Everyday Tokyo Life

Camping in Japan is a cheap, fun way to travel around and an easy way to meet Japanese people. Campsites in Japan vary from primitive to deluxe campsites with all the amenities. If you’re traveling around Japan, be ready for anything, because you may not always be able to find a campsite with all the comforts. But due to the numerous public baths and hot springs in Japan, you’ll never be far away from a nice, hot bath.

Fall is an ideal time to camp as it is the season for Autumn festivals all around Japan. These festivals celebrate everything from Autumn vegetable planting to worshipping local Shinto Gods. Festivals are community events, so even visitors can usually join in the fun, helping to carry the “mikoshi” (portable shrine) and taking part in drinking the local sake.

If you are not concerned about finding a campsite, in certain parts of Japan such as Shikoku, it is legal to set up your tent anywhere on public land (parks, etc). Hint: If no park is available, find places near train stations or even bus stops as they are most likely to have toilets and running water.

Japan offers all kinds of camping gear, but they tend to sell mostly larger size tents for 6-8 people, which can be heavy to carry around when you only need a tent for two. Everything else can be bought at the large camping stores in the cities.

Typically, there will be a charge of 1,000 yen per tent, and a surcharge per person. Amenities may be extra.

Posted at 11:48 pm by tokyolife
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There are two basic types of Japanese garden. These are "Tsukiyama" and "Karesansui". In Tsukiyama, small hills and stones represent mountains and the pond represents the sea. In "Karesansui" white sand symbolises the sea, and the stones represent hills.

Shinjuku Gyoen is regarded as being one of the most important gardens in Japan. Established on the site of an old Edo Era mansion house in 1906 (Meiji Era), it incorporates examples of Japanese, French and English landscaping. From the French garden there’s a virtually uninterrupted view of Tokyo Tower. In the Japanese garden you can take part in the tea ceremony.

Posted at 09:24 am by tokyolife
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Developers planning the world's tallest self-self-supporting communications tower, which will dominate the skyline of the Japanese capital, named it the Tokyo Sky Tree. Kinya Miyazuki, head of the company managing the project said that they had an image of the new tower attracting people from around the world to create new culture and a town friendly to the environment. The name gives an impression of a new town striving towards the sky while adapting to the natural environment.

Construction is set to begin next moth in the city's less developed eastern side n the 610-metre (2000-foot) tower, slated to be completed in 2011 when Japanese broadcasters switch entirely to digital communications.
The Tokyo Sky Tree will overshadow landmarks in the capital's upscale western parts, including the 333-metre Tokyo Tower, which has served as a symbol of Japan's post-war miracle since 1958. It will host two observation decks, at 350 metres and 450 metres above ground, restaurants and office space at a former freight shunting yard along the Sumida river. The Tokyo Sky Tree will top the 553-metre CN Tower in downtown Toronto. KTHI-TV Tower in North Dakota stands at 629 metres but is supported by cables.

The world's tallest structure is the Burj Dubai, which is expected to reach 900 metres when completed early next year in the Gulf emirate.

Posted at 02:35 pm by tokyolife
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How Wold Has Greeted the 2008

HaPy New Year!

Posted at 02:12 am by tokyolife
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This garden is a typical "kai-yu" - "walk-around" style garden. The thirty and sixty minute walking courses will take you round the pond, up Mount Fujishiro which is a miniature mountain, past Garyuseki Rock which represents a dragon, and past Horai-jima island which is shaped like a turtle. The garden dates back to 1695; it took 7 years to build and throughout history it has been described in many Japanese "waka" poems.

Posted at 06:43 am by tokyolife
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Camping in Japan is a cheap, fun way to travel around and an easy way to meet Japanese people. Campsites in Japan vary from primitive to deluxe campsites with all the amenities. If you’re traveling around Japan, be ready for anything, because you may not always be able to find a campsite with all the comforts. But due to the numerous public baths and hot springs in Japan, you’ll never be far away from a nice, hot bath.

