Why Japan Is Best Experienced By Foot
The country that changed modern culture and design, from A to Z
In giving voice to what he called this 'windswept spirit,' he was consciously following in the footsteps of a great line of spiritual ancestors famous for their long walks. The elderly monk Zoki headed out toward the shrine-filled pathways of the eastern forests known as Kumano in the 10th century, sleeping at times in a shelter made of branches, recording the wistful cries of deer, the rustle of autumn insects. A century and a half later, a courtier named Saigyo gave up his position as a palace guard to become a wandering poet and monk. Basho even invokes the 13th-century nun Abutsu, who in her mid-50s made the two-week walk along the Tokaido, the crowded seaside highway leading from the official capital of Kyoto to the de facto one at Kamakura, to present an inheritance claim in a court of law.
Roaming in the wake of such immortals, as he considered them, Basho thought of his walks as a spiritual discipline. In making his climactic journey along what he called 'the narrow road to the deep north,' he was visiting not just a remote part of his country but the neglected corners of himself, otherwise obscured by society and routine. The full moon he sought is a classic Buddhist image of enlightenment.
Nobody could claim that walking is peculiar to Japan; Chaucer had sent his pilgrims toward Canterbury centuries before Basho was born. But Japan has long given the world an image of men and women quitting the busy world for a life of clarity and simplicity. In his classic essay on walking, Henry David Thoreau might have been drawing on the Basho who wrote, 'My solitude shall be my company and my poverty my wealth.'
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Travel + Leisure
a day ago
- Travel + Leisure
This Is One of Japan's Best Beach Towns—and It's Only an Hour From Tokyo
Kamakura, a seaside town just over an hour from Tokyo, has serene Zen temples, bamboo groves, and hiking trails. While here, travelers could enjoy the seaside, participate in things like Buddha tracing at the temple, and walk scenic trails with views of Mount Fuji. There's also a thriving culinary scene here—there are "flowing noodle" experiences, omakase dining, and laid-back wine bars. Sometimes called Tokyo's 'Little Kyoto' for its abundance of temples and shrines, the seaside town of Kamakura has scenery in spades, a laid-back surf spot vibe, and a robust culinary scene. Tokyoites and tourists alike love Kamakura as a day trip because there's loads to do in every season. Kamakura has a long history—in the 12th century, it served as the de facto capital of Japan's first shogunate government. Even after power shifted to Tokyo, it remained a favorite retreat among the urban elite. Indeed, the imperial family still has a shorefront villa near Zushi Beach, a picturesque stretch of sand located just southeast of the city. Kamakura's combination of old money, natural beauty, and proximity to Tokyo made it an artistic mecca, too. Painters Yuki Ogura and Seiki Kuroda and Japan's first Nobel Laureate for literature, Yasunari Kawabata, have all called Kamakura home. Today's proliferation of galleries and museums clearly show that the town's art scene is still flourishing, although the modern iteration is more boho, influenced by American surf culture, which has permeated from the nearby United States Fleet Activities Yokosuka (a naval base) since the 1960s and onwards. The result of these diverse influences is a small beach town with outsize clout when it comes to culture and dining. I've lived in Tokyo for 20 years and like to visit Kamakura to escape the urban crush from time to time. I also tapped Chihiro Moriyama, a Kamakura-based graphic designer who's lived in the city for 16 years, for insider tips. Here's what you need to know before planning a trip to Kamakura, Japan. Best Things to Do The Great Buddha at Kotoku temple in Kamakura, Japan. frenta/Adobe Stock Kōtoku-in, selected by Travel + Leisure as one of Japan's most stunning temples, is one of the biggest tourist draws in town, thanks to its 11-meter-tall bronze statue of Amitābha Buddha from the 13th century. It's a must-visit destination, but Moriyama is partial to Hasedera, a hillside temple with city views. 