Today’s place name is Kyobashi. It means “bridge to the capital.” Was that Edo or Kyoto? More importantly, this bridge is a testament to Japanese engineering. It’s final incarnation was completed one year before the Great Kanto Earthquake leveled Tokyo in 1923 but the bridge survived. It also survived WWII. But it didn’t survive modern progress in Tokyo…. Let’s learn more! Continue reading Why is Kyōbashi called Kyōbashi?
Did someone say BEER? Crack open a nice cold beer and let’s find out why Ebisu is called Ebisu! Continue reading What does Ebisu mean?
I wasn’t going to write anything today. But something happened that got me thinking. Last week (it was Christmas Eve, actually), my girlfriend and I went to Shinagawa to meet a friend for rāmen and show him some of the local shrines in the area. When we got off the train, my girlfriend realized that she had dropped her 定期 (teiki; monthly commuter pass). We reported to the JR Station Master and they took her name and address. A day later we got a postcard saying “We found your commuter pass, come to Shinjuku Station and pick it up.” Pretty … Continue reading 安全な国＝最高じゃん！！
