Toshiko Sakurai, Author at VOYAPON

Toshiko Sakurai

I shoot (with my camera!), therefore I am. I paint with light and try to put letters together to the best of my abilities. I arrived in Tokyo from Barcelona the autumn of 2017 and since then I've devoted myself to capture every corner of the city while riding my bicycle. When I'm not carrying my camera, I'm usually defying the culinary ortodoxy mixing styles from everywhere I've ever lived.

56 articles

Articles by Toshiko Sakurai

Todoroki Valley, A Nature and Mystical Haven in Tokyo

April 12, 2022 Gardens & Parks, Historic Sites, Summer, Temples & Shrines, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

Legend has it that a deity appeared in a dream to a pious Buddhist monk to show him a sacred valley, blessed by an abundant stream of water — a mythical place where the protective deity was destined to be consecrated. When...

Art, Beauty, and Tragedy: The Legacy of Isao Takahata

March 28, 2022 Anime & Manga, Culture

The year is 1952. The revolution that will radically transform Japanese animation into what we know today is taking place ten thousand kilometers away, in France. French poet Jacques Prévert has written the screenplay for the influential surrealist animated film...

A Farmstay Experience in Oumi no Sato

January 5, 2022 Autumn, First Time in Japan, Gardens & Parks, Okayama, Ryokan, Sponsored

Remove your watch and shut down your smartphone. For time flows differently at Oumi no Sato (翁美の里), and you don’t want to be the one responsible for dispelling the magic within this realm. Here, a vivacious fairy godmother awaits you...

Discover Setouchi’s Beauty Through Art and Architecture

January 5, 2022 Architecture, Culture, Museums & Galleries, Okayama, Sponsored

In the quest for a place’s identity, Setouchi asked itself what it wanted to be and found its answer to what makes us human and nourishes our soul: (re)building a collective ethos around art. The power of art relies on...

Ginfukako in Omizuen, a Japanese garden Ashimori

Historical and Gastronomical Experience in Okayama

January 5, 2022 Castles, Culture, Gardens & Parks, Historic Sites, Okayama, Sponsored

With a distinct culture developed under the warmth of the Seto Inland climate, Okayama Prefecture (岡山県) has a rich heritage born out of privileged farmlands and well-connected economic routes that made it one of the most important regions during the...

Time Travel in Kumamoto Through the City’s Best Highlights

December 10, 2021 1 Week, Castles, Culture, Historic Sites, Kumamoto, Kyushu, Souvenirs, Sponsored

Nicknamed The Heart of Kyushu, Kumamoto city (熊本市) is the capital of its homonymous prefecture and home to one of the most impressive castles in Japan and probably, the country’s most widely known prefecture mascot in the world. This is...

Explore the Great Outdoors in Aso-Kuju National Park Region in Kumamoto

December 10, 2021 Hiking, Kumamoto, Kyushu, Mountains, National Parks, Sponsored, Volcanoes

The Aso-Kuju region of Kumamoto prefecture may be Japan’s poster child for what a volcanic landscape truly looks like. While this could be said of the entire archipelago, the combination of tectonic activity and volcanic eruptions have bestowed this prefecture...

Being a Samurai for a Day in Meihodo, Kumamoto

December 10, 2021 Culture, Gardens & Parks, Historic Sites, Kumamoto, Kyushu, Martial Arts, Ryokan, Sponsored, Taxis

What if I told you that here’s also a hidden place where the ultimate bushido (The Way of the Warrior) experience is possible? Kumamoto prefecture, the last resting place for legendary samurai Musashi Miyamoto, is also one of the regions...

COVID-19 & Japan Border Measures. Which travelers are concerned?

October 26, 2021 Safety, Student Visa, Tourist Visa, Work Visa 31 Comments

Disclaimer: We at Voyapon try to provide you with the most up-to-date information on Japan’s travel regulations using reputable news reports and information directly from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. However, the situation is constantly changing, and our article...

Universal globe in front of USJ entrance

A Pokémon Theme Park Will Open in Universal Studios Japan

October 19, 2021 Anime & Manga, Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Theme Parks

A creative partnership between Universal Studios Japan and The Pokémon Company was announced at the beginning of this month “to jointly explore groundbreaking entertainment that will immerse guests into the world of Pokémon with innovative technology and creativity beginning in...

Tsunamis in Japan: Why Do They Happen and What to Do in Case of Emergency?

September 28, 2021 Beaches & Islands, Culture, First Time in Japan, Language, Safety, Volcanoes

Tsunami (津波). Literally, wave (波) in the harbour (津). The fact this Japanese word is the universal term used nowadays to describe when the sea fury decides to sweep away everything in its path gives us an idea of how...

Japan Cultural Expo Virtual Platform: Experience the Best of Japan Through Multimedia Technology

September 27, 2021 Culture, Historic Sites, Museums & Galleries

Having the world’s spotlight during the Olympics was the perfect opportunity for the Japan Cultural Expo to showcase the richness of Japan’s diverse cultural manifestations. But the pandemic happened, forcing to cancel, postpone or scale-back what was aiming to be...

The Nakagin Capsule Tower building in Tokyo

Nakagin Capsule Tower: No Future for Tokyo’s Most Futurist Icon

August 27, 2021 Architecture, Culture, Historic Sites, Tokyo, Tokyo

It was impossible to avoid cyberpunk or sci-fi evocations while standing in front of the legendary Nakagin Capsule Tower. It was one of the Tokyo buildings that had ignited more passion in Japan and the rest of the world among...

