ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン
Universal Studios Japan is in Japan's second city, Osaka.
The park is very similar to Universal Orlando Resort, and it contains many of the same rides.
The main difference is that the majority of visitors are Japanese or tourists from other Asian countries, mainly Taiwan, China, and South Korea.
We spent the day there at the very end of 2010, and it was packed with families with children and young couples.
Waits for rides averaged from 60 minutes up to 120 minutes for the Spiderman ride. The biggest disappointment was that, because of high winds, the roller coaster was not running for much of the day.
Details
Address : 2-1-33 Sakurajima, Konohana-ku, Osaka City; Telephone : 06 6465 3000
Universal Studios Map
A six-minute ride from Osaka Station. Get off at the JR Universal Studio Japan.
Tickets: One-day passes cost 6,100 for adults, 4,100 for elementary school children
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Friday, December 31, 2010
Universal Studios Japan
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Japan Airlines JAL
Japan Airlines or more commonly JAL began life in 1951 becoming Japan's national carrier two years later. JAL was fully privatized in 1987.
After years of impressive growth especially on flights to the US, JAL has recently been in financial trouble and filed for bankruptcy protection in January this year amid rumours of possible mergers with other airlines.
JAL absorbed Japan Air System (JAS) in 2002 to become the sixth largest airline in the world in terms of passengers carried.
JAL serves over 160 worldwide destinations and over 50 domestic destinations from its main hubs at Narita, Haneda, Itami (Osaka), KIX (Kansai International Airport) and Chubu International (Centrair) airports.
JAL is a member of the Oneworld alliance and has multiple codeshare flights with other international airlines including British Airways, Finnair, American Airlines and Cathay Pacific.
JAL
Tel: 0570 025 071 (domestic reservations)
Tel: 0570 025 031 (international reservations)
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Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Oita Castle Park
府内城
Oita Castle Park is the site of the former Oita Castle or Funai Castle. The original castle was burnt down by a fire in the mid-18th century and today only the stone walls and moat are original. Some of the turrets (yagura) have been rebuilt after World War II along with the covered bridge over the moat.
Oita Castle Park contains the Oita Bunka Kaikan (097 532 1295) with a restaurant inside the culture center.
Surrounding Oita Castle Park are a number of recommended cafes and restaurants including Hosun Cafe, Hana and Friends Cafe.
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Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Most Popular Blog Posts For December 2010
The most popular blog posts for December were a mix of Japanese fashion, namely Japanese nail art, Japanese language, manga and sex: of both the homo- and heterosexual kind. The top five posts are:
Japanese Nail Art
Gay Japanese manga
24 Kaikan Sauna: Gay Shinjuku
so desu ne
Book Review: Pink Box
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Monday, December 27, 2010
Images Of Huis Ten Bosch
ハウステンボス
Huis Ten Bosch near Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture in Kyushu is a must-see if you are in the area. Huis Ten Bosch (pronounced "House Ten Boss" in Japanese) is an idealized reconstruction of a Dutch town on a grand scale, complete with bicycles, cheese, windmills, canals and Heineken beer.
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Choose either the standard entrance ticket or the more expensive Toku-Toku ticket, which allows entrance to the various rides, museums and elevator to the top of the cathedral (above), which has amazing views out over the coastline.
Visitors can get around Huis Ten Bosch on foot, by rental bicycle (including tandems), cart, canal boat or even Segway!
Other attractions include the beautiful seasonal gardens full of Cosmos when we visited in the fall, a replica of a Dutch Royal Palace, parades and fireworks displays.
If you wish to experience all that Huis Ten Bosch has to offer it is recommended you spend the night: ANA Hotel Huis Ten Bosch, Hotel Nikko Huis Ten Bosch, Hotel Amsterdam, Forest Villa, or Europe Hotel offer various low-cost deals in season.
Access
JR trains to Fukuoka (1 hour 40 minutes on the JR Limited Express "Huis Ten Bosch") for Shinkansen connections to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya.
Express "Sea Side Liner" on the JR Nagasaki/Omura Lines 1 hour 30 minutes from Nagasaki Station to Huis Ten Bosch (Return tickets 2,500 yen).
There are buses to Nagasaki (65 minutes), Nagasaki Airport, Kawatana, Kumamoto, Sasebo and night services to Osaka and Nagoya.
