Tokyo Essentials

The “Miraikan” or future museum bill itself as “Dreams for the 21st Century”.

From their webite:

What direction should we take from now on? Considering that, we came up with
themes in 4 different fields, “the Earth Environment and Frontiers,” “Innovation and
the Future,” “Information Science and Technology for Society” and “Life Science” as we
look at science and technology from the wide viewpoint of space, earth and humans.

I will be writing a review of the place, next time I get a chance to visit Odaiba where it is located.

Tokyo has made their bid official for the 2016 Olympics.

Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara said, “we aim to realize our plan to stage the Olympic Games by beating our rivals at home and abroad”.

Source.

The NY Times reports on the rise of the popularity of “tachinomiya” or standing-bars.

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.

If you are looking for an interesting night out head off to Ninja. It is an interesting theme restaurant located in Akasak-Mitsuke.

Bloomberg have a full review of the restaurant.

Their website is:

www.ninja.tv/

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.

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 Reuters.

I think the Japanese market has changed a great deal in recent years, as the success of Muji retailer shows.

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.

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.

A new Bulgarian restaurant is set to open this April.

Read the full story here.