Category: DESTINATIONS
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Escape Tokyo for Okutama: Discover Trekking, Cycling, and Local Life
“Okutama is a treasure trove of nature and culture,” says Masaki Numakura, owner of Trekkling, a bicycle rental and tour shop located just a short walk from Okutama Station. Beyond the tunnels, towering formations like Inamura Rock suddenly appear, and the mysterious Nippara Limestone Cave waits quietly, maintaining a steady 11°C (52°F) temperature year-round. Rivers, waterfalls, and wasabi fields are scattered across…
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Hinode Samurai Residence in Tokyo: A Living Story
In Hinode, a town blessed with the quiet beauty of Japan’s traditional satoyama landscape—the gently cultivated countryside where human life meets wild nature—stands the Tokyo Hinode Samurai Residence, a stately home once built by a wealthy village headman. Its timeless elegance has not faded; rather, it continues to draw visitors into another world and time.…
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In Ome: Where Family Meets the Love of Hometown, People, and Drink
Tokyo is home to ten sake breweries—nine in the Tama region compared to just one within the 23 wards. One evening, at an izakaya in Tachikawa renowned for its devotion to sake, we spoke with Kazuyoshi Muto, the third-generation owner of Muto Jisaku Saketen, a long-established liquor store in Ome. Kazuyoshi is the kind of person who makes…
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Keeping it “Broth Real” in Akiruno: The Ramen School RAJUKU Story
Ramen School RAJUKU has become a destination for aspiring ramen chefs from around the world. Its owner and master chef, Takeshi Koitani, is a prominent figure in Tokyo’s ramen scene, having built and managed a string of celebrated shops. Coincidentally, our visit on April 22nd marked the 23rd anniversary of his very first restaurant, Jiraigen.…
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Taishū Engeki in Tachikawa: Where Tradition Meets Fandom
There’s only one theater in the Tama area dedicated entirely to taishū engeki: Keyaki-za in Tachikawa. Inside, applause and soft sighs of admiration fill the air. Founded in 2015, it’s become a rare haven for this traditional art. Satomi Nakahara, who took over operations from her father Seiichirō in 2019, now runs the place. She…
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Wok & Spice: The Alchemy of Taste and Technique in Kunitachi
Tucked away in a quiet residential corner of Kunitachi, I-fanfunsun is a Chinese restaurant that doesn’t look to make a fuss. But word travels—sometimes faster than you’d think. From central Tokyo to far-off prefectures, curious diners and seasoned chefs alike find their way here. All drawn by a phrase passed along in hushed, reverent tones:…
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The Geisha of Hachioji
Today, most know Hachioji as the gateway city to Mount Takao, a sacred mountain peak drawing millions in search of nature and renewal. Yet beyond the famous hiking trails lies a lesser-known aspect of this city, shaped by silk, song, and the spirit of craftsmanship. From the Taisho era (1912–1926) through the postwar years of the 1950s, Hachioji flourished as a textile…
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Twists of Nowhere in Ome
Nestled among the natural beauty of the Tama River, Lake Shiromaru, and Mount Mitake is the city of Ōme which is known for its rich scenic landscape, as well as its people who are quietly cultured and have a deep sense of nostalgia. Ōme, from as far back as the Muromachi period (1336-1568), also once flourished…
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From the Town of Kunitachi: Art in Sync with Motion
As you stroll through the streets of Tachikawa, it’s impossible not to encounter art. You can find art tucked in hidden corners and scattered across facades, quietly waiting to be noticed. Tracing the history of how art came to spread through this city leads us to a series of five books titled “From the Town”, published between 1976 and 1988. These volumes are…
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Journey into Akiruno Tiny Art Space
The story of Akimitsu Tomonaga, an artist, begins in 1967, during the post-war era when Japanese airlines had yet to establish flights to Australia. One day, a friend working at a television station handed him a flyer about a unique opportunity—a film production company in Australia was seeking a designer to create characters for a movie centered…
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Yaho: Drink, Connect, and Bring Your Story to Life
Chisato Sakane, the owner of Snack Suichu in Yaho, has carved out a uniquely unconventional career path. A graduate of an elite university in Tokyo, she took over a long-established Japanese snack bar, making bold and unconventional life choices, challenging societal norms and trusting her entrepreneurial instincts. All while being a wife, mother of a child, and entrepreneur, she transformed her snack bar…
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Auberge Tokito: A Harmony of Plates and Palates
A food event called “Tokitoto” that “brings out the moment” was held at Auberge Tokito in Tachikawa on December 14th and 15th, 2024, with lunch and dinner sessions, each limited to 12 people. The concept of this event is to focus on the “moment” rather than the “season”. Tokito’s chefs and artists with their own…
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Culinary with Heart in Tachikawa
Yoshinori Ishii, affectionately known as Yoshi, is the visionary behind Tokito, a luxury auberge in Tachikawa. With a rich background connecting local culture to a global audience, Yoshi draws visitors from the establishment and food enthusiasts from across the world—from Europe and the Middle East to Singapore. From a young age, Yoshi found joy in…
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Akiruno: The Mountain Where Hydrangeas Bloom
In early summer, tens of thousands of visitors come to see over 10,000 hydrangeas at Minamisawa Hydrangea Mountain in Akiruno. Visitors can rest in the shade of the trees and admire the hydrangeas, which were planted by Chuichi Minamisawa. Chuichi’s family has been the landowner of the area for centuries. His solitary effort to plant…
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Living in the Flow: Okutama’s Lake Shiromaru and River
Lake Shiromaru in Okutama is a perfect blend of natural beauty and is easily accessible from the city of Tokyo. Here, Megumi Goto has been teaching river kayaking for nearly 30 years. Locals admire Megumi not only for her kayaking expertise but also for her warm smile. Her passion for river kayaking began in her mid-20’s while working as…
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Crafting Imperfect Beauty: Akiruno’s Maverick Genius
“The beauty of silence,” “silence is golden,” and “if it is hidden, it is the flower,” are expressions that reflect a long-standing concept in Japanese culture: the virtue of discretion and not speaking unless spoken to. Although not all Japanese may adhere to this mindset today, this notion is often not understood outside of Japan.…
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Steeping in Time: Japanese Tea in Tachikawa
Riding a large motorcycle, wearing Timberland yellow boots and jeans, Kayoko Ikeya visits tea farmers in Sayama, Saitama, and Shizuoka—both regions famous for Japanese tea production. She is the third-generation owner of Sayamaen, a long-established tea store in Tachikawa, who certainly defies the image most people have of those involved in Japanese tea. She has…
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Meet Me at “Peninsula” in Kunitachi: Atelier Hanto
Everyone feels a particular sense of comfort in a place they have lived for a long time. Although Hodaka Shimazu feels affinities for other neighborhoods in Tokyo, he admits that he is strangely drawn back to Kunitachi and has moved in and out of the area several times over the last 15 years. “Kunitachi has…
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Finding Joy in the Company of Others: Western Tokyo
Makoto Takagi’s interest in visual arts was sparked by the films shown on late-night television when he was a child. Among these, he was most inspired by the Italian film Cinema Paradiso – Giuseppe Tornatore’s celebrated love letter to the silver screen. “I was particularly touched by the scene when the film was projected from…