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Sunday, December 26, 2010
Japan News This Week 26 December 2010
今週の日本
North Withholds Fire After South Korean Drills
New York Times
Japan falls for novel on management guru Drucker
Washington Post
Japan agrees record 92.4 trillion yen draft budget
BBC
What would Jesus and Buddha do … on holiday?
Guardian
Temple turns to 'anime' to lure the young
Japan Times
Manga plus que ça !
Libération
日本2009年人均名义GDP接近4万美元
Caijing
24 Hours After Hiroshima: National Geographic Channel Takes Up the Bomb
Japan Focus
Japan to play Montenegro, NZealand in friendlies
Yahoo Sports
Last Week's News
Statistics
In the first six months of 2010, there were 124 assaults on railroad employees reported.
These results came from a survey of 16 major private railways across Japan.
The most violent age group was those in their 60s, who accounted for 23% of all attacks.
Source: Yomiuri Shinbun
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Saturday, December 25, 2010
Tabira Church Hirado
田平教会
Across the bridge from Hirado Island in Nagasaki is the large Tabira Church, which is also known as Setoyama Church.
Two years in construction, the red brick Tabira Church was designed by Tetsukawa Yosuke and completed in 1917.
The church is known for its wonderful views of the Hirado Strait and its fine stained-glass windows.
Masses are held on Saturdays at 7pm and on Sundays at 6am (except 1st Sunday of the month) and 9am.
Other things to see on Hirado are the William Adam's Memorial, the English Factory the Matsuura Historical Museum.
Tabira Church
Hirado-shi
Tabira-cho
Koteda-men 19
Nagasaki
859-4824
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Friday, December 24, 2010
Japan's Most Powerful Man
徳川家康
Here is a little Japan quiz.
Who is the man pictured below?
Is it
a) Oda Nobunaga
b) Tokugawa Ieyasu
c) Toyotomi Hideyasu
If you chose the answer b) Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616) then you are correct. Ieyasu is arguably Japan's most powerful and influential historical figure. A contemporary of Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare in England, Ieyasu established the Tokugawa shogunate which was to rule Japan until1868.
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Thursday, December 23, 2010
The Best of Tokyo
To a new visitor, Tokyo can be so fast and energetic that it may just pass you by. So, to help make sure you make the most of your trip, here's a list of just a few of Tokyo’s best bits:
(Going anywhere without travel insurance can be very risky so make sure you insure your holiday to Japan first.)
Tokyo Imperial Palace
Once the location of Edo Castle, stronghold of the Tokugawa shogunate, the Imperial Palace is considered by many to be the heart and soul of Tokyo. The Palace became the official seat of the Japanese Imperial Family in 1868, with construction of a new palace complex finishing in 1988. Although the palace buildings and inner gardens aren’t generally open to the public, guided tours are held on 2nd January (New Year’s Greeting) and 23rd December (the Emperor's Birthday).
The Palace's East Gardens are open to the public throughout the year, with the exception of Mondays and Fridays. As well as providing a fascinating insight into Japan's imperial history, the Palace grounds are also home to some spectacular architecture and beautiful scenery.
Mount Fuji
Dominating the Tokyo skyline is Japan's highest mountain, Mount Fuji. Standing at over 12,000 feet tall, Mount Fuji, known affectionately by the locals as Fuji-san, is an active stratovolcano that last erupted just over three hundred years ago. No visit to Tokyo is complete without a visit to one of Japan’s most iconic features.
Whether you're a beginner or an expert, there are opportunities to climb Mount Fuji within the official climbing season from 1st July to the end of August. The Kawaguchiko Trail is one of Mount Fuji's easiest and is even ideal for children and older travellers.
Akihabara
If there's one thing Japan is known around the world for, it's technology. Akihabara, sometimes also known as Akihabara Electric Town, is a perfect example of Japan's love-affair with all things technology. The district, situated right in the heart of Tokyo, is home to a large number of electronics shops, selling everything from the latest TVs and mobile phones to second-hand goods.
Recently, Akihabara has also become a centre for the burgeoning Japanese manga and animation culture. The area now features a number of places inspired by the manga craze, including cosplay (costume play) cafes, where the waitresses dress up like popular anime characters.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Garden Palace Hotel Fukuoka
福岡ガーデンパレスホテル
The Garden Palace Hotel in Fukuoka is part of a chain of Garden Palace Hotels in Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya, Hiroshima, Kanazawa, Osaka and Sapporo.
The clean and functional rooms come with free internet connection and there are both smoking and smoke-free rooms to choose from. The excellent buffet breakfasts are a feature of all Garden Palace Hotels.
