08:00: Osaka may be considered Japan’s second city in many ways but when it comes to urban sprawl it has just about as many flashing neon signs, packed trains, and towering skyscrapers as that found in Tokyo. For an idea of how things used to be, start your day by heading over to Osaka Castle, nearly an oasis of serenity in the center of this city of 2.6 million people. Around the grounds, paths wind beneath cherry trees, near the moats, and up to the imposing stone walls that surround the structure. Osaka Castle Museum includes displays that feature the history of castle, which was originally constructed by warlord Hideyoshi Toyotomi (1537-1598), elaborate samurai armor and helmets, and a top-floor observation deck. The area surrounding the compound also offers no shortage of vendors peddling grilled mochi (rice cakes) wrapped in nori (seaweed) and piping-hot red bean cakes.

10:00: A bit north, near Osaka Station, is the 173-meter-tall, twin-towered Umeda Sky Building provides views of the city from its Floating Garden Observatory. The access to this perch creates a setting similar to an episode from “The Jetsons,” requiring use of a quick-moving elevator and then a pair of glass-walled escalators that are suspended just below the circular observatory. From this platform, 360-degree panoramas unfold and include the castle you just left to the southeast.

12:00: For lunch, try the Umeda branch of the famous noodle chain Ippudo. As is the case with all Ippudo shops, this outlet (Tel: 06-6363-3777) offers Hakata-style ramen (tonkotsu), characterized by a heavy, pork-broth soup and slices of chashu (simmered pork). Since it is a popular location, be prepared to wait a few minutes in line — and order the “set” version that includes a side of gyoza if grilled dumplings are to your liking.

13:00: The Tenjinbashisuji Shopping Street is a lively 2.6-kilometer roofed arcade, making it the longest in Japan. Start by taking a stroll through the gravel compound of Tenmangu Shrine, the focus of one of the country’s most boisterous festivals occurring each July 25. Then continue north and browse through the over 600 shops jammed with cutlery, confectioneries, used books, sundry goods, and stationery. For a break, stop in at Zuko (Tel: 06-6353-8506), a quaint café where the sharply dressed proprietor serves up handmade cakes to go with the coffee.

Takoyaki stand in Dotonbori

18:00: Moving south, the Den Den Town shopping area (www.denden-town.or.jp) is Osaka’s answer to Tokyo’s Akihabara district. The shops and boutiques here are frequented by subculture hobbyists interested in gadgets, comics, erotic anime DVDs, and electronics. Take note that the merchants are generally not opposed to haggling over prices. To get a feel for the eccentric vibe, hit up Café Doll, a “maid café” in which the female servers are attired in frilly dresses and numerous other fantasy-related costumes.

20:00: Within walking distance is the Dotonbori area, the city’s top entertainment district. The murky canal that splits the quarter will see drunken revelers take the plunge following big-name sporting events. For you, photos snapped in front of the large Glico sign, displaying the candy company’s runner mascot, should suffice. The area is known for its numerous outdoor stands serving takoyaki (battered and grilled octopus). But for a sit-down meal, the crab dishes at the main branch of Kani Doraku (Tel: 06-6211-8975) are also popular choices. Settle back from a seat that overlooks the water and order a course meal, which will include boiled crab, salad, and soup — your delicious reward for a job well done.

Note: This report originally appeared in CNN Traveller magazine in the March/April 2011 issue.

Tourists and locals will often flock to the area’s temples and shrines, which create a lively atmosphere around the New Year’s holidays, a prelude to the various festivals and carnivals held throughout the year.

It was once Japan’s version of Vaudeville, with one district having offered many performance theaters, a legacy that still lingers today.

Ladies in kimono shuffling through Asakusa’s narrow alleys is not an unusual site as it is one of Tokyo’s six remaining hanamachi, literally “flower town,” a reference to the locales in which customers can be entertained by a geisha.

For taking memories with you, Asakusa’s shopping streets offer numerous opportunities for buying traditional and unique souvenirs. Then to unwind, there is no shortage of intimate bars and restaurants.