Fall is an ideal time to camp as it is the season for Autumn festivals all around Japan. These festivals celebrate everything from Autumn vegetable planting to worshipping local Shinto Gods. Festivals are community events, so even visitors can usually join in the fun, helping to carry the “mikoshi” (portable shrine) and taking part in drinking the local sake.

If you are not concerned about finding a campsite, in certain parts of Japan such as Shikoku, it is legal to set up your tent anywhere on public land (parks, etc). Hint: If no park is available, find places near train stations or even bus stops as they are most likely to have toilets and running water.

Japan offers all kinds of camping gear, but they tend to sell mostly larger size tents for 6-8 people, which can be heavy to carry around when you only need a tent for two. Everything else can be bought at the large camping stores in the cities.

Posted at 11:23 am by tokyolife
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Japan’s love hotels are first class: they’re clean, cheap and oh so fun!

Although there is no doubt behind the purpose of love hotels in Japan, there is nothing that bars casual travelers, friends or same sex couples from staying in them. As a matter of fact, in true Japanese fashion, even the check-in process is automated, so you will likely never have to come in contact with a human being. Since love hotels are often rented by the hour, there is a high turnover and you can almost always find a room in any city, even when the regular hotels are all booked out for festivals or special events.

Love Hotels are easily recognized by their Disney style exteriors that exude romance--usually castles or palaces. There will almost always be a sign outside posting the hours and prices. There are daytime prices (by the hour) and night time prices (by the hour or all night). A typical deluxe room will typically cost 10,000 yen for the night for two people. There is no need to take towels or toiletries as all are provided, as well as a yukata robe and slippers.

Some small love hotels are family-run and have a manned front desk. These smaller places sometimes will not accept two women sleeping in the same room together, although I’ve heard that two men is no problem!

You are not expected to leave the hotel once you have checked in, so buy all your snacks and drinks to take inside beforehand.

You cannot leave your luggage at a love hotel.

Posted at 07:45 am by tokyolife
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If you happen to come to Ueno Park during that brief single week in April when the cherry blossoms burst forth in glorious pink, consider yourself lucky. Cherry blossoms have always been dear to the Japanese heart as a symbol of beauty, fragility, and the transitory nature of life. Ueno Park, with its 1,000 cherry trees, has been popular as a viewing spot since the Edo Period.

Today, Tokyoites throng here en masse to celebrate the birth of the new season. It's not, however, the spiritual communion with nature you might think. In the daytime on a weekday, Ueno Park may be peaceful and sane enough, but on the weekends and in the evenings during cherry-blossom season, havoc prevails as office workers break out of their winter shells.

Visiting Ueno Park during cherry-blossom season is a cultural experience no one should miss. More than likely, you'll be invited to join one of the large groups -- and by all means do so. You'll all sit there drinking and making merry, seemingly oblivious to the fragile pink blossoms shimmering above.

Posted at 12:03 pm by tokyolife
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Hibiya Park, near Ginza is a popular place for workers to relax during their lunch break. Up until the Edo period it was the placae site of the feudal lord, Matusdaira Bizennokami.

The park hosts a variety of Japanese and International festivals almost every weekend. There is an ampitheatre for small live concerts.

Posted at 03:43 am by tokyolife
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Bored teenagers in tow, grumbling at yet another temple or shrine? Bring them to life at Tokyo's most sophisticated virtual amusement arcade, outfitted with the latest in video games and high-tech virtual-reality attractions, courtesy of Sega. Video games include bobsledding and car races, in which participants maneuver curves utilizing virtual-reality equipment, as well as numerous aeronautical battle games. There's also a 3-D sightseeing tour with seats that move with the action on the screen, several virtual reality rides (sky diving, anyone?), and much, much more. Most harmless are the Print Club machines, which will print your face on stickers with the background (Mt. Fuji, perhaps?) of your choice.

Posted at 02:33 am by tokyolife
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