The Garden Palace Hotel in Fukuoka is a short walk from Tenjin Station, which is a short ride on the Kuko Line subway from Hakata Station.
The Garden Palace Hotel
4-8-15 Tenjin
Chuo-ku
Fukuoka
810-0001
Tel: 092-713-1112
Garden Palace Fukuoka Map
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Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Central Park Hotel Nagoya
セントラルパークホテル
The Central Park Hotel near Atsuta Jingu in Nagoya is a large multi-storey love hotel in the city.
The individually furnished rooms are excellent with lots of modern facilities including flat screen TVs, DVD players, TV Games and even slot machines in some of the rooms. If you tire from your exertions there is a food and drink menu ranging from Omrice to Thai chicken curry for eats and beer and coffee for drinks.
Central Park Hotel Nagoya
Yokota 2-4-24
Atsuta-ku
Nagoya
456-0022
Tel: 052 683 0551
Access: 1 minute from JR Atsuta Station
There is also a Central Park Hotel in Toyama.
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Monday, December 20, 2010
Usa Shrine Kunisaki
宇佐八幡宮
The original Usa-jinja (Tel: 0978 37 0001) in Usa in the Kunisaki Peninsula on Kyushu dates back over 1,000 years to 725 and the shrine is dedicated to Hachiman - the god of war and warriors.
The shrine is the oldest Hachiman shrine in Japan and ranks as one of the most important Shinto shrines in the country, up there with Ise Jingu and Atsuta Shrine in Nagoya.
Hachiman is the deified Emperor Ojin, a legendary Emperor of Japan. Hachiman shrines have now spread throughout Japan from this first shrine in Kyushu. The present shrine buildings date from the mid-nineteenth century.
Usa Shrine has attracted imperial support over its long history and there are now over 40,000 branches shrines of Hachiman all over Japan.
The annual Usa shrine festival is held on March 18.
Usa Jingu
Oita
Usa
Oji, Minami-usa 2859
872-0102
Tel: 0978 37 0001
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Sunday, December 19, 2010
Japan News This Week 19 December 2010
今週の日本
Japan Plans Military Shift to Focus More on China
New York Times
Beijing says Japan making irresponsible remarks
Washington Post
Japan moves on from the Cold War
BBC
Man held over knife attack in Japan
Guardian
Visas for medical stays set to double
Japan Times
Le Japon renforce sa défense vis-à-vis de la Chine et de la Corée du Nord
Le Monde
Elsewhere: Top Ten Japanese phrases 2010
New York Times
日本出台2011年度税制改革大纲
Caijing
Immigrants or Temporary Workers? A Visionary Call for a “Japanese-style Immigration Nation”
Japan Focus
Prince Fielder's Trip to Japan Renews Talks of "True" World Series
Yahoo Sports
Last Week's News
Statistics
Crime is at a 23-year low, according to police.
From January to November, there were 1,465,223 crimes reported in Japan. The annual total has fallen every year since 2003.
Source: Yomiuri Shinbun
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Saturday, December 18, 2010
Kanji Character For 2010: Sho
2010年漢字一文字「暑」
At the end of every year, the Japan Kanji [i.e. Chinese character] Proficiency Certification Society solicits from the public the kanji that best sums up the past year.
A ceremony takes place at Kyoto’s Kiyomizu-dera Temple where the selected kanji is publicly put to parchment by the head priest, presently Seihan Mori.
The kanji selected this year was the character for “hot,” pronounced sho or atsu.
This character was chosen because of the record high temperatures experienced in Japan this year.
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Friday, December 17, 2010
Hero Flutes Japanese Dance Flutes
Hero Flutes
A collection of genuine handmade Japanese flutes used in the ritual and festivals of the Iwami Kagura dance, a dramatic musical ritual that originated in the town of Iwami in Shimane prefecture as an appeasement dance for the Shinto gods.
