Tokyo東京都

Tokyo (東京, Tōkyō, "Eastern Capital") (Japanese: [toːkʲoː] ( ), English /ˈtoʊki.oʊ/), officially Tokyo Metropolis (東京都, Tōkyō-to), is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the most populous metropolitan area in the world. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family. Tokyo is in the Kantō region on the southeastern side of the main island Honshu and includes the Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands. Tokyo Metropolis was formed in 1943 from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture (東京府, Tōkyō-fu) and the city of Tokyo (東京市, Tōkyō-shi).

from Tokyo (Wikipedia) CC BY SA 3.0

Advice about Tokyo

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Smart Cities, Expanded images

Smart Cities, Expanded

In our last installment, we discussed the upcoming Smart Cities Week 2014 (SCW 2014) which will be held in Yokohama, Japan this coming October 29-31 at the Pacifico Yokohama Hotel and Convention Center. While the event itself is looking to attract in the area of 50,000 attendees, the concept is ex…(1500 words)

jdlawrence image

jdlawrence

Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref. images

Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref.

Living in the concrete jungle of Tokyo can be overwhelming after a while. (Like the frog being boiled in a pot.)I was looking for a place to get back to nature within a short Shinkansen ride from Tokyo. A friend turned me on to a place called Minakami in Gunma prefecture. There the Tone Riv…(112 words)

JiyugaokaPaul image

JiyugaokaPaul

Torinoiru Cafe for Bird Lovers images

Torinoiru Cafe for Bird Lovers

Hello everybody! Alex aka Subtokyo is back for another interesting animal cafe, this time an owl cafe!There are a handful of owl cafes around the Tokyo area. Kiba, Tsukishima, and a couple other locations in Tokyo. I visited the owl cafe or bird cafe in Kiba, Tokyo. This was the Torinoiru Cafe …(317 words)

Alex Kobayashi /Subtokyo image

Alex Kobayashi /Subtokyo

Sashimi vs. Sushi images

Sashimi vs. Sushi

Sashimi is a Japanese cuisine of fresh raw fish sliced into thin pieces. Sushi is a Japanese traditional food where you put a sliced raw fish on top of cooked vinegared rice (Su-meshi). A little bit of Wasabi would taste great on the Su-Meshi.“Su-Meshi” can be cooked at home easily. You can buy…(331 words)

Suetsumuhana image

Suetsumuhana

Typhoons - wind, rain and lot more! images

Typhoons - wind, rain and lot more!

It would be fair to call Japan at once a country blessed by natural beauty and cursed by natural disasters. Sitting on the famed “Ring of Fire”, the country hosts some spectacular and dangerous volcanoes, as well as the all-too-infamous and frequent earthquakes, some of which can wreak unimaginabl…(1210 words)

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jdlawrence

Summer in Shinjuku Chuo Park images

Summer in Shinjuku Chuo Park

Want a place to entertain your kids in the midsummer in Tokyo for free?Well, look no further than Shinjuku Chuo Park The paddling pool じゃぶじゃぶ池 is fantastic. It is fairly big.It seems that the water of these paddling pools are drained on a daily basis, so in theory, the water should…(116 words)

Steve image

Steve

JR East - Japan Railway Company images

JR East - Japan Railway Company

http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/index.htmlThe JR East train homepage is a great way to learn about train routes, fares and activities throughout what is known as Eastern Japan. This site: http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/routemaps/index.html shows the routes that the different bullet trains take from the T…(201 words)

Kevin image

Kevin

Izu Hokkawa Onsen Bousui: A Heavenly Onsen in Japan, images

Izu Hokkawa Onsen Bousui: A Heavenly Onsen in Japan,

My first experience at Bousui was just 5 years ago and then the second was last month. In 2006 I was a newbie exploring the Hokkawa Hot Spring district , in 2014 it was my second visit as a devoted fan of hot spring perfection wanting to share this haven with my life partner and best friend.htt…(1039 words)

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Of course it's hot! images

Of course it's hot!

