Tokyo Swan 22: Old House Tour

This week's episode is one that is more in tune with traditional Japanese culture. While it's great to wander the high tech streets of Akihabara, or hit up the exciting night clubs of Shibuya, it's also important to enjoy the more traditional side of Japan's culture when visiting. In Kawasaki (which was not too far from where I was living at the time), I took a trip to a local outdoor old house museum.

It was pretty interesting, being able to walk through many traditional style Japanese houses. After World War II, most of Tokyo had been rebuilt, so getting to go through these houses allows one to get a sense of what life was like many years ago in Japan.

This particular outdoor museum actually has some buildings that were designated cultural artifacts by the Japanese government, so it was certainly a great place to visit and soak up all the culture. While it's fun to enjoy all of the young and modern aspects of Japan, it's equally rewarding to step back and time and see how things used to be.