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
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
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
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
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
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
Museum Meiji-Mura is an open air architectural museum just outside of Inuyama showcasing buildings from the Meiji period of Japan from 1868-1912. During this time, Emperor Meiji led the nation out of an isolated feudal nation to its more modern … Continued
First impressions of a new place can impact an entire adventure. My first impressions of Japan only helped my week-long adventure be more spectacular. Japan is a clean, friendly, and orderly place, which is a vast contrast to my current … Continued
With their backs up to the mountains and a stream in their front, the Ming Tombs just outside of Beijing offer the quintessential Chinese protection based on geomancy or feng shui. Thirteen of the Ming Dynasty’s emperors were interred in … Continued