Look at a map or better, draw a horizontal line from East to West, at the level of Tokyo. What happens? You will notice that well, Tokyo, and even more Kyoto, are quite South. As South as Kabul, Beirouth, Sfax, Casablanca and Jacksonville, Austin ... And Japan, is an island, all surrounded by w…(549 words)

Claire image

Claire

Local Secrets: Asagaya Tanabata Festival in August images

Local Secrets: Asagaya Tanabata Festival in August

The Tanabata Matsuri (Star Festival) usually occurs in early July, celebrating the one day per year two star crossed lovers of legend can meet across the Milky Way. However, in some prefectures Tanabata is celebrated later, which is why the wonderfully colorful Asagaya Tanabata Festival occurs …(242 words)

Chiara image

Chiara

Ready for the Queen of New York Breakfasts Eggs Benedict? images

Ready for the Queen of New York Breakfasts Eggs Benedict?

First...the food. A first of a kind anywhere in the world! To tell us about her newest creation, the "Queen of Breakfasts in New York City", Sarabeth Levine, namesake of Sarabeth's at the opening of her third restaurant here in Tokyo at the new, just opened Shinagawa station location describing her…(253 words)

Kong image

Kong

Thoughts on Japan Entry Documents images

Thoughts on Japan Entry Documents

We often describe what to do once you arrive in Japan but I am in the process of returning to Japan and decided to write an article to inform you what you will be going through to get through Japanese Customs whether your flight arrives in Narita, Haneda, Osaka or any other Japan port of entry.…(567 words)

AustinA image

AustinA

Asagaya Tanabata Matsuri images

Asagaya Tanabata Matsuri

Tanabata, which means "double seven" in Japanese, is celebrated usually on the 7th of July, as one might expect. It is a celebration stemming from the lunar/solar calendar and the meeting of a mythical cowherd and weaver girl throughout much of East Asia.On July 7th, people throughout Japan pl…(489 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Gotokuji - Tokyo's Manekineko Lucky Cat Temple images

Gotokuji - Tokyo's Manekineko Lucky Cat Temple

Gotokuji is a lovely old neighbourhood in Tokyo's Setagaya ward. Gotokuji temple is the home of the Japanese good luck cats called "manekineko". One is waiting for you in front of Gotokuji station.Go from the station towards Gotokuji temple and you pass through a Japanese style "shotengai" stre…(353 words)

David image

David

Road Trip Diaries #1: Umi Hotaru images

Road Trip Diaries #1: Umi Hotaru

In the middle of Tokyo Bay, there sits a handsome, white, 5-story structure remarkable as much for its awkward location as it is for its raw engineering. The artificial island stands there, surrounded by ocean, an unexpected accompaniment to the fishing boats and cargo ships which normally cruise …(776 words)

jdlawrence image

jdlawrence

PLAY BALL! Baseball in Japan images

PLAY BALL! Baseball in Japan

Certain things go with Japan in summer: fireworks, matsuri (festivals), cold beer on a rooftop and, of course, baseball. Between the months of April through October, you can flip through TV channels and, somewhere, odds are better than even that a game will be shown somewhere. Known as Yakyu (野…(586 words)

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jdlawrence

Vegan Cafe in Aoyama images

Vegan Cafe in Aoyama

The Pure Cafe is one of my favorite cafe in Tokyo. I am not a vegetarian but I often go this place to calm my self.http://www.pure-cafe.com/The all dished are so tasty such as Sandwich with Rye Bread『 TANDOORI TOFU Sandwich 』,Grains Salad『 NASI GORENG 』and also their sweets are so good!…(116 words)

yukorose image

yukorose

How to Be Prepared for Rain in Japan images

How to Be Prepared for Rain in Japan

In my Hawaiian home, we get some type of rain in the morning or evening, the wind gusts strong and a Typhoon comes by every once-in-a-while, but the temperature is pretty much paradise year-round. I was 12 before I realized how each and every day’s weather can be such an exciting experience!My …(889 words)

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What to Do When An Earthquake Hits Japan images

What to Do When An Earthquake Hits Japan

I often tell my friends that Japan might be one of the best places to be in an earthquake. Why? Nooo, you say! “I don't want it to happen when I am in town!” “Cant it wait till I leave?”. Hmmm, Mother Nature is usually pretty unpredictable and actually can be quite surprising in her timing and conc…(761 words)

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Road Trip Diaries #2: Nakaizu Hills Winery (In vino, veritas) images

Road Trip Diaries #2: Nakaizu Hills Winery (In vino, veritas)

Many people think of France, Spain, Italy, California or, more recently, Australia and Chile, when thinking about wine, and Japan is often thought of as a place where you make Japanese sake or beer. But, did you know that Japan has a winery in the Nakaizu area of Shizuoka prefecture? Nakaizu Wi…(907 words)

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jdlawrence

Where to visit in Fall? images

Where to visit in Fall?