With its long tradition, simply beauty, and pure tone, let the easy-to-play Iwami Kagura flute bring the magic of ancient Japanese dance music to your own fingers, lips and ears.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Nagoya Friends XMAS Bash at Red Rock THIS SATURDAY (12/18)
Nagoya Friends is holding it's 99th party in Nagoya!   Our party is not a dinner party, but we will have light food & snacks. Quantities are limited, so please come early! Please free to come alone or bring your friends. EVERYBODY is welcome to join regardless of nationality/gender. Reservation is greatly appreciated. About 125-150+ people are expected to attend. Approximately 55% female and 45% male, 70% Japanese and 30% non-Japanese. Pictures from previous Nagoya Friends Parties. | ||||
Map & Directions Contact: 080-3648-1666(Japanese) 080-5469-6317(English) Get off at Sakae Station [Exit #13]
4-14-6 Sakae, Nagoya (very close to Sakae Station) The Red Rock is located behind the Chunichi Building in the Sakae business/shopping district. Subway access from Sakae Station (serving the yellow and purple lines) Exit 13. It's a big station connected to a huge underground shopping mall so you'll need to do a little underground walking. We're also just a couple of minutes' walk from the Tokyu and Precede hotels, and a 10 minute walk up Hirokoji Street from the Hilton Hotel in Fushimi.
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Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Journalists outside Roppongi police station
麻布警察 写真家
I was in Roppongi last Friday on my way to Rhythm Rivalry, a very memorable percussion event that was happening at the performance/club space Superdeluxe. (Tokyo events on now)
Passing the Azabu Police Station near Roppongi Hills I noticed a group of photographers - clearly press photographers - waiting in front of it (sitting on left of sidewalk in above photo). The policeman on duty (standing at right with stick) was unfazed by it, and the photographers were in no hurry but looked like they were there for the long haul.
First I thought it may be something to do with the assault on the famous kabuki actor, Ebizo Ichikawa, that had happened about a week before in the same area on November 25; but I saw the same thing this week too: a group of photographers waiting outside Kojimachi Police Station - placing that in some doubt. (More about Kojimachi)
I can only presume that either someone newsworthy was in there and they were waiting for him or her to come out, or that they were hanging around in the hope that that would happen.
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Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Matsuura Historical Museum
松浦史料博物館
The Matsuura Historical Museum (Tel: 0950 22 2236) in Hirado is located in the former residence of the Matsuura clan, who controlled the strategic island from the 11th-19th century.
This interesting museum displays artefacts and family treasures from the Matsuura clan including samurai arms and armor, calligraphy, documents, globes, Dutch ships' figureheads and a palanquin.
The museum also includes a lovely garden with many fine wooden buildings and a Japanese teahouse. Inside the main building of the museum is a cafe decorated with 17th century western furnishing and ceramics and a shop. The Matsuura Historical Museum is located up the hill behind the harbor in Hirado town and is a short walk from the grave of William Adams.
Matsuura Historical Museum
859-5152
Nagasaki-ken
Hirado-shi
Kagami-cho 12
Tel: 0950 22 2236
Admission: 500 yen
Hirado's other attractions include William Adam's Memorial at his graveside, Tabira Church, and the English Factory established with the help of Adams.
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Monday, December 13, 2010
Ninnanji Temple Guardians
仁王さん仁和寺
Protecting the massive gate in front of Kyoto's Ninnaji Temple are two Nio-san.
These are massive guardian statues set in enclosed areas on the right and left of the temple entrance.
The one pictured above is on the right side of the gate.
Ninnaji is a spacious and elegant temple in western Kyoto. It was founded in the early part of the 9th century and was originally the summer home for the emperor.
Information
A short walk from Omuro Station on the Kitano line of the Keifuku Railway.
Buses #10, #26, and #59 all stop at Ninnaji-mae.
33 Ouchi Omuro
Ukyo-ku
Kyoto
075-461-1155
There is a 400 yen entrance fee to the sub-temple on your left as you enter. The rest of the complex is free.
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Sunday, December 12, 2010
Japan News This Week 12 December 2010
今週の日本
Japan's Graying Prison Population
New Zealand Herald
Japanese prisons face swelling elderly population
Washington Post
Japan targeted on Kyoto climate stance at Cancun Summit
BBC
Bated breath as Norwegian Wood film opens in Japan
Guardian
Ebizo's alleged assailant arrested
Japan Times
Bombardement de Yonpyong : Washington met Pékin face à ses responsabilités
Le Monde
Japón se planta y eleva el tono de la negociación a solo 24 horas del final de la cumbre del clima
El Pais
Japanese Atrocities on Nauru during the Pacific War: The murder of Australians, the massacre of lepers and the ethnocide of Nauruans
Japan Focus
Athletics fail to reach deal with Japan’s Iwakuma
Yahoo Sports
Last Week's News
Statistics
In 2009, the percentage of Japanese women whose first child was conceived prior to wedlock was 25.3%. Broken down by age group:
Teenage mothers: 81.5%
Mothers in 20s: 63.6%
Mothers in 30s: 12.1%
Source: Asahi Shinbun
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Saturday, December 11, 2010
Tokyo Monorail To Haneda Airport International Terminal Station
東京モノレール
The Tokyo Monorail connects Hamamatsucho Station to Haneda Airport.
