Category: Tokyo

First in a series of blog posts on luxury cruising, cruise ships, and cruise ports in Japan in 2022. In early summer 2022, I had the chance to cruise up…

Overview of Japan’s luxury cruise ships. On this page: Japan’s three major cruise ships are (largest to smallest) Asuka II, Pacific Venus, and Nippon Maru homeported in Yokohama, Osaka, and…

Japan’s largest luxury cruise ship. Asuka II (飛鳥Ⅱ Asuka 2) is the only cruise ship owned and operated by NYK Cruises Co., Ltd. based in Yokohama and a wholly owned…

Distinctive look, famous name, and food. Built in 1990, Nippon Maru (にっぽん丸) is the smallest Japanese luxury cruise ship, but with the most distinctive paint job. Navy blue (almost black)…

Overview of Japan’s cruise ship ports. Being a stretched-out archipelago with a long coastline (34,600 km or 21,500 mi.) and hundreds of inhabited islands, Japan has many sea ports and…

Centrally located in Tokyo Bay and being at the mouth of multiple major rivers, Tokyo has been a busy port town for centuries. However, it did not open up to…

Moncchichi (モンチッチ) is Japan’s most lovable and huggable monkey, basically a stuffed animal doll that first appeared in Japan in 1974. It became wildly popular in the latter 1970s and…

Takao Baigo (高尾梅郷) is a rural area with several plum blossom groves near the famous Mt. Takao in Hachioji, Tokyo. The plum blossoms bloom in March, so if you were…

Odaiba is Tokyo’s foremost waterfront area with large shopping malls, luxury hotels, beaches, park areas, Giant Unicorn Gundam, and Tokyo 2020 Olympic venues. Pleasant place to hang out. In the…

Compiled by Philbert Ono, Updated: Oct. 11, 2019 This is the 2019 schedule of Awa Odori dance festivals to be held in the Tokyo/Kanto area (Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, and Chiba…