For people living in Tokyo, visiting Yamanashi prefecture in September is a great choice! You can try grape picking there.All the grapes are delicious. Especially, Shine Muscat is one of the best fruits I've ever ate in my life.It tastes like something different from grapes but extremely …(62 words)

KoheiM image

KoheiM

Dance Like Fools images

Dance Like Fools

Awaodori is a dance that is performed in summer festivals throughout Japan, but originating in Tokushima Prefecture in the southwestern island of Shikoku. Shikoku is one of the four main islands of Japan, but the one that is often forgotten, because it does not have a major city like Fukuoka or Na…(778 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Hamamatsu City, Japan: Birthplace of the Big Corporation, Yamaha images

Hamamatsu City, Japan: Birthplace of the Big Corporation, Yamaha

I often wondered about Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture as I watched it slip by during my bullet train rides from Tokyo to Osaka. A very good friend of mine is from Hamamatsu and would tell me about his father’s company. He himself towered over most Japanese men at just under six feet tall and…(873 words)

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Oktoberfest in Japan: Starting in Odaiba this Friday! images

Oktoberfest in Japan: Starting in Odaiba this Friday!

It's been 12 years already since Japan started the Bavarian beer festival, Oktoberfest in Yokohama for the first time. You can now enjoy the Munich's notorious beer festival throughout Japan such as Tohoku, Nagasaki and Tokyo (Odaiba, Hibiya, Yoyogi and Akihabara, etc.) Today I had a chance to go t…(269 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Toyota Mega Web / Theme Park images

Toyota Mega Web / Theme Park

For all of you car enthusiasts out there, and even if you are not one, the Toyota Mega Web and self proclaimed theme park must be put on your list of things to experience while in Tokyo. Located in the middle of the Odaiba’s waterfront attractions, this exhibition offers hours of free entertainmen…(400 words)

Alex image

Alex

Street Performers, Arts & Entertainment in Asakusa - Local Tokyo images

Street Performers, Arts & Entertainment in Asakusa - Local Tokyo

Senso-ji temple is the most famous spot in Tokyo's Asakusa district, but there is more to see. Performers and performing arts are also part of Asakusa’s heritage. So when you come to Senso-ji and look at the temple’s buildings, statues, and big gates don’t stop there. Please take a walk around …(623 words)

David image

David

Want to be a Hit in Japan? images

Want to be a Hit in Japan?

Ive been in the DJ business since the 70s and maybe because I was so active in Hawaii and Hawaii is one of Japan's favorite tourist destinations, I have ended up in this amazing and endlessly exciting metropolis, Tokyo. I DJ on several stations including InterFM, and I do podcasts about various…(394 words)

Kong image

Kong

Viron is a Patisserie French Jewel in Shibuya, Japan images

Viron is a Patisserie French Jewel in Shibuya, Japan

You know a Patisserie is good when you stumble upon an elegant French couple staring intently at their handheld GPS trying to make out how to get there for breakfast. Viron in the upper reaches of Shibuya just in front of the Tokyu Department Store Honten and Bunkamura is my favorite haunt for …(609 words)

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Lights, Camera, Attraction! images

Lights, Camera, Attraction!

