Archive for June, 2012

Biohazard cafe to open in Tokyo

I couldn’t help feeling that this was some kind of sick joke when I heard this, considering Japan’s ongoing woes with radiation fears and the current debate over nuclear energy.

But yes, according to this computer gaming website, a Biohazard Cafe in Grill will be opening in Tokyo on July 13. The restaurant will open in Parco Part 1 in Shibuya.

And for anyone like me who doesn’t know that Biohazard is actually referring to a computer game, you can read about it on Wikipedia:

Resident Evil, known as Biohazard (バイオハザード Baiohazādo?) in Japan, is a media franchise owned by the video game company Capcom. It was created by Shinji Mikami as a survival horror game series that was initiated with the eponymous PlayStation title Resident Evil in 1996. Since then, the game series has branched out to include action games, and has sold 49 million units as of March 2012.

The Resident Evil media franchise has been expanded to comic books, novels and novelizations, sound dramas, live-action and computer-generated feature films, and a variety of collectibles, such as action figures and strategy guides.

2012 Tokyo International Toy Show Opens to Public

The 2012 Tokyo International Toy Show Opened to the public yesterday and will finish today. The show is being held at “Tokyo Big Sight“.

Some of the toys featured at the show include the SmartPet from Bandai which turns your iPhone into a virtual pet which can literally walk around and wag its tail!

Tokyo Big Sight is accessible from Kokusai-Tenjijo Station on the Rinkai line or Kokusai-Tenjijo-Seimon Station on the Yurikamome Line, which passes through Odaiba.

You can find more information on the official website:

http://www.bigsight.jp/english/general/access/index.html

Cultural Matsuri (Festivals) in Tokyo, Japan – July through December (Part 2)

Japanese festivals are typically colourful events, with both playful and serious aspects celebrated. The customs and traditions around the festivities tend to date back centuries, though many now include modern twists. Typically, the most important part of a festival is the public procession with the local deity carried in a mikoshi – or palanquin. Festivals are the only time a deity is taken out of a shrine or temple.

1. Tanabata – Star Festival: July 7th

The Star Festival takes place annually on the 7thday of the 7th month. There is a sad but sweet tale attached to the festival, about two star-crossed lovers (Vega and Altair) who can only meet once a year on this date. It is common for prayers to be offered up for young girls, to improve in their crafts and calligraphy. Leafy bamboo branches are placed in gardens, and poems, prayers and wishes are written on long colourful papers strips or tanzaku – gold bordered paper – before being tied onto the bamboo leaves. Depending on which region of Japan you’ll be in, the date for Tanabata varies from being in July to August. In Tokyo, it is celebrated in July.

2. Hanabi– Fire flowers – Tokyo Bay Fireworks: August 11th

August is a great month to see firework displays around Japan. Around 10,000 fireworks are set off at each event, and crowds gather on bridges and in parks to catch the displays. The Tokyo Bay Fireworks are held as the name suggests in Tokyo Bay just upstream from the Rainbow Bridge, which will be closed during the duration of the fireworks. About 12,000 shells will be launched from barges, and the spot to view the display is at Harumi Park.

3. O-bon Matsuri–Festival of the Dead: August 13 to 15

O-bon is actually a shortened form of the Sanskrit word, Ullambana -hanging upside down–and it implies suffering. The Japanese Buddhists believe that the ancestors return to earth on this day, so much of the festival is geared towards families reuniting, cleaning their ancestral shrines and leaving offerings of food. Lanterns and flower are generally placed on the butsudan – a Buddhist altar in the family home. The smell of senko incense will fill the air of homes, temples and shrines.

As the weather is warm the majority of the population, male and female, wear light-weight yukata with bold bright colours reserved for the younger generations, and darker clothes are worn by the older generations. Special dances called Bon-Odoriare performed during this festival, as a way to welcome back the dead, though these vary from region to region, such as the Awa-Odori – fools dance – that is well known on the island of Shikoku.

