Category Archives: Travel in Japan

Solo travels throughout Honshu: a loop through Kyoto, Toyohashi, Hiroshima, Kanazawa and Tokyo

Waking from the Tokyo Dream

Posted on January 30, 2018 by Lynda Philippsen

After landing in Vancouver I picked up an email from Vivian saying that she was in Gaienmae shortly after I left and experiencing pangs of sadness in my neighbourhood. Ah, Gaienmae. Why did that seem part of a distant past? … Continue reading →

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Snow Falls in Tokyo before Leaving

Posted on January 24, 2018 by Lynda Philippsen

According to Japan Today, the Monday, January 22nd snowfall in Tokyo was the heaviest since 2014. Because I walk and the snow started sticking after International Class, I escaped rather unscathed. Unfortunately, I had to cancel an evening with a … Continue reading →

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Winter Colours

Posted on January 16, 2018 by Lynda Philippsen

Walking along the shaded avenues, looking across the expanses and views of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden on a crisp afternoon, I suddenly longed to paint rooms. I imagined a serene home designed in the varied and wondrous winter tones spread … Continue reading →

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Getting Back to Sogetsu Ikebana School

Posted on January 15, 2018 by Lynda Philippsen

Getting back into ikebana after a 20-day hiatus wasn’t easy. Like any skill-development abandoned for a significant period of time—exercise, music practice, that golf swing, whatever—there’s a certain muscle tone and mindset which deteriorates in the interval.

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Serendipity and a Haircut at Gold Salon Tokyo

Posted on January 14, 2018 by Lynda Philippsen

How serendipity strikes: After a party of three left the restaurant where I was waiting at the counter to place my order, one of them turned around and dashed back in to give me his card. “In case you might … Continue reading →

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Afternoon Interlude at Alain Ducasse Beige, Tokyo

Posted on January 12, 2018 by Lynda Philippsen

Beige, the Alain Ducasse restaurant in the top floor of the Chanel building in Ginza is where I spent most of yesterday afternoon. I’ve never enjoyed a Michelin star restaurant before and prefer to supply a link the Beige website … Continue reading →

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Happy New Year from Tokyo: Welcome 2018

Posted on December 31, 2017 by Lynda Philippsen

Today I picked up my order of Osechi-ryori, boxes of celebratory New Year’s foods. These are freighted with auspicious symbolism and beautifully packaged inside boxes called jūbako.

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Christmas Eve in Yokohama and Tokyo

Posted on December 25, 2017 by Lynda Philippsen

Last weekend I hopped the train to Yokohama—about an hour out of Tokyo—to join friends for the Christmas Market in a former warehouse district now  converted to event and boutique space. On Christmas Eve Sunday I’d been invited back for … Continue reading →

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Touring Asakusa in Kimono with Friends

Posted on December 13, 2017 by Lynda Philippsen

Two friends from Toyohashi (near Nagoya) visited me on the weekend. They wanted to have lunch, then dress in rented kimonos to wander around Asakusa and visit Sensoji Temple. After that, they wanted to view the illuminations at Skytree Town.

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Finishing up with Autumn

Posted on December 12, 2017 by Lynda Philippsen

Winter is settling into Tokyo. But not that many days ago Jingugaien, the ginkgo avenue with its four rows of 146 trees on both sides of the street, was a splendid sight.

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