There's no shortage of holiday blessings in Japan. Not being a Christian nation has never stopped Japan from adopting this holiday as its own. And while Christmas caroling has not yet become a holiday pastime, it has joyously adopted the tradition of celebrating Christ's birthday with a cake, alb…(763 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Amazing champagne bar images

Amazing champagne bar

If you would like to have a fancy experience in Tokyo.Visit champagne bar heart of tokyo, aNA intercontinental tokyo.You can find beautiful bar counter created just for champagne.You can try 20 different kind of champagne also they serve a glass of champagne with healthy lunch!http://www.…(61 words)

yukorose image

yukorose

Sweet Tokyo Skytree Souvenirs from Solamachi Mall images

Sweet Tokyo Skytree Souvenirs from Solamachi Mall

Solamachi "Sky City" Mall at Tokyo Skytree is one of the best places to go shopping for Tokyo souvenirs. This is a very big nice shopping mall with over 300 stores. There are many restaurants and cafes here as well. You could spend a rainy day inside.Solamachi is also very easy to find. It sits…(237 words)

David image

David

Join the Tokyo Harvest Festival in Roppongi images

Join the Tokyo Harvest Festival in Roppongi

We have traditional customs to thank for a successful harvest on the autumn. As harvest of each year becomes important stock for the country to survive, it is said the customs started about 1,500 year ago. November 23 is designated as a national holiday called “Labor Thanksgiving Day". Autumn is th…(295 words)

Eddie image

Eddie

Delicious Sushi Adventure in Shibuya images

Delicious Sushi Adventure in Shibuya

This week I went to the small sushi izakaya Tamagawa in Shibuya for the first time. I had the opportunity to speak with the sushi chef. This is the chef's advice for really enjoying sushi:- Eat each piece of sushi in one bite.- Use your hands to eat sushi instead of chopsticks if you want.- T…(411 words)

David image

David

Be A Princess at the ACCJ Annual Charity Ball images

Be A Princess at the ACCJ Annual Charity Ball

Stately men in tuxedos escort elegant ladies into a brightly lit ballroom. Each holds a tall glass of tasty champagne and as they seek out their place at the decorative reception tables, they greet friends and colleagues with a smile. The Ball has a theme like “New York, New York” or “Saturday Nigh…(303 words)

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Kaisendon - Sashimi Pub Lunch at a Seafood Izakaya images

Kaisendon - Sashimi Pub Lunch at a Seafood Izakaya

How is your sushi vocabulary and experience? If you have tried a few sets of sushi and sashimi, try kaisendon. Kaisendon is sashimi on rice. Don 丼 is short for donburi, food served on top of a bowl full of rice. Magurodon for example is tuna on rice, kaisendon is mixed seafood on rice. It coul…(283 words)

David image

David

Anime Genius in Japan: Sin-San images

Anime Genius in Japan: Sin-San

We call him “Master” and that honorific describes him to a “T”. The owner at a restaurant in Japan is often referred to as “Master” or in Japanese pronunciation “Masuta—“. Senpai Hint! When you are at a loss for how to address the guy in charge at a restaurant or bar in Japan, feel free to use …(803 words)

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Torinoichi (or Otorisama) images

Torinoichi (or Otorisama)

Torinoichi is held at Ohtori Shrine and Chokokuji Temple, next to each other. This year (2014), the event is on November 10 and 22. As people buy a little bigger Kumade, called Kakkome, every year, the Kumade is going to be huge. It is interesting that this festival starts at midnight (0:00) and en…(98 words)

Keiko, OTT image

Keiko, OTT

5 Offbeat Tips for Travelers images

5 Offbeat Tips for Travelers

Looking to get beneath the surface of Japan, instead of just seeing the main tourist spots? Well, here are a few tips:1- Read UpBesides Deep Japan, check out English language publications (like Time Out) and see what is going on. Join in food festivals (for instance Tokyo Harvest in Novembe…(312 words)

Chiara image

Chiara

I'm Punched images

I'm Punched

At a recent bonenkai (year-end party), one of the entertainers was Neko Punch. Neko Punch is a band, led by singer/songwriter Leanne and producer/bass player Macc. Later, the duo was joined by dancer, Pinky. The group formed, apparently, in London in the summer of 2012, but has recently caught sto…(291 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Glocal is Critical for Sustainable Social Innovation images

Glocal is Critical for Sustainable Social Innovation

Social Innovation/Smart City Week 2014 (I wrote about the event in another article in this site) was held on October 29-31, 2014. The event was the 4th edition of what is becoming a very important event for the promotion of activities that can help cities throughout the world adopt more sustainabl…(839 words)

mikekato image

mikekato