Otokichi - Japans first great wanderer
Around 1600 (when Will Adams, the first Englishman to visit Japan, set foot in the country), Japan was very much a maritime nation. Japanese, both as industrious traders and fearsome pirates, regularly plied the South... more
Senshuji: Nagoya Betsuin temple
Never mind the glitzy proliferation of high-rise buildings in the Nagoya Station area (Meieki), I hear you say, is there any history left in this dynamic segment of central Nagoya? In a word, for those... more
Free tickets to the dance
The dance opera "Divine Comedy" and the modern ballet "IERUMA" will be performed at the Aichi prefectural art theater, (1-13-2 Higashisakura, Higashi-ku, Nagoya), on Saturday, August 2 at 7pm (Advanced S seat 8000yen, A seat... more
Beaches in Fukui
Living in Chubu means we have probably the best access to the outdoors of anywhere in Japan. To the south and east we have the Pacific Coast, to the north the mountains of Gifu and... more
The Daikyozan Stupa (and environs)
Anyone traveling south from Kanayama station, aboard either the Meitetsu train bound for Toyota or the Tokaido line cannot possibly miss the impressive Daikyozan stupa, a few hundred meters south, on the right hand side... more
REFUGEE FILM FESTIVAL 2008 NAGOYA
The first ever refugee festival in Nagoya will take place on September 20th, 21st and 23rd in the Art Space A of Aichi Arts Center. The Refugee Film Festival in Nagoya (RFFN) is the brainchild... more
YUMORIYAMA 夕森山 Evening Forest Mountain
The beach may be one answer to the heat of the Nagoya summer, but the mountains provide an enticing alternative — and a far less crowded one. So for those readers who might prefer boots... more
The Otokichi post-postscript
At the conclusion of the three-part “Otokichi Saga” which documented the amazing story of Otokichi Yamamoto, the presumed first Japanese visitor to North America (see previous three Avenues issues), I put a note asking for... more
In praise of furin
Just in case there are people out there that think they are going to read about those cute little wind bells people hang outside their houses in summer, sorry to disappoint you. This is going... more
Heavy petting, Aichi style
The basic concept is simple. For many living in Japan, owning a dog, or even a cat, is simply impossible. Tiny apartments, long working hours and the appalling combination of claws and tatami mats makes... more