The most interesting recent development has been the steady rise of the soon-to-be-completed, 634-meter Tokyo Sky Tree transmission tower across the Sumida. So don’t wait to see if Asakusa will be reshaped into yet another business district; exit the Tokyo Metro Asakusa subway station and take a tour today.

Pagoda at Senso-ji

The focal point of Asakusa is the gravel and stone compound surrounding Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. Legend says that in the year 628 a statue of Kannon, or the Goddess of Mercy, was retrieved from the river by two fishermen. Sensing the importance of the find, the village chief subsequently took possession of the piece and rebuilt his house into a temple, termed Kannon-do, for the worship of the Goddess.

Fronting the temple is a large bronze incense burner that continually emits white puffs of smoke. Divine power is believed to be derived from exposure to incense. It is therefore suggested that guests cleanse themselves next to the smoldering pot to ensure good health.

Visual spectacles at Senso-ji include the imposing Hozo-mon Gate, with its large paper lantern hanging in the center, and the beautiful five-tiered pagoda of Senso-ji off to the side.

For the three men involved in Senso-ji’s establishment, they have been enshrined in the nearby Asakusa Shrine. On the third weekend of May, the Sanja Matsuri festival pays tribute to the trio as portable shrines, or omikoshi, are aggressively paraded through the streets and the hundreds of thousands of assembled spectators.

A visit to the compound in the evening is highly recommended. The crowds are not as intrusive and the major structures are brightly illuminated.

Senso-ji
Asakusa 2-3-1
Tel: +81-3-3842-0181

Nakamise shopping arcade

The Nakamise shopping arcade runs up to Senso-ji from Kaminari-mon Gate. Traditional dolls, t-shirts emblazoned with Chinese characters, light happi coats, decorated fans and the ubiquitous maneki neko statues (beckoning cats said to attract good luck), are available from the tiny shops occupying both sides of the corridor.

Venturing laterally from Nakamise creates shopping chances of a completely different sort. Enthusiasts of old photographs and postcards featuring luminaries in such fields as entertainment and pro wrestling can stop in at Marubell and flip through its extensive collection. At Trunks-ya, shoppers are able to peruse racks of boxers adorned with maneki neko cats, dragons or flowers in just about any color imaginable.

To get a proper feel for the area, it is advisable to take a stroll through its back alleys, where there are many vendors peddling ningyo-yaki, or small sweet bean cakes. These, along with senbei rice crackers, fresh off the grill at Iriyama Senbei, for example, make a perfect snack.

Many rickshaw drivers can be found offering short excursions from the front of the always bustling Kaminari-mon. The 30-minute tours on two wheels weave down to the river and through most of the area’s major attractions.

Trunks-ya
1-19-10 Asakusa
Te: +81-3-5806-3255

Marubell
1-30-6 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3844-1445

Iriyama Senbei
1-13-4 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3844-1376

Kappabashi

To the west is Kappabashi. Often described as “kitchen town,” it is an avenue of over 100 shops offering just about every piece of equipment needed to operate a restaurant or bar.

On weekday mornings, many shop proprietors can be seen scouring through the likes of blenders, cash registers, bar stools, bundles of chopsticks and noodle strainers. For the tourist, most intriguing are the plastic models of such menu items as pasta, ramen and sushi that nearly always can be found in a glass cabinet at a restaurant’s entrance.

A specialist in ceramic goods is Dengama. Rice bowls and teapots literally spill out of its front doors and onto the sidewalk. Interested in spicing up your kitchen with flower-patterned teacups? That is not a problem, nor is picking up ceramic chopstick holders.

On the way back, take a peek inside Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten. Founded in 1861, the outlet specializes in some of the finest taiko drums and other traditional Japanese instruments. In 1988, it established the Taikokan drum museum on the fourth floor. Here, visitors are able to pound away on a selection of percussion instruments on display and originating from all around the world.

