俊俊's Reviews

Okinawa Outlet Mall Ashibinaa

Okinawa Prefecture’s first outlet mall, located near the beach at Toyosaki Seaside Park. The name “Ashibinaa” means “playground” in the Okinawan language, reflecting the vision of creating a place where people of all generations can gather. The mall was designed by John Low, an internationally active architectural designer who has won major competitions.

• Naha, Shuri, Itoman, Nanjo
• Commercial Buildings

Kagurazaka

Kagurazaka, in Shinjuku, Tokyo, first got its start as a bustling geisha district. Visitors here will find a large shopping street that’s home to trendy shops and cafes, but just a few steps from the main drag sits a few cozy, veteran Japanese eateries, chic cobblestone streets and black, wood-latticed fences.

• Shinjuku, Okubo, Yoyogi, Yotsuya
• Famous Places

Koto-ku Basho Museum

Haiku Poet, Matsuo Basho, was active in the 1600s. He resided in Fukagawa, Koto-ku, which was the departure point of his famous travel journal, “Oku-no-Hosomichi,” covering the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions. Basho Museum is built in his hometown, showing his life and personality with panels and replicas.

• Ryogoku, Ningyocho, Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Kinshicho
• Museums

Koto City Fukagawa Edo Museum

A full-scale recreation of the streets of Fukagawa Saga-cho, Edo, around 1840 fills an exhibition hall extending from the basement level to the second floor. The main street features a fertilizer shop, an inn that provided boats for leisure outings, and a white-walled storehouse. The square beneath the fire lookout tower includes a water teahouse, similar to a modern-day café, as well as tempura and soba stalls that could be described as Edo-period fast food.

• Ryogoku, Ningyocho, Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, Kinshicho
• Museums