The kimono is one of Japan’s most iconic symbols, its colors and designs exemplifying Japanese cultural sensibilities and aesthetics. Lesser known, however, is that, the kimono originated as an undergarment. The predecessor to today’s kimono is a robe called the kosode (literally, “small sleeve openings”). The kosode first came into its own as an outer…

TREE by NAKED Yoyogi Park is the artistic cuisine produced by creative company NAKED Inc, the company behind such projects as the 2014 Tokyo Station Projection Mapping Show “TOKYO HIKARI VISION,” Enoshima Aquariums “Night Aquarium” and the pre-cherry blossom viewing show “FLOWERS by NAKED.” Projections, virtual reality, sensors, smoke, scents, illuminations, music and seasonal ingredients…

Ise Jingu shrine in Mie Prefecture is considered the most important Shinto shrine in Japan with more than 2,000 years of history. Jingu is described in the oldest Japanese texts, “Kojiki” and “Nihinshoki,” which were edited about 1,300 years ago. Rather than a single shrine, Ise Jingu is better described as complex consisting of many…

Combining dining with sightseeing, modern yakatabune (literally home-style boat) offer people a unique way to see the sights via a leisurely cruise along the rivers of the city and Tokyo Bay. The history of yakatabune Dating back to the Heian Era (794-1185) yakatabune were private boats with a large indoor seating area decorated much like…