How bad can a snow storm be here? Coming from Norway I did not have any great expectations about winter storm Jonas New York I was proven wrong. News media reports that the snow has hit Manhattan and train services will be suspended. That was the first sign that this was more than just an ordinary snowfall. Taking one of the last trains from Steinway station to get back to Manhattan before the service is suspended. Arriving in Manhattan this is my first sight, snow everywhere, stuck cars and blocked streets. Next to the taxi is two Norwegian girls trying to help out in a difficult situation. We all tried giving this guy a helping hand, he had been here for more than three hours. In that time he had managed to clear the snow from underneath his front tires. And he have a front wheel drive Toyota, not a smart move.   The streets are getting more and more challenging to drive on and businesses are closing up for the day to make sure staff can get home and out of Manhattan. Finding refuge from the storm at this restaurant, one of few still open at this time. Getting […]

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Winter days in Tokyo Japan Last night was the worst snowfall in over 40 years here! For a Norwegian brought up above the arctic circle the whole situation was not that dramatic. My main problem was a long walk back to the hotel at 5 am since no taxi was available due to the snow. Tokyo is a impressive place, the way everything just works amaze me. Several million people living and working together takes some careful Japanese planning. Windowshopping, perfect car for a norwegian Feria lounge Rooftop at Feria, just realising that it`s 3 am and snowing I wasn`t prepared for snow this night Worst snowfall in decades Direction home That guy under a bridge at 5 am that was woken up by a norwegian giving hime some cash and told to stay warm and safe Everything is upside down, even the credit cards at the atm Snow snow snow The day Tokyo stopped Keeping warm indoors with lunch Beautiful morning with the snow still present Finding the right shop or business could be hard as a lot of signs is in Japanese. Mori Art Museum Iconic BMW Andy Warhol That snow got to go, safety first, as always […]

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Megacity Life in Tokyo After driving to Nikko, then Kawazaki, returning to Tokyo is relaxing. The festival mentioned in my last post was out of this world. When I spend some days in Tokyo everything outside is boring and too slow. This megacity does something with me, life here is so different from what I am used to from Norway and I find it inspiring to be a part of, even just for a few days.  Now I have to visit a Cat cafe, go to a Magician club and see the Robot cafe, enjoy the photos. Levis provides me with a new bag Tokyo fashion, among 20+ million people it`s not easy to stand out One happy guy that got more than just some change Business lunch JR line view Joker magic Ginza Tokyo, this is just mind blowing How did the card end up inside a lemon?! And how did my card end up signed, with date, inside a sealed bottle?! 24 hour bookstore VHS and DVD rental If you’re in the market for a new pen Tokyo roads on different levels A common sight is guys reading “magazines” in the shops Sakura Ueno Zoo Eating norwegian salomon […]

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If you are visiting Tokyo and want to get out of the mega city to see a historic site visiting Toshugo Shrine and temple in Nikko is a good idea. Here you can see a UNESCO heritage site and experience countryside Japan. You can do this as a one day event or stay a night in a hotel in Nikko. The most easy and affordable way to get from Tokyo to Nikko is by train, Shinkansen and Nikko line. I have rented a car and will drive there, it takes around two hours from central Tokyo. The shrines and temples of Nikko, together with their natural surroundings, have for centuries been a sacred site known for its architectural and decorative masterpieces. They are closely associated with the history of the Tokugawa Shoguns. UNESCO   Located in beautiful surroundings this is the pathway to the Nikko temple and shrines.   Toshogu Shrine (東照宮, Tōshōgū) is the final resting place of Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Tokugawa Shogunate that ruled Japan for over 250 years until 1868. Ieyasu is enshrined at Toshogu as the deity Tosho Daigongen, “Great Deity of the East Shining Light”. Initially a relatively simple mausoleum, Toshogu was […]

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