Shinagawa-jinja Shrine Grand Festival
There are various festivals held in different areas of Shinagawa City throughout the year. When there is a festival, there are rows of vendors selling delicious local foods. There is also an omikoshi (portable shrine) procession, which is something you do not get to see everyday. The most spec…(97 words)
EmiOnishi
Tokyo City Jinjya (Shrine)
Mitake Valley in Ome City, Okutama
The Mitake Valley (Mitake Kekoku) in Ome City, Okutama is one of the best areas for autumn leaves near Tokyo. It takes approximately 1.5 hours from Shinjuku by the JR Chuo Line & JR Ome Line (Change at Ome station). You can casually trek along the 4km river bank or hike the Mount Mitake, either way…(62 words)
cwljwc
Tokyo City Shinjuku River Bank Autumn
Red Brick Warehouse (Akarenga Souko Shopping Plaza) in Yokohama Japan
Be sure the visit the Red Brick Warehouse just appox. 10-15mins walk from Minatomirai Stn. Its a historical building that now is being used as a shopping mall and event hall. There you can enjoy some nice shopping, good restaurants and beautiful night scene by the the harbour.http://www.welcome…(71 words)
cwljwc
Building City Event Shopping Yokohama
Beautiful, Family-Friendly Beaches in Japan
Being from Hawaii, I am pretty strict when it comes to beaches but I must admit that relaxing at a beach "Japanese Style" is pretty great. It has much less to do with the water actually. In Hawaii, I usually spend the entire day in the ocean catching waves and watching the shore from the water. In …(293 words)
Beaches
Japan
Tokyo
Drink
Enoshima Island
Spring
family-friendly
Food
Where to Enjoy Manga in Tokyo, Japan
Manga Kissa, or manga cafes, can be found all over Tokyo. It is the ultimate pastime. For only about 300 yen an hour, you can get free drinks, read as many manga as you want, use the internet, watch movies, and even take showers! When you use a manga kissa, you are assigned a cubicle with a T.V and…(111 words)
GenS
Manga Comic cafe Tokyo Hotel Computer Cafe Internet Yen
Go to Hard Rock Cafe!
If you are not in the mood for dancing and just want to relax with a couple of friends, I recommend going to Hard Rock Cafe. There is one in Roppongi and Minatomirai. Many foreigners eat dinner or drink at the bar, so Hard Rock Cafe is also a great place to meet foreigners who may be living or visi…(129 words)
RieS
Tokyo Restaurant Shopping Drink Roppongi
How do I have fun taking purikura booth photos?
The word "purikura" is shorthand for "print club" (purinto kurabu)." It refers to photo stickers that can be purchased in a photo booth. People enter a purikura booth (akin to machines that take passport photos), pop in a coin, get their photo taken against decorative and playful backgrounds, and …(95 words)
mark
Etiquette Coin Photo booth
Tokyo Hanami Spots
There are a lot of good hanami viewing spots in downtown Tokyo (Yoyogi Park, Shinjuku Park, The Imperial Palace), but I like to take a quick train to Kichijōji and view the cherry blossoms around the lake at Inokashira Park. It's just 30 minutes by train from Shibuya Station on the Keiyo Inokashira…(92 words)
HillaryB
Amusement Parks
Tokyo Disneyland is fun and popular but if you want to have an experience of a unique retro amusement park in Tokyo, I recommend Asakusa Hanayashiki without hesitation. It is the oldest amusement park in Japan (originally opened in 1853) It is extremely small, but there is a ton of stuff packed …(55 words)
Mayu
Tokyo Park Asakusa Amusement park Tokyo Disneyland Hanayashiki Amusement Park
Futsal in Shibuya
There are several good futsal courts in Tokyo. Due to lack of land in the city center the ones with best access are often found on rooftops. One of the more spectacular options is Adidas' court on top of the Tokyu building right at Shibuya station, perfect for a breezy late night summer activity. S…(105 words)
iensu
Tokyo City Building Shibuya Summer
YMCA
You could always organize futsal games and the like in one of Tokyo's many parks, but the logistics of getting to parks or the riverside can be somewhat difficult. The solution of course is to seek futsal courts within the downtown areas of Tokyo which everyone can access easily. Not to mention hav…(123 words)
KurtisW
Tokyo Sport
Ping Pong and beer
Table tennis is quite often played at leisure while drinking, much like billiards and darts. EST Shibuya Takkyuu Club is located close to Shibuya station on the 9th floor of an entertainment center. Open until 4:30AM (Mon-Thu) and 5:30AM (Fri-Sun) it makes for a fun hide-out if you have missed the …(72 words)
iensu
Tokyo Train Shibuya Beer Manga Tennis Entertainment Table tennis Darts
Kabukiza - don't worry about the language barrier!