'Away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist areas, visitors can experience shakyo (sutra copying) and shabutsu (Buddha image tracing) in a serene venue surrounded by beautiful rock gardens,' she says. 'Shakyo and shabutsu are a way to calm the mind and reflect on yourself. Kamakura, the birthplace of Zen in Japan, with its historic temples and peaceful atmosphere, is the perfect place to try it.' Moriyama also recommends a stop at Hokokuji Temple, which has a towering bamboo grove similar to Kyoto's famous Arashiyama but without the hordes of tourists. 'Have you ever listened to the sound of bamboo? If you press your ear gently against it, you might hear the flow of water or the wind," she says. "There's also a peaceful teahouse where you can enjoy a bowl of matcha." Kamakura is actually nestled in a basin, ringed by low mountains that are threaded with hiking trails. If you are feeling up to a hike before hitting the beach, the two to three-hour Tenen Trail starts from Kencho-ji, the oldest Zen temple in Kamakura, and winds through woods of oak, beech, and maple before terminating at the rock gardens of Zuisen-ji Temple. 'On a clear day, you may catch a view of Mount Fuji,' says Moriyama. "The scenery changes with the seasons, and in autumn, the trail features beautiful fall foliage." And of course, there's surf and sand. Yuigahama is the most popular beach, thanks to its proximity to Kamakura Station. The official swimming season is quite short, and spans just July and August, but you'll find surfers and beachcombers year-round. Local board shops also offer stand-up paddleboarding, wakeboarding, and sea kayaking. During summer, beachfront shops serve drinks and food, along with showers and changing rooms so you don't have to ride back to Tokyo covered in sand. Best Restaurants People walk along the Komachi Street lined with craft shops and restaurants in Kamakura. James Witlow Delano/Bloomberg via Getty Images With so much foot traffic passing from the station to the beach, restaurants in Kamakura have perfected the art of the tasty takeaway picnic box. Moriyama recommends Antico Rondino, a panini shop specializing in Italian cured meats like mortadella, prosciutto, and porchetta. 'It's a casual and delicious shop located on the way to the Great Buddha that's great for a quick bite or takeaway,' she says. For a sit-down meal, crowds tend to flock to restaurants with views over the water, like Australian all-day diner Bills or pizzeria Amalfi Dellasera, but Moriyama suggests Matsubara-an for a more local vibe. 'It's in a beautifully renovated modern Japanese house with a welcoming terrace space, where you can enjoy delicious soba noodles and a variety of seasonal dishes,' she says. Although it doesn't have ocean views, it's close enough to Yuigahama to enjoy a post-meal walk on the sand. Another option for noodle fans is Chaya Kado. From April to October, they serve the beloved summertime dish nagashi somen or 'flowing noodles.' Thin, wheat-flour noodles called somen are washed down a bamboo slide; diners pluck them up as they pass, dunk them in a chilled dipping sauce, and slurp up as much as their stomachs can hold. Just five minutes from the station is the elegant Kamakura Fukumi, a tiny restaurant serving omakase courses for lunch and dinner. Kyoto-trained chef Ikeda draws on locally grown vegetables to produce elegant, jewel-like dishes paired with savory clay-pot rice from Niigata and seafood grilled over binchō-tan, a type of hardwood charcoal. 'Each visit brings new discoveries through the delicate flavors that reflect the changing seasons,' say Moriyama. And to finish off the day, the relaxed ambiance at wine bar Tres, run by husband and wife sommeliers, makes the case for lingering until the last train. Alternatively, a friendly pint or a can for the road awaits at Yorocca Beer Pub Sasameza, the taproom for hometown small-batch brewer Yorocca.
