Article by Anthony Al-Jamie (continued)

KISHO Kurokawa was born the son of an architect in Aichi, Japan. During WWII he was sent to live with his grandparents in a Buddhist temple. He bunked in a teahouse there that later served as an inspiration for his creative works.

Article by Anthony Al-Jamie (continued)

Osamu Tezuka was a Japanese manga artist and animator, a producer, political activist and a medical doctor who never practiced medicine. He is often referred to as “Manga-no-Kami Sama” (the God of Manga), and is best known as the creator of “Astro Boy” and “Kimba the White Lion”. Although he graduated from Osaka University with a medical degree, his professional career as a manga artist began while he was still at university. He decided to follow his heart and devote himself to manga. Later, in the sci-fi manga “Black Jack,” he was able to apply his scientific knowledge.

Article by Anthony Al-Jamie (continued)

SEIJI Ozawa began his music career as a piano student only to sprain his finger playing rugby as a teenager. Unable to continue the piano, his teacher at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo brought Ozawa to a performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, a life-changing event that shifted his focus from piano performance to conducting.

Article by Anthony Al-Jamie (continued)

ICHIRO Suzuki likes to go simply by “Ichiro.” Since the age of 12, he has focused on building a career in baseball. His father mentored Ichiro with rigorous training From a young age, and it has been said that Ichiro built strength and stamina by hurling car tires and by hitting whiffle balls with a heavy shovel. These strenuous exercises helped to develop power and endurance for his thin frame. In high school he had an incredible batting average of .505 with 19 home runs. Despite these impressive numbers, Ichiro was not drafted until the fourth and final round of the Japanese professional baseball draft as teams were concerned about his physique due to his very light frame. Ichiro was with the Orix Blue Waves From 1992 to 2000, proving to be one of the best players in the game before leaving for the American Major Leagues to play with the Seattle Mariners in 2001.

See TJ's recommendations on where to stay in Tokyo - ranging from the luxurious Westin Tokyo, to the affordable Nippon Seinankan Hotel to 'homestay' style accommodations through www.homerent.jp

Take a weekend excursion outside of Tokyo at the haven for artists Art Biotop in Nasu, or see the beautiful Mt. Fuji near Seikai Yamanaka Lakeside Hotel or the Fuji-Hakone Guest House.

Tokyo Journal Street Editor Kjeld Duits hits the streets with his lens to see what's hot in Harajuku

Show this image to any Tokyoite and few will be able to tell you where this place is. They’ll guess it is somewhere abroad. But this is Ginza, Tokyo’s celebrated high-class shopping avenue as it looked in the 1880s.

A horse-drawn streetcar casually runs along an almost empty sandy road flanked with magnificent willow trees and Western-style brick buildings. How immensely different from today’s noisy and crowded Ginza.

Pointing his camera toward Kyobashi, photographer Kimbei Kusakabe stood near what we now know as Ginza Wako, a shop famous for its expensive watches, jewelry and other luxuries.

Japan's anti-nuclear demonstrations march on. Japan's residents take to the streets. Friday protests in front of the Prime Minister's residence have become the norm.

Peace Boat is sailing the seas for peace and sustainability. Founder Tatsuya Yoshioka shares how Peace Boat has evolved since 1983 and how Peace Boat seeks to make our world a better place.