Watching a Kabuki performance is an excellent experience. At Kabukiza (a Kabuki theater in Ginza), you will be able to enjoy old-Japanese theater in a newly renovated and modern building! As Kabuki performances can be very popular, I recommend you to purchase a ticket online, so that you can secure…(223 words)
RieS
Ticket Building Ginza Music Souvenir Kabuki
Think about your song choice
If going to karaoke with friends, you should definitely consider your song choice. Try not to pick songs that only you can enjoy. Sometimes, it is fun to sing old songs that all of you know and can sing along to or new songs that you would want to introduce to your friends. I love singing duet song…(108 words)
RieS
Etiquette Karaoke
Let off steam with a song
Many Japanese workers will go out with their colleagues after work to let off steam and stress; If you feel up to it that is. After some drinks and food, the common ritual is to go to a karaoke place to sing your heart out. For many, this is a way to break the ice with their colleagues, as there i…(160 words)
KurtisW
Karaoke
Almost Militarized
Keirin is a very high intensity sport, with quick explosive races every hour. The athletes must be very clever and skilled, in addition to very fit and determined. It's hard to say however how much is planned in terms of who is intended to win, and who is intended to "almost" win...but that's anoth…(159 words)
KurtisW
Sport Bicycle
A great way to immerse yourself in Japan
Almost every university and high school in Japan hosts a festival or fair every year around the beginning of November. In these fairs, each class is responsible for an event, such as a play, a game, cafes, food, etc. Often, each university and high school is famous for an aspect of their festival, …(97 words)
RieS
Event Game Fashion Comedy
We can bet on horse at WINS
"KEIBA(horse racing)" is public races that people in Japan can gamble on legally.and We can bet at gambling station(wins) or at some Racetracks.in Japan, Major KEIBA is races of JRA(Japan Racing Association). accutually we can see horses running at JRA racetracks all over japan.the racetracks…(69 words)
fujimorison
Tokyo Kyoto Chiba Hokkaido Niigata Hyogo Sapporo Horse racing Kyushu Fukushima
Suburban Tennis time
It's nice to get away from downtown Tokyo, and see some of the beautiful suburban areas. Going for a day of tennis could be a good way to spend an afternoon in Tokyo suburbia. Taking a trip to Chofu, west of Tokyo on the Keio line from Shinjuku is a good and close option for tennis.Keio sports …(102 words)
KurtisW
Tennis Tokyo Shinjuku Sport Trip
Make funny faces and have fun decorating!
Usually, at purikura machines, you take six photos. For about two of them, my friends and I just smile and do a pose. For the other four, we do funny poses or make faces that make us laugh. The best part of the experience is decorating the photos with comments, drawings and glitters. We can even ch…(121 words)
RieS
Hair Photo booth
Nakameguro, shops along the river
Nakameguro is a quiet yet fashionable and fun district just outside the more lively and inclusive Shibuya area. Nakameguro is well known for its fashion shops, and dainty restaurants that are perfect for dates, or casual upper class dining. There are of course less expensive and more chain store-ty…(151 words)
KurtisW
River Tokyo Shibuya Fashion Flower Spring
Hot Spring in Oedo Onsen
Enoshima Island Spa would be a great choice for you, and probably just in case when you want to try another spa closer to the Metropolitan area in Tokyo, I'd suggest you try Ooedo Onsen Monogatari Hot Spring (Literary meating; Tokyo Spa Story), which is located at Odaiba, in the Tokyo Bay. The be…(102 words)
Masa
Onsen Spring Enoshima Island Odaiba Tokyo Yukata (Light kimono)
Football teams
I think many cheerleaders, according to the Texan definition, are quite visible at football events in Japan (which seems to be more popular in Kansai from my feel of things, with Kyoto University being a "powerhouse")(36 words)
Mike's
Kyoto Kansai
SANJA AND SAMBA CARNIVAL
MAYThis is traditional festivals (omatsuri) ！AROUD ASAKUSAhttp://www.sanjasama.jp/AUG.SAMBA CARNIVAL. SAMBA IN TOKYO(asakusa)!!http://www.asakusa-samba.org/index.htmlhttp://www.mapple.net/spots/G01300250807.htm(32 words)
karnavi
Tokyo Asakusa
Community centers have free ping pong facilities!
Many community centers offer ping pong and badminton facilities for free! I recommend you to research a community center near you and call to just make sure that they have ping pong tables! The one close to my house (Naka sports center) has many ping pong tables that the community uses.(51 words)
RieS
Tokyo Sport Tennis Table tennis
Enjoy the winding road of Nikko, Irohazaka. One of Japan's lovely roads in a perfect getaway outside of Tokyo.