Kappabashi Shopkeepers Association
3-18-2 Matsugaya
Tel: +81-3-3844-1225

Dengama
1-4-3 Nishi Asakusa
Tel. +81-3-5828-9355

Miyamoto Unosuke Shoten
6-1-5 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3842-5622

Rickshaw

Around a century ago, the area known as “Rokku,” to the west of Senso-ji, became a gathering point for a variety of entertainment forms. It offered a vivacious mix of comedy and burlesque shows both on the street and inside garish venues. The scene provided the start for such legendary actors as Kiyoshi Atsumi, most widely known as the itinerant peddler in the 48-episode “It’s Tough Being a Man” film series.

The Asakusa Toyokan theater, where film director and comedian Takeshi Kitano worked when it was named the France-za, keeps up with the area’s tradition by staging comedy and variety performances. Just up the road is the Asakusa Shin Gekijo retro film theater, which mainly screens gangster and action films made by venerable studios Nikkatsu and Toei in the ’60s and ’70s.

Asakusa Hanayashiki is a blast-from-the-past amusement park. In 1853, it opened as a park of flowers. Today, it offers numerous attractions for kids and adults, including a creaky wooden rollercoaster, fortunetelling, a shiny merry-go-round, a shooting gallery, and the Bee Tower rotating ride, whose
elevated perch provides a panoramic view.

For a bit of relaxation, head to the Asakusa Kannon Onsen, an aging bath house situated near Senso-ji and the pagoda. Modern conveniences are few but as with the Asakusa spirit the faded furnishings and colorful
tile work can transport guests back decades while soaking in the tub.

Asakusa Toyokan
1-43-12 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3841-6631

Asakusa Shin Gekijo
2-9-11 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3841-2815

Asakusa Hanayashiki
2-28-1 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3842-8780

Asakusa Kannon Onsen
2-7-26 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3844-4141

Off of Nakamise

The Amuse Museum supplies a hands-on experience for various aspects of traditional Japanese culture over its six floors. The many textiles and crafts on display can be touched by visitors. Tea ceremonies, folk dancing and music performances are held in the multi-purpose space. Lessons on the shamisen (a three-stringed guitar) are also available. Not to be missed are the sixth-floor galleries housing many ukiyo-e prints — that is, woodblock paintings of the “floating world” of geishas and entertainers over the last three centuries. Bar Six, located on the same floor, provides a pleasant spot to view the Senso-ji complex while sipping a cocktail.

Before continuing down the road too far, fans of mediocre architecture might enjoy peering across the river at the headquarters of Asahi Breweries, a 22-story building fabricated in the shape of a frothy beer stein. French architect Philippe Starck designed the adjacent structure, the Asahi Super Dry Hall, which is topped with one of the city’s more dubious landmarks, the infamous golden flame. A beer hall is inside the Starck structure for sampling of the company’s products.

Art space Gallery éf was initially a warehouse constructed in 1868. Today, it still holds remnants of Edo architecture — exemplified by its series of wooden roof trusses — this in spite of the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the bombings of World War II. It became a gallery with a café in 1997. Collaborations with international artists are exhibited and live performances and concerts are held.

Amuse
2-34-3 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-5806-1181

Asahi Super Dry Hall
1-23-1 Azumabashi
Tel: +81-3-5608-5381

Gallery éf
2-19-18 Kaminarimon
Tel: +81-3-3841- 0442

Denki Bran

Located between Nakamise and the Azuma-bashi Bridge, is Kamiya Bar, a true Tokyo institution. The three-floor establishment was founded in 1880, when it became Japan’s first pub to serve Western liquor. Today, the generally middle-age clientele sits at rows of tables while dining on fried fish and noodle dishes amid a wood-panel décor, all to create a ’70s-kitsch-meets-cafeteria atmosphere. Beer and cocktails are available, but be sure to sample the Denki Bran, a blended brandy concoction served in a V-shaped glass that is strong enough to test the resistance of your teeth fillings. A tuxedoed gentleman sells the potent beverage at a stand outside in bottles suitable for souvenirs.

