Tag Archives: 東京都 (Tokyo-to)

Discover the Made in Japan

Miyamoto Shoko in Tokyo: recommended by Sébastien Duval

The specialist of Japan Sébastien Duval recently noticed the shop Miyamoto Shoko in Tokyo’s Chuo ward while exploring Ginza area by bicycle. He strongly recommended us this ancient shop near Ginza-itchome subway station because it sells exquisite Japanese-style silverware made by hand in Japan, because its skilled silversmiths include a “living national treasure”, and because it is a purveyor to the Japanese Imperial Household Agency!

You want to know more? Read about Miyamoto Shoko on Inner Japan‘s new page: “宮本商行 (Miyamoto Shoko)“.

Explore the Japanese cuisine, Visit & Experience Japan

Panda Café in Tokyo: recommended by Sébastien Duval

Our favourite travel agent in Asia, Sébastien Duval, just discovered the Panda Café in Tokyo’s Taito ward while exploring Asakusa area on foot. He strongly recommended us this great coffee shop (and restaurant) near Tawaramachi subway station notably for its small terrace, delicious desserts shaped like animals, and exciting room for children upstairs!

Interested? Learn about Panda Café on Inner Japan‘s new page: “ぱんだカフェ (Panda Café)“.

Author's life, Visit & Experience Japan

Travel agency in Tokyo: Travel Stand Japan with Yes in Japan

To prepare a business trip or holidays in Japan, I confidently recommend the Yes in Japan services of the Japanese agency Travel Stand Japan in Tokyo because its experienced and reliable travel agents (Japanese and non-Japanese) can introduce you to special places, people, activities, and events. The Yes in Japan team can even help you in English or French when shopping for e.g. green tea, miniature books, kimono dresses, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, kendo armours, and samurai swords!
Beautiful landscape in Japan: Lake on Mount Shirane (near Kusatsu town, Gunma prefecture).

As a manager of Travel Stand Japan, I may even happily guide you in Tokyo and Kamakura, Kyoto and Asuka, Hakone… during personalized private tours including some of my favourite dojos, gardens, restaurants, temples, shrines, teahouses, hot springs, and night spots :)
Peaceful landscape in Japan: Japanese garden in Kyoto city.

Do not hesitate to contact me directly or via the travel agency (ask for Sébastien Duval)!

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Travel Stand Japan = トラベルスタンドジャパン (Torabelu-Sutando-Japan).
Learn about Japan

Japan’s 47 administrative areas: list and map in English

Japan is administratively divided in 47 complementary areas listed in English below by big region from North-East to South-West:

  1. Hokkaido
  2. Aomori
  3. Iwate
  4. Akita
  5. Miyagi
  6. Yamagata
  7. Fukushima
  8. Ibaraki
  9. Tochigi
  10. Gunma
  11. Chiba
  12. Saitama
  13. Tokyo
  14. Kanagawa
  15. Niigata
  16. Toyama
  17. Ishikawa
  18. Nagano
  19. Gifu
  20. Fukui
  21. Yamanashi
  22. Shizuoka
  23. Aichi
  24. Shiga
  25. Kyoto
  26. Hyogo
  27. Mie
  28. Nara
  29. Osaka
  30. Wakayama
  31. Tottori
  32. Shimane
  33. Okayama
  34. Hiroshima
  35. Yamaguchi
  36. Kagawa
  37. Tokushima
  38. Ehime
  39. Kochi
  40. Fukuoka
  41. Saga
  42. Nagasaki
  43. Oita
  44. Miyazaki
  45. Kumamoto
  46. Kagoshima
  47. Okinawa

Any specialist of Japan should know this basic list and should be able to place the 47 names on an administrative map of Japan. Do not wait if you plan to be an English-speaking tour conductor, tour guide or travel agent in Japan like Sébastien Duval :)

Map of Japan with the names of the prefectures in English. (Public domain via Wikimedia thanks to Tokyoship)

Learn more about Japan – Nihon – Nippon on Inner Japan…

Explore international cuisine in Japan

Spinach quiche and strawberry crepe roll at Muusa (Tokyo)

I lunched at Muusa (Tokyo) today, savouring a French quiche prepared with spinach, bacon and potatoes by TSUGAWA Sachiko and her assistant. Afterwards, I enjoyed 3 slices of strawberry crepe roll offered by Sachiko to celebrate the first business anniversary of Muusa :) Wonderful surprise and great taste!