A Look Into Japan’s Past, Present and Future through Kabuki and Architecture

August 18, 2021 Culture, Historic Sites, Language, Museums & Galleries, Temples & Shrines, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

A samurai on the run. A distraught courtesan. A relentless fox. History and folk tales collide on stage, where a 400-year-old craft still shines in the spotlight of the National Theatre of Japan. The theatrical skills of Kabuki (歌舞伎) bring...

Pokémon in Japan: How and Why it Became a Global Phenomenon

August 10, 2021 Anime & Manga, Summer Festivals, Theme Parks

How many video game franchises have worldwide International Championships to their credit? How many hold annual parades starring their most lovable characters? How many can claim to have appeared in the Guinness World Records no less than five times? How...

Which vaccinations are required to enter Japan?

July 2, 2021 First Time in Japan, Health Insurance, Safety

While there’s an ongoing debate about the possibility of introducing vaccination passports to deal with COVID-19, many people begin to wonder whether other vaccinations may be mandatory for entry into Japan in addition to the latest requirements implemented. Regardless of...

The Real-Life Locations of the Movie, Your Name

July 1, 2021 Anime & Manga, Culture, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

You'd have to have been hiding under a rock in 2016 not to have heard of Your Name (君の名は, Kimi no Na wa), one of the biggest hits of Japanese animation in recent years, Studio Ghibli's permitted. An untimely juvenile...

Chef Pikachu dancing at the Pokemon Café in Tokyo.

Pokémon Cafe: The First Permanent Pokémon Cafe in Tokyo

February 17, 2021 Anime & Manga, Cafés, Osaka, Osaka, Sweets, Tokyo, Tokyo, Video Games

If Japan is not the world's mecca of themed cafés and restaurants, it has to be missing very little. Any niche market you can think of has its corresponding cafe and usually, enough audience to support it. The world-famous Pokémon...

Discovering Japan anew with the Hokuriku Arch Pass, Part 2: sightseeing in Chubu

February 12, 2021 2 Weeks, Chubu, Fukui, Gardens & Parks, Gifu, Historic Sites, Ishikawa, Mountains, Rail Passes, Shinkansen, Sponsored 2 Comments

This is Part 2 of a 3 part series of articles about the New Golden Route, a part of Japan conveniently accessed by the Hokuriku Arch Pass. To read the other 2 articles in the series, follow these links: Part...

Discovering Japan anew with the Hokuriku Arch Pass, Part 3: sightseeing in Kansai

February 12, 2021 Historic Sites, Kansai, Kyoto, Kyoto, Kyoto, Osaka, Osaka, Osaka, Rail Passes, Shiga, Sponsored, Temples & Shrines

This is Part 3 of a 3 part series of articles about the New Golden Route, a part of Japan conveniently accessed by the Hokuriku Arch Pass. To read the other 2 articles in the series, follow these links: Part...

Colorful rebellion art installation on Harajuku Kawaii culture

Sebastian Masuda and Harajuku’s Kawaii and Japanese Punk: Notes on an Urban Rebellion

January 23, 2021 Culture, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

What does Hello Kitty have to do with the US-Japan bilateral Treaty of Cooperation and Security and the May 68 protests in France? How is it possible that the French Baroque and Rococo aesthetics of the 17th and 18th centuries...

Why Japanese People Use Kanji?

January 14, 2021 Culture, First Time in Japan, Language, Seasoned Travelers & Residents

Kanji. The bane of students of Japanese, of certain carefree T-shirt designers and tattoo artists victims of customers lacking enough mastery of the language. The aesthetic fascination for Chinese ideograms lies at the core of countless stories of misunderstandings, student...

Giant fox mask at the Japanese parade in Japan

Oji Kitsune no Gyoretsu: New Year in Tokyo Like You’ve Never Seen Before

January 4, 2021 Culture, First Time in Japan, New Year's, Summer Festivals, Temples & Shrines, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

If you're in Tokyo on New Year's Eve, Oji is where you need to be. Oji is the magical neighborhood of the Kanto foxes, and December 31 is the most important day of the year for these mythological creatures. Don't...

Kawaii Monster Cafe, The Most Psychedelic Tokyo Experience in Harajuku

November 14, 2020 Cafés, Pop Culture, Quirky Places, Tokyo, Tokyo

We are the latest victims of Mr. Choppy, a voracious monster obsessed with swallowing the latest and craziest aesthetic trends. His stomach houses the eccentric Kawaii Monster Cafe in Harajuku. It's an unforgettable explosion of flavor and color located in...

Do you need a visa to travel to Japan?

November 5, 2020 Permanent Residency, Spouse Visa, Tourist Visa, Work Visa

Every single country in the world has visa requirements for international visitors and Japan is no exception. Be it for leisure, work, or family-related reasons, international law establishes a series of agreements among different countries that define what each international...

Halloween in Tokyo: No Sleepy Tales

October 28, 2020 Culture, Etiquette, Halloween, Nightlife, Safety, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

To talk about Halloween in Tokyo is to talk about two parallel stories that only share a name. In another article, we explained the origin of Halloween in Japan as a sales strategy created in Harajuku. But truthfully, this is...

The Halloween Phenomenon in Japan

September 15, 2020 Autumn, Culture, Halloween, Summer, Theme Parks

The Japanese seasonal change isn't just noticeable in the change in temperature or the number of clothing layers you have on. Its main manifestation is in the gastronomic offerings, the street decorations, and conspicuously, in its commercial promotions. Is it...

Oji, A Nature and History Oasis in Tokyo

August 21, 2020 Gardens & Parks, Historic Sites, Tokyo, Tokyo, Tokyo

I can’t help but feel overcome with nostalgia when I think about Oji (王子). It was in this neighbourhood where I spent my first five months after moving to Tokyo (東京), and thus, was my first experience exploring a local...

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