TRIP&TRAVEL - JAPAN - TOKYO

The capital of Japan, where the chaos intertwines: Shinjuku with its towering skyscrapers, the sophisticated Ginza district, the otaku culture hub Akihabara, as well as Koenji, and Asakusa with its Edo-era atmosphere.

TRIP&TRAVEL CULTURE
Tokyo old town bicycle stroll #02
Searching for the remnants of Edo’s oldtown legend, Hokusai. (Part 3)

In the final installment of the Hokusai bicycle stroll, I trace the peak of Hokusai’s life and career. From manga and art performances to the “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji” and fascination with Mount Fuji, I’ll explore the areas from Honjo to Asakusa, searching for traces of his legacy. Table of Contents  1. The Day “Manga” Was Born (50s) 2. The Eccentric Man (60s) 3. The Great Wave (70s) 4. The Man Who Traveled with picture (80s) 5. The buried Giant (90s) The manga artist Akira Toriyama, known for creating “Dragon Ball” and “Dr. Slump,” passed away in 2024, and his death was mourned worldwide. “Manga&#82 […]

#Cycling #Honjyo
TRIP&TRAVEL CULTURE
Tokyo old town bicycle stroll #02
Searching for the remnants of Edo’s oldtown legend, Hokusai.(Part 2)

Tracing the footsteps of Katsushika Hokusai by bicycle – Part 2 of the short series. This time, we will start with Hokusai in his twenties, when he entered the Katsukawa school and plunged into the world of ukiyo-e. Table of Contents  1. In the Sumo Town (Ages 20~) 2. Man of the North Star (Ages 30~) 3. Becoming Hokusai, Katsushika Hokusai (Ages 40~) 1. In the Sumo Town (Ages 20~) Hokusai was allowed to use the name Katsukawa Shunro within just one year of entering the Katsukawa school, where he produced ukiyo-e prints (note that he changed his art name over 30 times in his lifetime, but this column will consistently use “Hokusai”).At that time, the motifs of ukiyo-e prints […]

#Tokyo #Hokusai
TRIP&TRAVEL CULTURE
Tokyo old town bicycle stroll #02
Searching for the remnants of Edo’s oldtown legend, Hokusai.(Part 1)

In 1856, the young French printmaker Bracquemond was shown a collection of ceramics by an acquaintance. These ceramics, imported from Japan, a country then closed to foreign relations, would likely have been rare in Western Europe. However, what captured his attention was not the ceramics themselves but their wrapping paper. It was a page from Katsushika Hokusai’s “Hokusai Manga.(Hokusai Sketch)” Impressed by the artwork, Bracquemond went on to obtain a copy of “Hokusai Manga” through great effort and introduced it to his painter friends in Paris, eventually leading to Hokusai becoming widely known across Europe from France. …Unfortunately, the story is sa […]

#Tokyo #E-BIKE
FEATURE TRIP&TRAVEL
Tokyo old town bicycle stroll #01
Collecting “Goshuin” (temple or shrine stamps)  in the Yanesen area of oldtown Tokyo-Yanaka, Nezu, and Sendagi.

Nice to meet you. My name is Shitamachi Kombu, born and raised in the old town area of Tokyo. I’m what you might call a third-generation Edokko (it’s said that if you live in Tokyo for three generations, you’re considered an Edokko, while if you live in Yokohama for three days, you’re considered a Hamakko). In this column, I’ll be exploring the down-to-earth neighborhoods known as “Shitamachi” in Tokyo by rental bike and sharing the charm of these areas with you. Please enjoy these casual reports.

#Dango #Cycling