Koh’s Tokyo Dialogue

Many Japanese guidebooks feature the iconic image of cherry blossoms—the familiar sight of pale pink petals filling the landscape from late March to early April. But it is now the end of February. If you are visiting Japan at this time of year, you might assume it is simply too early for sakura and resign yourself to missing them. Before the Cherry Blossoms: Discovering Japan’s Plum Season In a previous column, I introduced Japanese plum blossoms, those modest yet beautiful harbingers of early spring. While Japan’s flower-viewing culture is wonderfully diverse, cherry blossoms hold a uniquely special place in people’s hearts. Here is the good news: just as there are many varieties of plum trees that bloom over an extended season, the same is true for cherry blossoms. The sakura season is not limited to April. Sakura Is More Than Somei-yoshino The scene described above was captured today, February 28, along the Kyu-Nakagawa River in Tokyo’s Edogawa, where dozens of vibrant cherry trees ...

When people think of viewing flowers in Japan, many immediately picture cherry blossoms in spring. But just a little earlier—around this time of year—another flower begins to bloom. It is ume , the plum blossom. If cherry blossoms are the highlight of spring, ume is the opening act. While the air is still cold, it quietly signals that the season is about to change. This time, let’s focus on the elegant beauty of the plum blossom. A Wide Variety of Colors and Forms Plum blossoms come in a surprisingly rich range of colors. White blossoms have a pure, refined elegance, while red varieties bloom in vivid shades of crimson and deep pink. Some flowers begin with a stronger pink or reddish tone and gradually soften as they fully open. Most plum blossoms have five small petals in a simple, single-layer form. But there are also double-petaled varieties with layered blossoms, and weeping types whose branches arch gracefully downward. Though quiet and understated, the plum reveals rema...

After enjoying street food and the lively buzz of Ameyoko Market in Ueno, you wander through the crowds—and suddenly, the atmosphere changes. Small signs. Practical display cases. From the ground floor to the upper stories of narrow buildings: jewels, jewels, and more jewels. Welcome to  Jewelry Town  Okachimachi , one of the largest jewelry districts in Japan and a rare sight even by global standards. Around 2,000 businesses connected to the jewelry trade are packed into this compact neighborhood. Retail jewelry shops sit next to wholesale dealers. Loose stones (uncut or unset gems), natural stone shops, workshops, repair studios, and buy-back specialists—all side by side. Everything related to jewelry exists here, tightly concentrated in just a few streets. Some of the local streets even have unofficial nicknames like Diamond Avenue , Sapphire Street , or Emerald Avenue (you won’t see them on Google Maps, but locals know). Nearby Okachimachi Panda Square  r...

Sunday, February 8. This morning, Tokyo woke up under a quiet blanket of snow. Around Kaminarimon Gate, Sensō-ji Temple, and the five-story pagoda in Asakusa, the usual crowds and vivid colors feel slightly muted today. Instead, the district is showing a softer, whiter side of itself. What’s falling isn’t the unpleasant, slushy snow mixed with rain. These are large, dry flakes drifting slowly through the air — what we call botan-yuki , “peony snow,” named after its big, fluffy shape. Many visitors are walking without umbrellas. Children reach out to catch the snow, some even trying to taste it, laughing as they go. It’s clear they’re enjoying a snowy Asakusa just as it is. When people think of Tokyo, snow usually isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. And it’s true — Tokyo is not a snow city. Winters are often sunny, even cold but clear. Still, anyone who lives here knows the feeling: Even when you think, “Maybe it won’t snow this year,” it usually does — at least for a few day...

February 3, Asakusa, Tokyo. At Sensō-ji Temple, famous figures throw roasted soybeans toward the crowd, praying for good health and protection from misfortune. This is mamemaki —bean throwing—one of the key rituals of Setsubun (節分), a traditional Japanese seasonal event. The word Setsubun literally means “the division of seasons.” Today, it refers to the day before the beginning of spring, usually around February 3. The origins of Setsubun can be traced back to ancient China, where rituals were performed to ward off evil spirits. After the custom reached Japan, similar practices were adopted at the imperial court during the Heian period (794–1185). At that time, a ritual called Tsuina was performed to expel harmful spirits. Modern Setsubun traditions are believed to have grown out of these ceremonies. Demon Slaying  With Beans The most well-known Setsubun custom is mamemaki , or bean throwing. As beans are thrown, people chant “Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi” — “Demons out, g...

What We Mean by “Japanese Design” When people think of “Japanese design,” many images come to mind. Ukiyo-e prints, daruma dolls, maneki-neko, traditional patterns, or the kind of minimalism often associated with Zen. Most of these styles took shape between the medieval and early modern periods, developing into what we now recognize as a distinct Japanese aesthetic. But Japan also has designs that are far older. Some date back to a time before written records even existed—among the oldest forms of design in the country. A small, curved bead. A round shape with a hole, and a tail-like projection. It can look like a comma, or a crescent moon. This is the magatama. Most Japanese people recognize the shape instantly, even if they don’t know the name. It appears in school textbooks and museums, but also as jewelry or decorative motifs—so familiar that it’s hard to remember where you first saw it. A Shape Older Than Written History Magatama from around the 3rd century (Tokyo National Mu...