Trip to Kyoto
The old capital is the one of the most significant, if not the most important destination in Japan. Every year millions of tourists come to see the city both from within Japan and overseas. Kyoto served as Japan’s capital and the emperor’s residence from 794 until 1868, making it the country’s most significant cultural centre, where architecture, sculpture, painting and many other arts flourished. Buddhism had an impact on the city’s arts, so that a large number of the surviving works can be found in the old temples. There are around 200 Shinto shrines in the city. Kyoto is now the country’s seventh largest city. Over the centuries, Kyoto was…
How to find a way in Tokyo?
I need help! I don’t speak Japanese! How to find a way in Tokyo? Being arrived in Tokyo unable to read or write, I felt lost and alone more than once! You may have heard rumors about Japan where nobody can speak English … Put things in their context! Japanese people are sometimes perfectionists in the tasks they undertake. Therefore, many of them refuse to speak English because it would be a shame. But I realized something: The question is not “Excuse me, do you speak English?” but rather “Excuse me, do you understand English?”. This sentence saved me numerous times! If it is hard for them to talk, why…
The Senso-ji temple in Asakusa
Many of us have heard of this Buddhist temple, which is the most visited temple in Tokyo, and the most popular among tourists. It is located in the Asakusa district that became a tourist landmark. There is a huge shopping street called Nakamise-dôri leading to the temple and that is full of stalls and small gift shops. Many people know this temple, but few of them know about its history and what makes it one of the most important temples in Japan… The Senso-ji temple is actually the oldest one in Tokyo: its history goes back a long time ago. It was built in 645, during the Asuka period, when…
Trip to Nara
The famous city of Nara is located in the central part of the main island of Honshu. Nara is the capital of Nara Prefecture, and it is surrounded by hills, forests and wide fields. Nara was the first capital of Japan from 710 (written Heijō (平城) but also pronounced Nara at the time). In 784 Emperor Kammu had his residence moved from Nara to Nagaoka in order to remove politics from the great infulence of the Buddhist priests. After this Nara lost its political significance, but has remained Japan’s most significant cultural site to this day. Over time the city’s area has shifted eastwards so that the historical city is…
Recycling in Japan
Recycling in Japan can be really complicated because the system is different from one country to another! Here, there is a quick summary of the most important things to know: Types What to do ? Where to put them ? Collection day Recyclable Ressources PET Plastic bottles Rince them Put them in a plastic bag until you can sort them on the collection day Colored boxes are available near the blue nets or in your home for sorting: – Yellow: glass – Blue: cans – Green: plastic bottles Wednesday Cans Glass bottles Plastic containers (shampoo, conditioner etc.) Newspapers not wrinkled / not ripped Stacked by type of product and tie with…
The combini!
All those who have been to Japan know what a combini is and have experienced it at least once. The word “combini” is actually short for convenience store. You can find these shops at every street corner and they are open 24/7, all year round (even on holidays). First you can find anything to eat on the go: bento (the famous Japanese lunch boxes), cup ramen (instant noodles), onigiri (Japanese rice balls), hot and cold drinks, ice cream, sweets, candies, desserts, etc. But there are also magazines (and manga!) and many stuff like toilet paper, shampoo, tissues, cigarettes, batteries, umbrellas, etc. It is clear that there is everything a basic…
Tokyo City View ～miku café～
4/26（FRI） – 6/16（SUN） Experience the world of Hatsune Miku – a phenomenon created through the interaction of diverse creators and users. “Hatsune Miku” (music software that enables its users to create vocals by just typing in lyrics and melody) is one of the featured contributors in the 10th anniversary “LOVE” exhibition at Mori Art Museum, and the inspiration of “miku café”, a special event held at Tokyo City View from 4/26 (FRI). Place： Tokyo City View MADO LOUNGE SPICE（Mori Tower 52F） Time： 11:00～23:00（［last order］food 22:00/drink 22:30） Cooperation： Crypton Future Media, INC. http://www.roppongihills.com/en/events/2013_04.html
Japanese people wearing masks
It is a well-known fact in Japan, wearing surgical masks is quite common. We may have just discovered masks in Western countries because of swine flu, but it is not new in Japan. There are actually many reasons. Lots of us think that Japanese people wear masks to protect themselves from high pollution or contamination because of the Fukushima nuclear disaster. But this is not true. Japanese people actually wear masks to avoid spreading bacteria and viruses, whether they are sick or not. The possibility of contamination is actually high in Japan, because of the population density, especially in big cities like Tokyo and on public transports. Thus in Japan…
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