This Week in Tokyo – 21 March 2023

Welcome to ‘This Week in Tokyo’, a review of the Maction Planet week that was and a look ahead to what’s coming up in the city. Hosted by Mac, our Founder and Lead Guide, you can check out photos from our tours and read insights into our explorations as we get under the skin of the World’s Greatest Metropolis, and beyond!

Featured image: First bloom for the Somei Yoshino Sakura – considered THE Cherry Blossoms by many – was declared on 14 March. I took this photo at the Meguro River on Sunday, 19 March. In Japan, all parts of the blooming cycle are appreciated – such is their transience. Whatever time it is, they are absolutely magical.

The Sakura bring with them visitors to Japan, and following three years of restriction, this hanami season is essentially four years of demand rolled into one! All this means that we have been very busy!

The Ghibli Museum remains a popular destination for visitors to the World’s Greatest Metropolis. Here’s me with Jodi, Chris, Jed and Zeke, who I was honoured to guide for two days last week. Joining the family is a five-meter-tall Robot Soldier from ‘Castle in the Sky’ – the Guardian of the Ghibli Museum!

I spent three days guiding Marc and Jackie around Tokyo, and I planned the remaining four days of their time here. On our final day, Marc gifted me ‘Stuff every Sushi Lover should know’ – a book he co-authored, which I couldn’t wait to crack into on the subway journey back to Maction HQ! Thank you so much for choosing Maction Planet to curate your time in Tokyo. And remember, I never heard of a poison pork chop!

What a day with Kerry and family! Everything we did remains top secret – suffice to say, it was large. I think some of the faces in this photo tell the story of our time together better than words can!

And finally… The Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, is presenting ‘Heatherwick Studio: Building Soulfulness from Friday, 17 March to Sunday, 1 June, 2023, at Tokyo City View. This exhibition is the first in Japan to showcase twenty-eight major projects by Heatherwick Studio, one of the world’s most sought-after design groups. Founder Thomas Heatherwick visited Japan for the opening of this exhibition, and I was honoured to attend a colloquium in which he discussed the innovative projects they have undertaken around the world and explored the origins of their design philosophy. One word: legend!

Maction Planet runs bespoke Private Tours and Experiences in Tokyo, and beyond. To book yours, or to purchase a gift card, contact us at info@mactionplanet.com

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