Forbes
4 days ago
- Forbes
A Private $10 Million Haven Of Wellness In Japan
Portrait of Japan: The magnetically controlled chaos of Shibuya, Tokyo. Shutterstock To the Western eye, pictures of Japan typically project two contrasting cultures. The hot pink fluorescence of Tokyo's blaring lit-up Shibuya district with its wondrous chaos of commerce and youth. And elsewhere the meditative shade of mossy forests, where small stone bridges lead over streams to traditional dwellings built on the principles of Zen. Which picture you're drawn to today may foretell your future directions... Who knows? Portrait of Japan: Floating in the stillness of Ago Bay, MOKU distills the rare serenity unique to Japan's Mie Province. TonTon Inc. Just about every real estate report that crystalizes the desires and priorities of high-net-worth individuals includes the following terms: security, privacy, seclusion . With the digital world delivering the other essential that keeps humans human and businesses revolving— 24/7 connectivity —decisions about where to locate oneself today possess, for some, the privilege of endless choice.(After all those years advocating the old work ethic, HNWIs can finally follow in the footsteps of their children and become digital nomads themselves.) MOKU's remote location in Japan's Ise-Shima National Park made nearby Kashiko Island the ideal setting for the 2016 G7 summit. TONTON Inc. For minds in search of proper seclusion, a property has arrived on the market that's unreachable except by helicopter or boat. It's 90 minutes in the air from Tokyo, 30 from Osaka or Kyoto—though bear in mind that such reference points will diminish when you arrive on Masaki Island. Part of a protected archipelago, Masaki sits within the Ise-Shima National Park in Mie Province—also the setting for the G7 summit in 2016. It's a natural haven, less than a mile long and a few hundred yards at its widest. There's a post office. An aquaculture farm. One road. And then, on the island's north coast, there is MOKU Ise-Shima. Now for sale, MOKU is what hospitality PR firms would call a boutique retreat. Built to a design by internationally renowned Japanese hotel specialists UDS, it has operated successfully as a business since 2022, welcoming single groups of families and friends who wish for a closer appreciation of nature through the experiential Zen of Reidan Jichi, where sensory discovery is met by mindfulness. With celebrated sushi chef Yutaka Hori resident on Masaki Island, MOKU also draws influential guests from the mainland who come solely to savor his skills with local ingredients, including the fabled prawns taken fresh from the calm waters of adjacent Ago Bay. People cross the country to taste Yutaka Hori's signature sushi at MOKU. TonTon Inc. The protected region of Ise-Shima is a place of deep mythological and spiritual significance. Within it, at the northernmost edge of the mainland lies Ise-Jungū, where legend holds that Princess Yamatohime-no-Mikoto enshrined the sun goddess Amaterasu. Ise-Jungū is Japan's most revered sanctuary. The venerated 2,000 year-old Shinto shrines here don't speak only of the past, but also to the present. While MOKU is being marketed as a business, it's also primed to become a private home. The single-story five-room house stretches comfortably over 4,000 square feet (370 square meters) on a plot more than four times that footprint—with a private boating dock. Trees and walking paths delineate the curtilage with typical Japanese elegance. Typically stripped-back Japanese interiors invite reflection. TonTon Inc. The interior reflects the restraint of Japanese spatial organization. Fuss is eliminated. Wood, stone and other natural elements prevail. MOKU seeks not to emulate opulence—that is not the purpose. Instead, taking its cue from the meditative aspects of Japanese culture, the invitation is for you to embrace a private place where the calm of nature predominates. Stripped-back interior design creates space for the inner sanctum of thought. This is the proposition of MOKU Ise-Shima. A house is more than a place of shelter, it is a place created for reflection. The bright lights of Shibuya are near enough, if needed. Where nature takes dominion, emptiness does not exist. TonTon Inc. Yusei Komatsu of TonTon Inc. holds the listing for MOKU, on the market for JPY 1,4000,000,000 (~$9,700,600) . TonTon Inc. is a member of Forbes Global Properties, the invitation-only network of top-tier brokerages worldwide and the exclusive real estate partner of Forbes.
Miami Herald
17-07-2025
- Miami Herald
Wind chime market in Kawasaki, Japan, brings together art, color and sound
July 17 (UPI) -- The sounds of thousands of wind chimes may or may not seem enjoyable. But the fūrin (wind chimes) at the Kawasaki Daishi Furin-Ichi Wind Chime Market are nothing like the chimes in your mom's backyard. The annual chime market is happening now through July 21 at the Kawasaki Daishi Heikenji Temple in Kawasaki, Japan. This year is the 30th anniversary of the event, which began when a priest at the Buddhist temple had the idea to draw people to the city to enjoy the excitement of the market. As a head priest said: "We want visitors to hear the sound of wind chimes from all over Japan." There are more than 800 types of chimes from all over the country for sale at the market. They are made of ceramics, glass, metal and more, and they each have a unique sound. If you go, signal to everyone you expect only good vibes when you buy the temple's own chime: the Daruma Wind Chime for warding off evil. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