Quiche prepared with spinach, bacon and potatoes at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 16 April 2014.

Strawberry crepe roll at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 16 April 2014.

Why not enjoy a delicious quiche or sweet during your next lunch in Tokyo’s Chiyoda ward?

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Muusa = ムーサ, Chiyoda ward = 千代田区 (Chiyoda-ku), Tokyo = 東京.
  • TSUGAWA Sachiko = 津川・幸子.
Author's life, Enjoy Japan's nature & 4 seasons

Merry Spring from Tokyo!

Merry Spring from Tokyo! This first day of Spring is a national holiday in Japan; I definitely appreciate it :) I could even see Mount Fuji from my building in Adachi ward this morning!

富士山 (Mount Fuji) seen from 足立区 (Adachi ward, Tokyo, Japan) on 21 March 2014.

Spring is gorgeous in Japan thanks to rows, skies and seas of white and pink perfumed cherry trees in streets, parks, riversides, mountains… Incomparable to the plum and peach blossoms seen since February! You can even enjoy cherry blossoms in Tokyo during walking tours with guides from March to April e.g. “2014 Best Cherry Blossoms” and “2014 Sweet Sakura Evening” by Travel Stand Japan.

Statue of a woman below cherry blossoms at 千鳥ヶ淵 (Chidorigafuchi, Tokyo, Japan) on 15 March 2014.

Why is Spring a great season in Japan? (1) You can enjoy beautiful nature through walks, hikes, rides on bicycles or horses… (2) You can eat sushi in a bento box with friends among cherry petals. (3) You can savour traditional Japanese sweets made from cherry flowers/leaves. (4) You can admire flying carps for Children’s Day on 05 May. (5) You can celebrate Buddha’s birthday at a Buddhist temple on 08 April…

Statue of Buddha at birth at 飛鳥寺 (Asuka-dera, Asuka, Japan) on 08 April 2013.

My travels in Japan and life in Tokyo formed dear “Spring memories”: a sea of cherry blossoms at Mount Yoshino in 2013, a Buddhist celebration for Buddha’s birthday at Asuka temple in 2013, sumo fights at Yasukuni shrine in 2004…

Sumo fight at 靖国神社 (Yasukuni shrine, Tokyo, Japan) on 09 April 2004.

This Spring, I plan to enjoy the 5 colours cherry blossoms festival in Tokyo, celebrate the Birth of Buddha at a Japanese temple, relax at outdoor hot springs, and visit the Fukushima prefecture. Contact me if you wish to join and enjoy inner Japan :)

USEFUL LINKS
  • Spring on Inner Japan.
  • Japanese calendar on Inner Japan.
  • Mount Fuji on Inner Japan.

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Adachi ward = 足立区 (Adachi-ku), Tokyo = 東京.
  • Mount Fuji = 富士山 (Fuji-san), Mount Yoshino = 吉野山 (Yoshino-yama).
  • Fukushima prefecture = 福島県 (Fukushima-ken).
  • Asuka temple = 飛鳥寺 (Asuka-dera), Yasukuni shrine = 靖国神社 (Yasukuni-jinja).
  • Buddha’s birthday = 花会式 (Hanaeshiki), Children’s Day = こどもの日 (Kodomo-no-hi).
  • 5 colours cherry blossoms festival = 五色桜まつり (Go-shiki-zakura-matsuri).
  • Travel Stand Japan = トラベルスタンドジャパン (Torabelu-Sutando-Japan).
Explore international cuisine in Japan

Soft pork stew prepared with dark beer at Muusa (Tokyo)

I lunched at Muusa (Tokyo) today, savouring a pork stew prepared with dark beer and red tomatoes by TSUGAWA Sachiko and her assistant. It was sooo soft!

