About

About This Blog

What Is “Curiologue”?

Tokyo Curiologue is a word I created from curiosity and -logue, as in dialogue and monologue.

It describes the stories and observations that begin when curiosity makes us look a little closer and ask a question.

I created Tokyo Curiologue as a place to follow those questions through writing—and, hopefully, to start a kind of conversation with readers around the world.

About Tokyo Curiologue

Tokyo is full of famous places, but there is much more to the city than its major attractions.

I write about the places, history, architecture, customs, seasonal events, and everyday details that catch my attention while living in and around Tokyo.

Sometimes an article begins with a place I visit. Sometimes it starts with a small question about something I notice on the street.

I then research the subject and write about what I found, adding my own observations and photographs whenever possible.

My aim is simple: to help readers outside Japan discover things they might otherwise walk past without noticing.

About the Author

Hello, and thank you for visiting.

I’m Koh, a Japanese writer living near Asakusa in Tokyo.

I enjoy walking around Tokyo and noticing the small things that are easy to overlook — an old building, a local shop, a temple, a festival, or a curious detail in the city.

I also enjoy finding out the stories behind them.

English is not my first language, but I chose to write this blog in English because I wanted to share these discoveries with readers outside Japan.

Whenever possible, I visit the places I write about myself and take my own photographs. For historical and factual subjects, I also consult reliable sources.

I hope these articles give you not only ideas about places to see, but also a slightly different way of looking at Tokyo and Japan.

What You Will Find Here

The blog mainly covers:

Tokyo neighborhoods and everyday life
Japanese history and culture
Temples, shrines, and architecture
Seasonal events and traditions
Streets, shops, and urban landscapes
Stories behind familiar places
Japanese customs and expressions
Occasional travel and cultural topics

The subjects may vary, but there is one common thread:

curiosity about the places and things around us.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy exploring Tokyo Curiologue.

Comments

From Mistake to Masterpiece: Discovering Tokyo’s Hidden Gem, Asakusabashi

When people think of famous sightseeing districts in Tokyo, Asakusa is usually one of the first places that comes to mind. Visitors from around the world flock there to see the giant red lantern of Kaminarimon and the historic temple, Senso-ji. Amid all this, there is a small but familiar “Tokyo moment” that people sometimes talk about. “I meant to go to Asakusa, but I accidentally ended up in Asakusabashi.” Because the station names sound similar, visitors occasionally get off at the wrong stop. When they step out of the station, instead of a bustling tourist area they find themselves in a calm business district. Looking around, they start wondering: “Where is Kaminarimon?” There is no need to be disappointed. Asakusa is only a few minutes away by train. And there is something else. Asakusabashi itself is actually a surprisingly interesting neighborhood. It may not have many flashy tourist attractions. But the area is filled with the atmosphere of Tokyo’s old downtown, a history t...

The "First Blast" Returns to Tokyo’s Night Sky — Adachi Fireworks Reborn in Early Summer

As evening fell on May 30, the banks of the Arakawa River in eastern Tokyo came alive. The streets leading from nearby Kita-Senju Station to the riverbanks were already overflowing with people wrapped in a sense of eager anticipation. It was a Tokyo night just a little too early to be called true summer, yet beneath the collective gaze of the crowd, the Adachi Fireworks finally began. Tracing its roots back to 1924, the event along the Arakawa River marked its 48th edition in its current format this year. Its greatest appeal lies in the sheer intensity of its “high-density fireworks” display — approximately 13,000 shells launched non-stop within a single hour. Fireworks Blooming Between the Alleys of Shitamachi Strict crowd-control measures surrounded the main riverbank venue for safety reasons. The area was filled with intense excitement, accessible only to those with paid tickets or those who had secured spots hours in advance. Yet step away from the main site and wander a...

A Flower for the Rain: Hydrangeas and Siebold's Lost Love

Coloring Tokyo's Rainy Season On a rainy June 19th, at the quiet Chokokuji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, clusters of potted hydrangeas were in full bloom. The temple grounds host a hydrangea market every year during this season, with colorful potted hydrangeas filling the space. Under the heavy, overcast skies of the rainy season (tsuyu), their vibrant blues and deep purples offer a striking contrast to the gray day. After enjoying the hydrangeas at Chokokuji, I took a walk toward Sensoji. Along the way, I began noticing hydrangeas growing here and there—not in pots this time, but blooming from the ground along streets, in temple grounds, and in small corners of the neighborhood. In Japan, this is the season when hydrangeas—known in Japanese as ajisai —quietly reclaim the corners of shrines, temples, streets, and parks, bringing a serene elegance to the early summer landscape. Though the rain falls steadily, it is the perfect backdrop. The hydrangea is a flower born for the rain—a qu...

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