stores, Takashimaya offers as much to look at inside as outside. The Nihonbashi location, which first... more
Editor's Pick
Everyone's favorite stationery store, Ito-ya fills nine floors with every pen, notebook, and folder imaginable. Stock up on Camper notebooks, the school brand... more
Editor's Pick
What's more Japanese than a cup of green tea? This centuries-old, distinguished Kyoto institution takes its tea—all of which is grown in nearby... more
Editor's Pick
Aoyama's Arts & Science epitomizes the Japanese approach to design, with a blend of understated elegance and functional luxury at all their stores (there... more
Editor's Pick
Japanese handmade crafts are prized for their careful workmanship and intelligent design, and Yamato Mingei-Ten is one-stop shopping for folk art and crafts... more
Editor's Pick
If you're looking for vintage finds or just a good browse, visit one of the city's outdoor antique markets. There are good ones at Nogi Shrine in Nogizaka... more
Editor's Pick
As any resident will tell you, Tokyo is nothing like the rest of Japan, and since you're on the island, you really should take a train journey into the verdant... more
Editor's Pick
Tokyo's oldest temple is said to have originated in 628 when fishermen found a small gold statue of Kannon in their nets. Senso-ji, or Asakusa Kannon, as it's... more
Editor's Pick
Converted into a Zen temple in 1339, Saiho-ji Temple, in the southwestern outskirts of Kyoto, is justly renowned for its large and lush moss garden, which... more
Editor's Pick
This tatami-floored museum (you must wear slippers inside) has one of Japan's best collections of ukiyo-e woodblock prints and offers a respite from the crowds... more
Editor's Pick
Leave the bedlam of Harajuku behind and walk to Meiji Shrine, a peaceful, wooded haven dedicated to Emperor Meiji (1852–1912). Pass through the giant... more
Editor's Pick
Kichijoji is just a short, 20-minute subway ride from Shibuya, but it feels worlds apart from the bustling, neon-signed city center. The jewel in the crown of... more
Editor's Pick
Built in the 17th century for an imperial prince, Katsura Rikyu is widely thought to be one of the best examples of how Japanese residential design masterfully... more
Editor's Pick
A former capital of Japan (1192–1333), Kamakura boasts 117 temples and 44 shrines as well as wooded hills, beaches, and the added advantage of being only... more
Editor's Pick
Sure, Kyoto's temples and shrines are must-sees. But to truly gain an understanding of Japan's history and culture, it's important to graduate from observing to... more
Editor's Pick
Hakone has hot springs, cool mountain air, and outstanding views of Japan's most famous peak, Mount Fuji. It's also teeming with day-trippers on the weekends,... more
Editor's Pick
The Silver Temple is almost as popular as its golden cousin, but many aficionados consider it far superior. Breathtakingly modern though half a millennium old,... more
Editor's Pick
A vast, walled-in Zen temple complex dating to the 16th century. There are about two dozen sub-temples here, and eight of them—and their gardens—are... more
Editor's Pick
Visitors could be forgiven for walking past this design museum, tucked away behind Tokyo Midtown; from the outside, the Tadao Ando–designed space barely... more
Editor's Pick
RSS Feeds