The three-day festival ends with fireworks and Toro Nagashi – floating lanterns. Lit lanterns are placed in the river to float downstream and help guide the ancestors back to the spirit world. White lanterns on the water are used to honor those who have died within the last year.

4. Disaster Preparation Day: September 1st

Though this is not technically a Japanese festival, this day has been dedicated to disaster preparation since 1960, in remembrance of the Great Kanto Earthquake that occurred in 1923.This day is about remembering how important preparation and contingency planning is, and disaster drills are held all over the country, from workplaces right through to kindergarten schools.

5. Oeshikimatsuri: October 11 to 13

This Buddhist festival commemorates the anniversary of the death of Saint Nichiren, a prominent Buddhist who lived 720 years ago. Thousands of people gather together in the evening, and carry lanterns painted with cherry blossoms, while others dance and play drums, creating a very festive atmosphere.

6. Shichi-Go-San – Seven, Five, Three: November 15th

This festival is held specifically for three and seven-year old girls and three and five- year old boys. It is believed that odd numbers are lucky, and these ages represent the special developments in each child’s life. The children are dressed in their best kimono (though western garb is becoming more common) before being taken to the nearby temple or shrine where the priest prays for purification and blessings.

A treat of red or white Chitose Ame (thousand year candy) is given to the kids and it stands for growth, health, and prosperity. Good luck symbols grace the bag the candy is in, and common images include bamboo, cranes, pine trees, plum trees, and tortoise figures.

7. Ronin – Samurai festival: December 14

This is a very popular festival in Tokyo, where 47 Ronin gather and parade through the streets with enemy lords, folk dancers, floats, and lots of music. They weave their way through the streets to the Sengakuji Temple, where the bodies of the warriors lie.

The festival honors the story of the 47 samurai, from the island of Ako, whose master was unfairly sentenced to commit ritual suicide. The ronin spent more than a year working to kill the man responsible for the injustice done to their master. After successfully killing and beheading the lord responsible, they all committed ritual suicide themselves. The story conveys important Japanese values; loyalty, endurance, and will power.

About the Author: Blogger Roseanna McBain writes for TravelGround – a South African accommodation website. She is a lover of both Japanese history and anime.

Tokyo back at most expensive city in the world

Tokyo has been crowned the most expensive city in the world. The survey was conducted by the consultancy firm Mercer, which analyses costs faced by visitors from the U.S.

Since the US dollar has weakened to the Japanese yen, this could at least partly explain the situation.

Fortunately for tourists visiting Tokyo, there are still some things which can be done for free.

Cultural Matsuri (Festivals) in Tokyo, Japan – January through June (Part 1)

Japan has long been a producer of amazing things and people, from beautiful geishas, to brave samurai warriors, origami (the art of paper folding), ikebana flower arrangements, wide-eyed anime cartoons, and industry changing technology. Evidence suggests that Japan has been inhabited since 14 000 BC – and this is certainly reflected in its rich cultural history. The land of the rising sun is home to many engrained traditions and interesting annual festivals.

There are 6,852 islands which make up the entirety of Japan and scattered throughout there are thousands of shrines dedicated to Shinto deities and ancestor, each of which has its own specific festival. Tokyo celebrates a particularly interesting set of festivals, as well as the multitude of national events.

1. Shōgatsu – Japanese New Year celebration: 31 December – 4 January

From December 29 onwards, the Japanese frantically clean their houses, offices, schools and other public places to quite literally get rid of the old, so they can welcome in the new. Apart from the deep clean, they do lots of cooking, because during the four day festival, they are not permitted to do any of the above mentioned activities, as it is thought to bring bad luck. Foods eaten during the festival are called Osechi-ryori – items that are dried, sweet, and sour, so that they won’t go off.

Strips of paper attached with sacred straw are hung from the front door to prevent evil spirits entering, and kadomatsu – tree sprigs – are placed in the entry-ways of houses. At midnight on New Year’s Eve, bells ring out 108 times. Buddhists believe that there are 108 pleasures which distract humans from nirvana; with each ring of the bell a desire is expelled from the listeners.

