My last night in Tokyo, I stayed at the Conrad Hotel, a contemporary building set in the heart of Tokyo. This skyscraper, with its panoramic skyline views, more than lived up to its press. I enjoyed and confidently recommend afternoon tea in the stylish TwentyEight on the 28th floor of the Conrad. In addition to serving up breathtaking views
The Fushimi Inari shrine is one of the most photographed shrines in all of Japan. By looking at my photos below, it’s easy to see why. As someone who enjoys photography, it can be difficult to put the camera down and appreciate the view. Often times I find myself seeing shrines or monuments only through
Today was predicted to be hot, so I stuck with light, airy fabrics and some of my favorite accessories from Pinkyotto. I’m loving their new Fall designs, so definitely check out their new collection! First stop: Kiyomizu-Dera—the temple of clear water—a Buddhist temple located halfway up Otowa Mountain in eastern Kyoto. I traveled by City Bus
Today I boarded the Shinkansen super-express high-speed railway, traveling from Tokyo to Kyoto. It saddened me to leave Shinjuku and my genial host, Oto-san, but I was eager to continue my exploration of Japan. Oto-san on the balcony in his Shinjuku apartment While I will miss breakfast in Oto-san’s kitchen—with its view of Tokyo’s skyline—I’m
Earlier this week, I made friends with Emmanuel, a tennis chair umpire who is calling matches in Tokyo’s Toray Pan Pacific Open. Emmanual asked if I was interested in tickets for the tournament (Are you kidding me? YES!!!), and handed over tickets for the sweetest seats I’ve ever been comped. Because of travel conflicts, I missed opening
It’s 2:30 am and a 5.3 magnitude earthquake slams Fukushima then rockets to Tokyo—and my bedroom—scaring the living crap out of me. My dream of waking to a glorious Japanese sunrise dissolves in chaos and bolting upright, I pray my Shinjuku apartment will not come crashing down around me. It’s my first earthquake and after
First stop on my tour around Asia: Tokyo! Moshi, moshi ah no ne. I honestly can’t think of a better way to start the next three months. Customs and immigrations in Tokyo was a breeze. You truly experience the friendliness of the Japanese people the minute you step off of the plane. One of the not