To try something a bit more Japanese, wander back toward Senso-ji and settle down at Daikokuya, which specializes in battered and fried prawns served with soy sauce and placed over a bed of rice, collectively known as a type of tempura called ebi tendon.

Sake is always a favorite, and as a wonderful capper to an evening there is the nearby Sake no Daimasu bar. Guests can sample various selections from prefectures up and down Japan at the bar’s stylish tables or counters. Sashimi, available by the season, and other small snacks are also served.

If a geisha has not yet materialized, cross the Azuma-bashi and head in the direction of the towering Tokyo Sky Tree for Mukojima, Tokyo’s largest geisha quarter.

Kamiya Bar
1-1-1 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3841-5400

Daikokuya
1-38-10 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-3844-1111

Sake no Daimasu
1-2-8 Asakusa
Tel: +81-3-5806-3811

Tokyo Sky Tree
1-1-13 Oshiage
Tel: +81-3-3621-5670

Note: This report originally appeared in CNN Traveller magazine in the July/August 2010 issue.

09.00: Kyoto’s nearly 2,000 temples and shrines are well known, yet culinary delicacies are not to be overlooked, and numerous varieties are available at the Nishiki Market, where over 100 family-run shops have offered locally sourced products for four centuries. A walk down the narrow corridor reveals aromas of grilled fish and boisterous shopkeepers enthusiastically peddling sushi and other seafood (oysters, squid and sweetfish), sweets, fresh vegetables and some of Japan’s finest cutlery. For a sampling of the wares, order breakfast at Iyomata (Tel: 075-221-1405), which offers sushi sets, including chirashi zushi (various raw fish over rice).

10.30: In 1997, Kyoto hosted the United Nations conference that set greenhouse gas emission targets, but the streets of Japan’s former capital are often jammed with cars. As an alternative, the Kyoto Cycling Tour Project provides various types of two-wheelers from its outlet just in front of Kyoto Station. Cycle down to the Fushimi Inari Shrine, notable for its path of 5,000 orange entry gates, and back up the bike route hugging the Kamogawa River. Then venture over to the Kyoto Handicraft Center to peruse its selection of painted screens and kimono wear or partake in making your own woodblock print or folding fan in the center’s studio.

12.00: At the Kyoto Botanical Garden, dating back to 1924, guests can view over 100,000 plants assembled in special areas dedicated to everything from irises to hydrangeas to bamboo. The large central lawn includes numerous plum and cherry trees, a favorite when in bloom in the spring, and the dome-shaped Conservatory creates a tropical environment suitable for its thousands of climbing vines and carnivorous plants. In moving back to the center of town, point your camera at the Nakagyo Post Office. The red brick building has been designated by the government as an important cultural property, whose interior was restored in 1978 yet its facade remains the same as when it was constructed in 1902.

13.30: For lunch, there is Ambient Café Mole (Tel: 075-256-2038), tucked into a tranquil neighborhood just south of the grounds of the Kyoto Imperial Palace. The twenty-seat eatery greets guests with its jungle-like entrance of leafy plants and soothing background music. Try one of the delicious sandwiches on handmade bread or curries served with whole-grain rice, each prepared with organic ingredients.

Bridge and gate (Joseph Tame)

16.30: The traditional teahouse Bunnosuke Jaya specializes in the sweet, non-alcoholic drink amazake. Sip this beverage or matcha (green tea) inside this beautiful 200-year-old building, whose grounds are enhanced by a garden and courtyard.

17.30: The silk and cotton fabric of the clothing, accessories and linen products made by dyeing atelier Somenotsukasa Yoshioka are colored with organic dye derived from plants and not chemicals, as was customary for this family business up until two decades ago. The result is a store with pillows and bags in deep and radiant purples, pinks and blues — certainly some of Kyoto’s most unique souvenirs.