Haneda Airport now has international flights to Asia, America and Europe after the opening of the new international terminal and the Haneda Airport International Terminal Station on October 21, 2010.
Built in 1964 as part of the Tokyo Olympics development, the cars of the Tokyo Monorail still have that 60s feel to them.
From Haneda Airport International Terminal Station the Tokyo Monoral links to Shin-Seibijō (新整備場), Haneda Airport Terminal 1 (羽田空港第1ビル) and Haneda Airport Terminal 2 (羽田空港第2ビル).
The Haneda Express takes 19 minutes to Haneda Airport Terminal 2 and just 13 minutes to Haneda Airport International Terminal Station from Hamamatsucho Station on the Yamanote Line. Local trains take 18 minutes to Haneda Airport International Terminal Station and Rapid trains 15 minutes.
From Monorail Hamamatsu the stations on the Tokyo Monorail are Tennozu Isle, Oi Keibajo-mae, Ryutsu Center, Showajima, Seibijo, Tenkubashi, Haneda Airport International Terminal Station, Shin Seibijo, Haneda Airport Terminal 1 and Haneda Airport Terminal 2.
Suica and a number of other IC cards can be used on the Tokyo Monorail including: Icoca, Kitaca, Pasmo, Sugoca, Toica and Nimoca.
The standard fare from Monorail Hamamatsu to Haneda Airport International Terminal Station is 470 yen.
Tokyo Monorail
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Friday, December 10, 2010
Toei-Oedo Line Tokyo
都営地下鉄大江戸線
The Toei-Oedo Subway Line in Tokyo opened in 2000 and is the second-longest linear motor subway line after the Nagahori Tsurumi-ryokuchi Line in Osaka.
The Toei-Oedo is also one of the most expensive metro lines ever built in Japan and was 10 years in construction. The line loops from Tocho-mae in Shinjuku with an extension from Tocho-mae to Hikarigaoka.
Important stations for connections to other lines include Ueno-Okachimachi, Iidabashi, Daimon, Shinjuku, and Nerima.
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Thursday, December 09, 2010
Ginkgo
イチョウ
Tokyo, among numerous other Japanese cities, is full of gingko trees (Ginkgo biloba), and autumn in Tokyo is characterized by the vivid yellow of the gingko's fallen leaves, and the distinctive smell (AKA the stench) of its seeds.
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Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Kodo’s 2010 December Concerts
鼓動 コンサート
Kodo's 2010 December Concerts Bring 2010 to a Close with 12 Shows Across 8 Cities Throughout Japan
Since their auspicious debut in 1981 at Berlin Symphonie Hall, Kodo has emerged as Japan's premiere performing arts group, setting the standard for ensemble taiko throughout the world. Touring eight months of the year both domestically and internationally, the group's annual
journey culminates every year in the annual December Concert series. The December Concerts are a chance for Kodo to regroup and review the year past, as well as to debut new material for the year to come.
This year, in addition to the regular opening night on Sado Island and performances in Niigata, Osaka, Nagoya, and Tokyo, 2010 will also see shows in Ashikaga, Sendai and Yokohama for a total of 12 shows throughout eight cities taking place December 1 through 19.
Artistic Director Mitsuru Ishizuka found his inspiration for this year's December Concerts in the Kodo Rehearsal Hall, a pivotal part of Kodo Village where the group lives and trains. The Rehearsal Hall is the bedrock of creation for Kodo performances and the starting point for the group's vigorous training program. Ishizuka designed this show to capture the atmosphere of this very special place: the enthusiasm, tension, stillness, breath, and fellowship felt between taiko and humans in this hallowed hall.
“The taiko clustered together on the stage, while based on the layout of the Rehearsal Hall, also conjures up the scene of a Japanese shrine,”explains Ishizuka.“People gather at a shrine to sing, dance, and drum so that their prayers may reach the heavens. In the same way, all of us at Kodo gather in our rehearsal hall and on stage day after day, singing, dancing, and playing the drums, in hopes that the sound of the taiko will reach as many people as possible.”