2. Setsuban – Seasonal Divider: February – 3rd or 4th – dependant on the lunar calendar

This festival is also known as the ‘bean throwing ceremony’ and happens annually before the first day of spring, as indicated by the lunar calendar. Dried beans are thrown around homes, shrines, and temples and a particular phrase is shouted out: Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi – devils out; happiness in. Traditionally, the bean thrower has to gather and eat the same number of beans as their present age. One of the best temples to experience the festival at is the Sensoji temple.

3. Hina-matsuri-dolls Festival: 3 March

On this day, families pray for happiness, health and prosperity for their girls. On the child’s first birthday, the grandparents buy a lavishly decorated set of dolls. These are put up in a tiered display (usually with 15 dolls), topped with the emperor and empress doll. After celebrating at home, families head to the nearest temple or shrine with their young daughter in traditional dress to have a priest pray for them. The display is usually taken down as soon as the festival is over, as there is a superstition that says that families who take the dolls down too slowly will have a hard time marrying off their daughter.

4. Hanami – flower viewing: April – presumed 1st to 10th for 2012

The festival of Hanami is celebrated by throwing parties in areas that havesakura (cherry) or ume (plum) trees.The weather bureau used to try and predict which date the delicate and fragrant flowers would bloom, but in more recent years private companies have stepped in to perform this role. The usual date varies but is normally close to the end of vacations, when schools and work start.
Hanami parties are almost always picnics that take place below the sakura trees. These are generally attended by the younger generation, as the parties can continue until the very early hours of the morning with drinks and stories flowing. For the older generation, umehanami is celebrated at a more restive pace.
See the blossoms at Shinjuku Park between 09:00 – 16:30.There is ample space, over 1000 different blooming cherry trees, and it is in close proximity to several stations. Sumida Park is another good spot as it stretches along both sides of the Sumida river, has views of the Tokyo Sky Tree and at night the trees are lit up. Boat cruises are another great way to view the first flowers.

5. Sanja Matsuri – Three Shrine Festival: 3rd Weekend of May

This three-day festival takes place at the Asakusa Shrine annually and is dedicated to the kami (spirits) of the three men who founded the temple. Stories say that two brothers went fishing and kept catching a statue in their nets. The first few times they threw it back in the water but when it wouldn’t stop showing up, they took it to the village’s wise man who declared it was special, and placed it in a shrine.

The shrine has developed over the centuries to become a superb series of ornate buildings that are popular with locals and tourists alike. The three large mikoshi (temporary shrines / divine palanquins used to house deities during festivals) belonging to Asakusa Shrine are the focus of attention during Sunday’s festivities. This is the largest festival held in Japan.

6. Kanda Festival: Saturday & Sunday closest to 15 May

The Kanda festival is one of the three most important festivals celebrated in Japan. It began as a celebration of military strategist Tokugawa Ieyasu’s victory. Later in the Edo period, it became a display of prosperity of the Tokugawa shogunate. The contemporary festival is held only during odd-numbered years, and festivities include a huge parade featuring ornate floats, musicians, dancers, Shinto priests on horseback, and around 200 mikoshi are carried around the main city districts.

7. Sanno Festival: June 15th

This is the last of the three largest festivals held in Japan, and it only takes place during even-numbered years. It starts and ends at the Hie shrine, in the Chiyoda-ku district of Tokyo, and the main attraction is the parade. This parade takes about nine hours, and winds through 20 kilometres of the main city. The Hie Shrine holds the guardian deity of Tokyo; the kami inside is believed to predate the city’s foundation and provide protection to the inhabitants.

Author bio: Roseanna McBain writes for the TravelGround.com blog. In her spare time she is a bit of an otaku, and she enjoys rainy weekends as these allow her to catch up on her anime.

Tokyo park proposed to be built from earthquake rubbish

Along similar lines that Yamashita Park in Yokohama was built with debris from the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake, a new proposal has been made by the mayor of Urayasu, Hideki Matsuzaki to fill in a part of Tokyo Bay with debris from last years earthquake and tsunami which devastated northern Japan.