19.00: Stroll through the Gion area, the top geisha quarter, and later take a tatami mat seat at Gion Oishinbo, which offers a wonderful selection of dishes made with locally grown and acquired ingredients. Set in a wood building that evokes the traditional machiya style of craftsmanship, the restaurant serves dinner courses priced under $50 and feature sashimi and tempura. For washing it all down choose a couple of the half-dozen locally brewed sakes.

22.00: Relax at the tiny jazz bar Hello Dolly (Tel: 075-241-1728). You can settle back as Blue Note vinyl is spun and try a martini or cognac at one of the club’s dimly lit tables — a perfect finisher to a day not soon forgotten.

Note: All photos by Joseph Tame. This report originally appeared in CNN Traveller magazine in the November/December 2009 issue.

07.00: The world’s largest fish market is at Tsukiji, whose fishmongers provide a fascinating glimpse at just what lurks in the sea: massive tuna carcasses are carved by saws, eels squirm on tables, and clams fill buckets. Yet care should be taken as the slick-floored, darkened maze of stalls is continually inundated by steady streams of gasoline-powered carts and ice haulers. No flash photography is allowed during the live tuna auction but there is a distinct viewing area. Inside the market grounds is restaurant Yamato, which serves truly delicious morning sushi sets for around 2,000 yen.

09.00: Rebuilt twice, the Kabuki-za in Ginza has been Japan’s premier home to kabuki theater performances since its founding in 1889. The matinees start in the afternoon, but the ornate building, set to be demolished in 2010, is definitely worth a peek. Also facing the wrecking ball is the nearby Nakagin Capsule Tower, a thin residential and office structure of stacked concrete modules designed by architect Kisho Kurokawa in early ‘70s that is generally considered to be the purveyor of the coffin-like accommodations found in capsule hotels.

10.00: Earthquakes and firebombing raids by the U.S. during World War II have left the city with few historic buildings. Reshaping the cityscape in modern times has been a boom in skyscrapers, and Shiodome has a large cluster. On the basement floor of the 51-story Caretta Shiodome is the Museum of Advertising and Marketing, which chronicles the history of writing ad copy all the way back to when the woodblock print was the medium. For a nice view of the area’s sparkling glass and steel towers, there are the landscaped gardens at Hama Rikyu, whose teahouse affords a traditional setting in which to enjoy a cup of steaming matcha.

12.00: The impressive shrines and gates at the Senso-ji complex are certainly a draw to historic Asakusa, but during the Edo Period (1603-1867) its “Roku-ku,” or six districts, featured numerous cabarets and street performers. The area today does not have quite that same Vaudeville vibe but the dusty shops and the restaurant supply area known as Kappabashi, which sells the artificial food models seen in front of restaurants, are great for tracking down unique souvenirs. The legendary Kamiya Bar, Japan’s first Western watering hole (founded in 1880), offers nice stews and beef dishes. The establishment’s famous Denki Bran (a blend of various liquors) is available in bottles.

15.00: The west exit of Shinjuku Station reveals a literal forest of skyscrapers that is punctuated by the futuristic-looking work of Kenzo Tange, whose Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building (offering a free observation deck) and Shinjuku Park Tower, the home of the Park Hyatt Tokyo featured in “Lost in Translation,” stand like tilted spaceships.

17.00: The Tokyo coffee house has over the years evolved from that of a grimy, smoke-filled den generally frequented by middle-aged salarymen to a hip locale of minimalist interiors. Café Studio in Harajuku hosts live music events and serves great cakes and coffees.

19.00: In Shibuya, no location better encapsulates what it means to be a female teen than the Shibuya 109 building, the cylindrical, ten-floor home to some of the trendiest – and tackiest – fashion in the city. Changing the pace of the area slightly was the recent addition of “Asu no Shinwa” (Myth of Tomorrow), avant-garde artist Taro Okamoto’s 14-panel mural from the late ‘60s whose streaking colors and distorted shapes depict the moment of an atomic bomb detonation. The piece, often compared to Picasso’s “Guernica,” hangs near the Inokashira line entrance inside Shibuya station.