As always, the December Concert program features both classic compositions from the Kodo repertoire that have earned the group an avid following across the globe, and new compositions, such as Stride, written by Ishizuka himself and designed to make use of all of the drums in the group’s arsenal. This piece speaks of the “strides” Kodo has taken to date and the journeys that lie ahead, a perfect metaphor for the December Concerts’ year-end finale shows.
As Kodo turns the corner on three decades of history and the group prepares to enter its 30th anniversary year, the 2010 December Concerts are sure to carry a special celebratory energy and pizazz.
Ticket information and further details can be found on JapanVisitor's What's on in Tokyo and Kyoto page.
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Tuesday, December 07, 2010
Kirin Beer Park Nagoya
If you are a fan of Japanese beer, then a trip to the Kirin Beer Park in Biwajima just one stop on the JR Chuo Line from Nagoya Station might be for you.
Turn right out of Biwajima Station and a regular free bus will ferry you to the brewery.
The rather long-winded tour (in Japanese) introduces the visitor to the main ingredients of beer, plus the history of beer and the production facilities at the Nagoya brewery, which supplies the whole of the Chubu area.
The highlight of the tour is how to learn to pour a perfect glass of Kirin in three easy stages.
Participating on the tour allows the visitor two free draft Kirin beers. There is also a shop and a restaurant on the premises.
Kirin Beer Park
Kiyosu
452-8562
Tel: 052 408 2000
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Monday, December 06, 2010
Kuko Line Fukuoka Subway
空港線
The Kuko (Airport) Line is one of the three subway lines in Fukuoka, Kyushu's largest city.
The Kuko Line operates from Meinohama in Nishi Ward to Fukuokakuko (Fukuoka Airport) in Hakata Ward. The line is represented by an orange (or red) color on Fukuoka subway maps.
Known officially as Line 1, the Kuko Line connects with the JR Chikuhi Line for trains to Karatsu and has stops at Hakata Station (for shinkansen links) and Tenjin Station.
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Sunday, December 05, 2010
Japan News This Week 5 December 2010
今週の日本
Okinawa Re-elects Opponent of U.S. Base
New York Times
Japan, U.S. begin joint military exercises
CNN
Japan: Debt, demographics and deflation
BBC
Cancún climate change summit: Japan Kyoto shocker might be good news
Guardian
Nissan rolls out Leaf electric car in Japan
Washington Post
美国武力施压能否迫使中国就范
Caijing
Kan seen at critical turning point
Japan Times
Japan fear China the biggest obstacle to World Cup
Yahoo Sports
Last week's Japan news
Japan Statistics
Children born to unmarried women:
Japan: 2.1%
Greece: 5%
Italy: 20.7%
Sweden: 54.7%
Source: Time
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Saturday, December 04, 2010
Please Do It Again Tokyo Subway
またやろう
The "Please Do It Again" better manners campaign on the Tokyo subway this month has our hero conspicuously turning off his mobile phone in front of an admiring mother and kid.
Previous posters in the "Please Do It Again" series have included a young man giving up his seat to a man on crutches.
The initial "Do It At Home" campaign featured a young woman applying her make up on the trains and talking on her mobile phone. Other targets have been drunks sprawled over the seats, young people taking up too much room and a commuter shaking an umbrella over fellow travelers on the stairs.
The man behind the striking manga-like designs is Bunpei Yorifuji, an admirer of the American pop-artist Edward Hopper and ukiyo-e master Hokusai.
Yorifuji bases his monthly designs on common complaints made to Tokyo Metro's Customer Relations Center (Tel: 03-3941-2030).
Tokyo Metro has been running its "manner poster" campaign since 1974.
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Friday, December 03, 2010
Sky Tree Highest Structure In Japan
東京スカイツリー
In a tale of two towers, I visited both the Tokyo Sky Tree and Tokyo Tower (333m) as the former has surpassed the latter as the highest structure in Japan since March.
The addition of a lightning conductor took the Tokyo Sky Tree Tower to 511m on Wednesday and when it is completed in 2012, the tower will become the world's tallest stand-alone communications tower at 634m.
Construction began on this super modern looking broadcasting tower in July 2008, and completion is scheduled for March/April 2012. But it is touted as more than just a broadcasting tower. It is also a landmark, on which much has been lavished in terms of design and technological expertise.
And it is also a "town with a tower," to become a 3 hectare complex that includes commercial, academic, and museum facilities, including a high rise building. The two observatories, one at 350m, the second at 450m, will include restaurants and shops.
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