Iroha-zaka in Nikko is very famous in Japan for beautiful views of changing colours in Autumn. It is the perfect Autumn drive. Iroha-zaka is a hill which takes about 30 minutes (1.5 hours in the autumn due to traffic) to drive up. Views are spectacular along the way and a beautiful lake awaits at t…(100 words)
GenS
Nikko Autumn Lake Tera (Temple) Tokyo
Beach Fireworks in Tokyo, Japan
An AMAZING summer beach experience is watching the fireworks at Atami Sun Beach. If you are spending a day at one of the beautiful beaches in Izu, definitely stop by for the fireworks at Atami Sun Beach. During the summer, firework displays are held every sunday and the view of the fireworks that e…(143 words)
GenS
Atami Beaches Fireworks Tokyo Yokohama River Summer
A fantastic New Year's filled with classical music!
This New Year's, I did something other than watching the music program "Kouhaku Utagassen" or go to Minatomirai to watch the clock tick to 0:00 of January 1st. I went to Minato Mirai Hall to watch the Sylvester Concert, which is a classical concert with music ranging from baroque to modern. I espec…(111 words)
RieS
Music New year Concert
Water ski
It might be difficult to enjoy water sports in Tokyo because there aren't many beaches around. But you can always go to Zushi and Kamakura area where the water is relatively clean and one has a better chance at participating in marine sports.(43 words)
cajazz
Tokyo Sport Kamakura Beaches Skiing
Starbucks at Shibuya!
Other than Hachiko, many people meet in front of Starbucks, which is across the Shibuya crosswalk and on the other side of the Shibuya station. The Shibuya Starbucks looks big from the outside and is close to the popular Shibuya shopping street, so no one will miss it. This is a convenient place to…(78 words)
RieS
Shopping Shibuya
Seagull Girls
The Tokyo American football team, the Seagulls, play regular games at the famous Tokyo Dome. Always accompanying the team is the lively and cute cheersquad. Cheer leading is actually quite popular among young girls in Japan, and despite the fact that cheer is something that kind of developed from a…(173 words)
KurtisW
Tokyo Sport Baseball Entertainment American football
Alta-mae Hiroba, Meeting Spot in Japan
When I go hangout with my friends in the Shinjuku area, we usually meet up at the Alta-mae Hiroba. This is an easy to find open space right outside of Shinjuku station's East exit. It is called Alta-mae because it is situated in front of a famous building called Alta. You can spot this building by …(98 words)
GenS
Japan Shinjuku Building
Shimokitazawa, Great Bars in Japan
Shimokitazawa is my favorite "shitamachi" (downtown or local) area in Tokyo. It is only about 10 minutes on the Keio Inokashira line from Shibuya and is a popular hangout spot, especially among the youth. There are numerous chic and funky bars and restaurants in the area and has a nice ambience til…(114 words)
GenS
Japan Shimokitazawa bars Tokyo Shibuya Roppongi Trip
Matsuri (Festivals)
The best time to experience a festival in Japan is in from spring to fall. The best ones are in the summer, although many are technically in the spring or fall because their origins coincide with harvests or the opening and closing of fishing season.The most interesting and common matsuri are …(306 words)
mikekato
Japanese festivals Tokyo Hotel Jinjya (Shrine) Bank Spring Summer
Japan Festivals and when, where and how to enjoy.
Wow, where do I begin, there are many many many festivals in around Tokyo to enjoy in the hot hot days of summer.Matsuri, Samba, Fireworks, Music! You name it Tokyo has it. Since there are so many, I'd like to guide you to this link, which has a nice list and lots of info for you to choose fr…(110 words)
DjMarvin
Tokyo Music Japanese festivals Sanja Matsuri Festival Summer
Fuchu, west Tokyo
The horse racing track in Tokyo is located west, in a slightly more suburban area called Fuchu city. It takes about 30 minutes from Shinjuku in downtown, and can be accessed on the Keio line.The cool thing about this stadium I have noticed is that it has its own small train line running from Fu…(130 words)
KurtisW
Tokyo Train City Shinjuku River Horse racing Trip
Check out Summer Sonic Festival
Summer Sonic is a music festival that takes place in August. They have one in Tokyo and one in Osaka. They have a wide variety of music, including Hip Hop, J-Pop, rock and heavy metal. Tickets are 15,500 yen for one day and 28,000 yen for 2 days, so it is expensive. If you have the money, however, …(65 words)
KurtisW
Tokyo Music Osaka Summer
Be Conscientious!
It is very important to be conscientious of others if you happen to go with Japanese friends. Although nobody will directly tell you this rule, people usually take turns singing at karaoke. No one will probably say anything but you may get some cold looks from your friends if you dominate the mike …(140 words)
AustinA
Etiquette Karaoke
Actually Pretty Popular!
Although I wouldn't list American football down as one of the most popular sports in Japan, it is popular to some extent. There is not real professional American football league. There are two leagues, the university league and the businessmen's league. The champion university team competes with th…(185 words)
AustinA
Tokyo Sport Game Manga American football