Fragrant Hills Park – Xiangshan
Beijing gets a bad rap for bad air. It is true that the air is bad many days and unbearable on some, but it is not solely the city’s fault. Part of the blame should go to those who first … Continued
Zhongshan Park
When you enter the Forbidden City from the front gate under the magnitudinous portrait of Mao, you are still half a city away. On either side of this first section, which is a series of gates, before reaching the actual … Continued
More Adventures in Tokyo
Shibuya Of course, I wandered other areas of Tokyo as well. Being so near Meiji Jingu, I walked to the busiest intersection in the world. On the way I passed the beautiful sports national sports complex and had to get … Continued
Japanese Imperial Palace and Gardens
Japan is still an empire with an emperor as head of state. This emperor still lives in a magnificent imperial palace in the heart of Tokyo. This palace is stock full of history and is surrounded by beautiful gardens. A … Continued
Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan
My second Frank Lloyd Wright building in Japan was the simple, yet beautiful, Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan. Myonichikan or “the House of Tomorrow” was designed by Wright in 1921 for the girls’ school Jiyu Gakuen. Originally built in a quiet and … Continued
Meiji Jingu Shrine
Another of Tokyo’s must-see destinations is a large, not-so-old, Shinto shrine called Meiji Jingu. This impressive site is not just about the religious structure or campus but the entire forest around it. Maybe you recognize the Meiji part of its … Continued
Tokyo Towers
I love to go up in high towers, and in Japan I visited three Tokyo towers–Tokyo Skytree, Tokyo Tower, and Ropongi Hills. Tokyo Skytree The second tallest freestanding structure in the world towers over the city of Tokyo. Tokyo Skytree … Continued
Tokyo Japan Temple
The highlight of my time in Japan was the few days I spent doing service in the Tokyo Japan Temple. I am so happy that these sacred buildings dot the earth. I may not live conveniently close to one for … Continued
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel
My target when visiting Museum Meiji-Mura was Frank Lloyd Wright’s Imperial Hotel lobby. In 1916, America’s greatest architect received the commission for the next iteration of Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel. Wright already admired Japanese design philosophies and had done work in … Continued