Tokyo Essentials

Tokyo station is due to get a 50-billion-yen face lift. The project is due to be completed in March 2012.

Source

Warmer weather in Tokyo will see the cherry blossoms bloom this week. It will be at least 10 days earlier than average, according to officials.

The media excitedly attempts to predict when the cherry blossoms wil bloom and Japanese argue just when are blossoms in “perfect bloom”.

Michael Jackson arrived in Tokyo today to screaming fans. Fans are spending 400,000 yen a ticket just to spend 40 seconds with the once popular performer.

Source

The Tokyo Irish Music Fesitval 2007 will be held next month on March 17th and 18th as part of the St. Patricks Weekend celebrations.

The fesitval promises to be an very exciting event featuring the best of Irish/Japanese musicians and dancers from all over the world coming together for a celebration of Irish music and dance.

See their website for further details: www.irishmusicpromotions.com

Daniel Njenga pushed through the rain to win the 2007 Tokyo marathon. He won it in just 2 hours 9 minutes 45 seconds.

Japan’s Tomoyuki Sato came in second.

Source

For the first time in 130 years, Tokyo has gone without snow. In what has been a very mild winter, retailers have been disappointed with the lull in sales for winter related goods.

Madonna has just finished a commercial to promote a new high rise development in Tokyo.

The commercial was filmed in London.

Source

Kotako.com is sending two lucky people to see the Tokyo Game Show.

Click here for entry details.

A new art musuem opens this week in Roppongi.

Here are the details of the new gallery.

A futuristic exhibition has opened at Miraikan or the the Future museum in Tokyo.  It is the first time a non-Japanese exhibitor has worked at the museum.

Source