Uruyasu city is in Chiba prefecture, west of Tokyo, famous for its Disney parks.

A park would then be built on the land, helping to create a new green space in congested Tokyo while helping to clear the rubbish and debris left over the earthquake. The proposal is now under consideration by the government.

Sanno Matsuri Festival 2012

Sanno Matsuri festival will be held from June 9-16 at Hie-jinja Shrine. The festival is held every 2 years. It is one the three most famous festivals including the Sanja festival and Kanda festival.

The festival consists of a parade which goes for 20km and lasts for 9 hours. It starts and ends at Hie Shrine.

The festival is a great way to experience traditional Japanese culture with displays of Ikebana (flower arranging) and Cha-do (tea ceremony). At the shrine you will see a large straw ring which people pass through. Passing through the ring is said to absolve people of their sins from the past 6 months.

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Discover The Real Japan On A Tokyo Tour

If you’re looking for a great city break but are tired of visiting the same old European capitals and have a yearning to journey a little further afield, Tokyo could be the perfect destination for you.

Tokyo is a very lively, metropolitan city that retains the essence of Japanese culture and customs. It is a place of bright lights and skyscrapers, but wander away from the city life and you will find beautiful parks where you can take a break from the hustle and bustle. Take a trip further off the beaten track and you’ll discover local neighbourhoods, where there might be a little bakery, a traditional craft shop or a tiny but picturesque park to sit and eat a pastry.

On your bike
The easiest way to get around Tokyo is by bike. The pavements and terrain are ideal for cycling and this is how local people travel from A to B. There are probably more bicycles than cars here and when you wander into some of the smaller neighbourhoods you can see why. The roads outside the main city centres get much narrower, sometimes only wide enough for one car. A number of businesses have bikes available to rent and you can also find a tour guide who can take you on a bike ride through the city.

Hiking versus biking

Tokyo is a great base from which to take adventure tours into the mountains. You can explore Mount Fuji, which is about 60 miles from Tokyo and a train ride of around 60 minutes will take you into a quiet mountain location where you can take a hike. You’ll find a range of hikes that are as easy or as difficult as you like and many can be completed within a day, so you can return to city life refreshed and ready to try a great Japanese night out.

Food and culture

Tokyo has an astonishingly diverse culture, including world-famous art galleries and a thriving music scene. Whether your tastes are classical, pop, rock or techno, you’ll find a gig to suit you. If you are visiting Tokyo on one of your family vacations and want to see something a little more traditional and family friendly, there’s Kabuki theatre, a Japanese dance drama, where the performers wear elaborate make up and act or dance out a particular story.

For eating out, there are several reasonably priced traditional Japanese restaurants dotted around Tokyo and its suburbs. An izakaya, a type of establishment where food is sold to accompany the drinks, caters for groups of people and the dishes are shared, rather like Spanish tapas. The food served is not limited to one particular style, so the menu is quite varied. Prices are pocket friendly too, with a selection of 8 dishes costing around £14.

Ramen is a traditional Japanese dish of noodles and soup served together and there is something of a ramen trend happening in Tokyo recently, with ramen bars opening up all over the city. There is a whole range of ramen here, from traditional flavours like shoyu (soy), shio (salt) and miso, to wilder flavours like squid ink or lobster.

There’s also tsukemen, which is a bowl of noodles and a separate bowl of soup so that you can dip the noodles yourself. Both are extremely satisfying and tasty and are relatively cheap, at around £4 per dish. Japanese eateries tend to be very family focused and are therefore ideal for those on family vacations in Tokyo.

With a bustling city centre, thriving traditional and modern culture, great night-life and fantastic food, Tokyo is a perfect holiday destination for all the family. It can make memories that will last a lifetime.

AUTHOR BIO:

Ramona Wilding is a retired travel consultant who specialised in adventure tours. She now writes on travel for a range of publications, websites and blogs.