21.00: The grungy bars of Roppongi have made it one of Tokyo’s seedier playgrounds. Upscale complexes have since scaled back that reputation a tad. The Mori Art Museum in Roppongi Hills is one of three spaces now offering art exhibits. Tokyo Midtown added a number of fine restaurants following its opening in 2007. Orange specializes in light French cuisine and champagne to go with fine cigars. Appropriately, a few steps from its terrace seating, it is possible to view the diffused orange glow of Tokyo Tower to the east. Japan’s symbol of rebirth following the war, the tower celebrated its 50th anniversary in December.

Note: This report originally appeared in CNN Traveller magazine in the January/February 2009 issue.

Such expressions and imagery usually found their way into self-reflective paintings and sculptures—colors bursting forth, swirling patterns and distorted facial features—that made Okamoto one of Japan’s most revered contemporary artists.

Born in 1911 in Kawasaki, Okamoto studied philosophy and sociology at the University of Paris before serving in the Imperial Army in China during World War II. Following his return to Japan in 1946, he harbored antiwar sentiments. Soon after, he established a studio in Setagaya that would later move to Aoyama, which today is the location of the Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum. He died of acute heart failure in 1996. The installation of one of his masterpieces, “Myth of Tomorrow,” inside Shibuya Station later this month will certainly renew interest in his output, which can be widely seen in Tokyo and the surrounding area.

MUSEUMS

Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum
For more than 50 years, Okamoto called Minami-Aoyama home, and this museum preserves his studio, residence, garden and roughly 600 of his creations. A café sits on the first floor, and a gallery space is upstairs. The descending red text reading “TARO” and the big-eyed facial image on the block wall outside make finding it a snap from the street.

Open Wed-Mon 10am-6pm, closed Tue. 6-1-19 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-3406-0801. Nearest stn: Omotesando, exit A5.

Taro Okamoto Museum of Art
This sprawling museum in Kawasaki displays many of Okamoto’s works and those of his parents, Kanoko and Ippei. The current “Defying” exhibition, which includes the large oil paintings “Heavy Industry” (1949) and “Challenge” (1975), runs through January 12.

Open Tue-Sun 9:30am-5pm, closed Mon. 7-1-5 Masukata, Tama-ku, Kawasaki. Tel: 044-900-9898. Nearest stn: Noborito (JR Nambu or Odakyu line).

PUBLICLY DISPLAYED WORKS

躍動の門 Yakudo no Mon (“Lively Gate”), 1993
An arching sculpture topped by twisted bodies that resemble the images in the two far-left panels of “Myth of Tomorrow.”

Location: At the entrance to Urayasu Athletic Park in Chiba. Nearest stn: Maihama (JR Keiyo line).

太陽 Taiyo (“Sun”), 1985
An ode to the Sun God, this sculpture features thorn-like beams ringing a golden face that is grinning just like most Okamoto pieces.

Location: On the roof of the Sogo department store in Yokohama. Nearest stn: Yokohama, east exit.

こどもの樹 Kodomo no Ki (“Tree of Children”), 1985
Showing that maybe Okamoto was a child at heart, this collection of colorful and smiling branches fixed to a central trunk represents the playfulness of being a kid.

Location: In front of Kodomo no Shiro (National Children’s Castle) in Aoyama. Nearest stn: Shibuya or Omotesando, exit B2.

若い時計台 Wakaitokeidai (“Young Clock Tower”), 1966
The elements (and the birds) have not been kind to this aging piece, which features striking colors and waving, spiky tendrils. A clock on top gives the time to Ginza shoppers.

Location: Inside Sukiyabashi Park, Ginza. Nearest stn: Ginza, exit C2 or JR Yurakucho.

午後の日 Gogo no Hi (“Afternoon”), 1967
The smiling mask sculpture marks the location of Okamoto’s grave.

Location: Inside Tama Cemetery, Fuchu. Nearest stn: Tamagawa (Seibu Tamagawa line).