Tokyo Essentials

A car crashed into the entrance of Omotesando subway station on the weekend.
Police said the car had clipped a motorcycle immediately beforehand, and appeared to have veered onto the sidewalk and rammed into the station as a result.
Read the full story here.

[Read more →]

The Yurikamome Line which serves the Odaiba area of Tokyo, was closed down after a wheel came off one of its carriages.
Fortunately, no-one was injured. The line is being closed until safety checks are completed.
Source.

[Read more →]

Ikea will opening a new store on April 24th just outside of Tokyo. It is Ikea’s second crack at the Japanese market.
“The Japanese market and consumers were not ready for IKEA, and IKEA was definitely not ready for Japan at the time,” IKEA Japan chief executive Tommy Kullberg said in a recent interview with […]

[Read more →]

It was reported in the Mainichi News that Tokyo Station and Holland’s Amsterdam Central station would be creating a sister city relationship.
Amsterdam has sent 1000 tulips for the ceremony and will be planted around Tokyo station.
Original article.

[Read more →]

Shinjuku Gyoen (park) is set to become a plant center to help protect endangered plant species.
The park is celebrarting its 100 year anniversary this year.
Source.

[Read more →]

A new Bulgarian restaurant is set to open this April.
Read the full story here.

[Read more →]

Japanese media companies are planning to build the tallest tower in the world. The tower, which will reach 1,980 feet is scheduled to be complete in 2011.
The location is still being discussed but will probably be built somewhere in Sumida ward.

[Read more →]

Kaori Shoji writing for the International Herald Tribune has an interesting article comparing Tokyo with Shanghai.

[Read more →]

Ambesse Tolossa of Ethiopia beat Japanese runner Toshinari Takaoka to win Tokyo International Men’s Marathon on Sunday.

[Read more →]

A new development by Mori developments opened this weekend in Tokyo. Over 1000 people lined out the front to be the first ones to visit the new retail and apartment complex.
I took some pictures on Saturday and uploaded them here.
I will try to get some more pictures of the interior when it […]

[Read more →]