Pork stew prepared with dark beer at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 11 March 2014.

Close-up: Pork stew prepared with dark beer at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 11 March 2014.

Why not taste this delicious pork stew at lunch the next time you visit Tokyo’s Chiyoda district?

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Muusa = ムーサ, Chiyoda district = 千代田区 (Chiyoda-ku), Tokyo = 東京.
  • TSUGAWA Sachiko = 津川・幸子.
Explore international cuisine in Japan

Delicious chocolate & raspberry galette at Muusa (Tokyo)

I just had a sweet break at Muusa (Tokyo) with two colleagues from Osanpo Jimbocho, savouring a French galette prepared with chocolate and raspberry by TSUGAWA Sachiko. It was as good as it looks nice on the photos :)

Chocolate and raspberry galette at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 08 March 2014.

Close-up: Chocolate and raspberry galette at ムーサ (Muusa, Tokyo, Japan) on 08 March 2014.

I am glad I asked Sachiko to prepare what she felt like cooking this time: this delicious chocolate & raspberry galette is not on the menu… :)

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Muusa = ムーサ, Tokyo = 東京.
  • TSUGAWA Sachiko = 津川・幸子.
  • Osanpo Jimbocho = おさんぽ神保町.
Explore the Japanese cuisine

Delicious goya omelette & surprising pork rolls at Nago café (Tokyo)

Eating delicious Japanese food was a great way to end a busy successful week of work so I ate twice at Nago café (Tokyo) this Friday!

For lunch, NASHIRO Tsugumi cooked a delicious omelette containing goya (from Okinawa) and cheese, topped with a spicy tomato sauce. The set also included a soup with sesame oil, seaweeds, white rice, hot coffee, and a tiny slice of tankan (orange) pound cake.

Goya omelette with a soup, seaweeds, and white rice at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

Omelette containing goya from Okinawa and cheese, topped with a spicy tomato sauce at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

Coffee and a slice of tankan pound cake at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

For dinner, Tsugumi cooked a potato potage topped with banno-negi (onion) and surprising pork rolls containing bell pepper, green beans or okra.

Potato potage topped with banno-negi at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

Pork rolls containing bell pepper, green beans or okra at なごかふぇ (Nago café, Tokyo, Japan) on 07 March 2014.

I learn new things about Japanese food and/or international cooking every time I go to this restaurant; these dishes are perfect examples!

USEFUL LINKS

 

USEFUL JAPANESE
  • Banno-negi = 万能ネギ, Goya = ゴーヤー, Tankan = タンカン.
  • NASHIRO Tsugumi = 名城・嗣巳.
  • Nago café = なごかふぇ, Tokyo = 東京.
  • Okinawa archipelago = 沖縄諸島 (Okinawa-shoto).
Author's life

Seminar for travel agents in Tokyo: Business School + Tourism in Japan

Today, I enjoyed an active seminar organized in 東京 (Tokyo) at 学校法人トラベルジャーナル学園ホスピタリティツーリズム専門学校 (Trajal Hospitality & Tourism College) to discuss the future of tourism in Japan and of 旅行産業経営塾 (Business School of Travel Industry) with colleagues from diverse Japanese travel agencies. We also celebrated the 80th anniversary of our teacher 山田・學 (YAMADA Manabu). A specialist even flew from 鳥取県 (Tottori prefecture) to attend this seminar!

Details on my Sébastien Duval Website: “BSTi & Japan’s travel industry seminar at Trajal Hospitality & Tourism College (Tokyo)“.

旅行産業経営塾 (Business School of Travel Industry)