a blue toy robot with red feet and a clock on its face ALT: a blue toy robot with red feet and a clock on its face

Um…why did many dozen people suddenly follow me here?
Are you all bots?

I think human blood veins are blue everywhere?

Tokyo Tower was illuminated in a lovely blue tonight to mark World Autism Awareness Day.

Cherry blossom season has arrived in Tokyo…but I was more impressed by this single clump of violets blooming amid the roots of a tree flare.

I’m in Kyoto for a quick trip…and it must be graduation day for at least one department of Kyoto University — I was walking around Hyakumanben today and I saw lots of young women wearing hakama over beautiful kimono.

Writers in Kyoto (WiK) Presents the Tenth Kyoto Writing Competition Call for entries, deadline April 30th, 2026

REMINDER — you still have time to enter the Writers in Kyoto Competition!

Please share!

writersinkyoto.com/2026/02/02/w...

This is a sign in Higashi Azabu, Tokyo.
A more accurate English translation would have been, "Be quiet at night."

But every time I see it, I think about what great advice it actually is -- to try to calm oneself down before bedtime.

We'd all sleep so much better if we did this!

She got out an impressive tree-trimming tool that was nearly as tall as she was, and clipped a few branches off for me.

I’m still amazed that this just happened.

For me, the line between Tokyo’s late winter and early spring is when this mokuten (a type of magnolia) tree in Azabudai blooms.

I happened to walk past it today, and something miraculous happened: the woman who lives in the house came outside and asked me if I wanted some of its flowers!

I had to return to Tokyo that night, so I knew I had missed my last chance.

Some things are not meant to be.

I went there around 1:15 on the 26th, to find it closed. A woman walking by told me that the owner had closed at 1:00 that day, two hours early, because she ran out of cakes.

I had never been inside, and never knew its illustrious history -- but I saw the distinctive logo in a friend’s FB post & realized I knew EXACTLY where it was. I had passed it hundreds (perhaps thousands) of times. It was never open when I happened to be there -- not once. Talk about bad timing!

Kyoto bids farewell to a storied poets’ cafe Opened by American poet Cid Corman in 1974, CC’s in Nakagyo Ward had served as an important gathering ground for the literary community.

After Nagano, I went to Kyoto for a few days.

I wanted to try to visit this famous coffee shop before it closed its doors forever:
www.japantimes.co.jp/community/20...

I went to Suzaka, Nagano last month, to help a friend clear out an old house she hopes to eventually transform into a cafe and guest accommodations!

You can find out more about her and her project -- and see some fun videos she made of our efforts -- here: www.instagram.com/brendalyse/

Late last year, I took the first photo on the left — these lovely camellias were blooming next to an empty house in Higashi Azabu.

I walked past it the other day, and.....it’s gone.
Just GONE!

I like to think that someone “rescued” it, and it’s blooming in a garden somewhere.

Central Tokyo got a few centimeters of *extremely well-behaved* snow overnight and into this morning!

It almost immediately melted from the roads and sidewalks, but it remained on the trees looking beautiful. ❄️

Awwwwww….Some little demon lost their hand-made Setsubun demon hat!

節分の迷子

Writers in Kyoto (WiK) Presents the Tenth Kyoto Writing Competition Call for entries, deadline April 30th, 2026

SPREAD THE WORD!
WiK's Tenth Writing Competition has been launched!

Please share this widely with everyone you think might be interested.

writersinkyoto.com/2026/02/02/w...

Well, it’s not “one of the oldest in Japan.” It isn’t even as old as me! But places like this are wonderful, and they’re unfortunately disappearing as their elderly owners die.

Indeed, I looked him up later, and it’s Omura Masujiro (1824–1869), who served as Vice Minister of War and is considered to be the “Father” of the Imperial Japanese Army.

At least the sky was pretty.

I took this photo at Yasukuni Shrine — which honors Japan’s war dead — because of the clouds. I didn’t know the identity of the kimono-clad man the statue depicts, but I assumed he was someone related to war.

Kudan House, originally called Yamaguchi House after the family that built it, was completed in 1927. It managed to survive both the World War II firebombings and the subsequent redevelopment that claimed so many old buildings.

Spring has sprung!

Well, not quite. Plum trees bloom very early, and it’s still winter. But spring isn’t so far away.

Heavy snow is forecast for much of Japan this week — but unfortunately not for Tokyo, where the relentless sunshine continues to mock those of us who love watching snow fall. ❄️

Interesting. I use neither! Well, I do stop in every once in a rare while on both, just to say hello. Hello! 👋

That's odd. I don't know why.

I have the same mate I've always had!

Merry Christmas from Tokyo!

I'm a fellow caramel lover, and dulce de leche made from condensed milk is one of the most exquisite substances ever known to mankind. I'm sure you already know this, but I just had to say it.

It’s truly my happy place, whenever I’m in Kyoto.

Another special family dinner at Goya in Kyoto! We tried something new this time — a whole fried fish, which was amazing!