The Tokyo Traveler

Tokyo’s Imperial Hotel has a long and distinguished history. The hotel opened in 1890 across from the Imperial Palace in a impressive Victorian style building that for many decades was the only fully European style hotel in Tokyo. In 1923, the hotel opened a fabulous new building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright which stood until 1968 when the deteriorating building was dismantled, and parts of it rebuilt at Meijimura, a sort of Japanese Williamsburg, outside Nagoya. Parts of Frank Lloyd Wright’s 1923 building were preserved and can be found in the new facility which opened in 1970.

If you are a fan of Frank Lloyd Wright or just want to see some of the decor from the 1923 hotel be sure to stop by the Old Imperial Bar for a drink or just wander through the lobby of this Tokyo landmark.

Standard room rates start at Y37,800 ($378 US) and run up to Y1,050,000 ($1,050 US) for a suite on one of the Imperial Floors.

IMPERIAL HOTEL TOKYO (map)
1-1, Uchisaiwai-cho 1-chome, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-8558
TEL: +81-3-3504-1111
FAX: +81-3-3581-9146

Photo Credit: Flickr, imperial hotel & Wikipedia, Imperial Hotel Wright House

One of the coolest things that you can do when you come to Tokyo is eat at a Kaitenzushi restaurant.  This month marks the 50th anniversary of this very cool dining experience where your sushi is brought to you on a conveyor belt.  The Daily Yomiuri reports that the first conveyor belt sushi restaurant opened in 1958 in Osaka. 

“Operator Yoshiaki Shiraishi equipped a sushi restaurant counter with a revolving belt after seeing a conveyer belt at a beer factory and thinking that it could reduce the work of waitstaff….Shiraishi dreamed of making sushi, which was once considered a luxury food, affordable for common people.”

Shiraishi-san has succeeded - there are about 4,000 revolving sushi restaurants currently operating in Japan.  You won’t necessarily get the best quality sushi at a Kaitenzushi restuarant but it will likely be better than you are used to at home and the prices are reasonable.   Just take what you want off the conveyor belt and stack up the empty plates for your server to count up when you are done.   The color of the plate determines the price of your selection.

This video of a Kaitenzushi conveyor belt in action will help you identify some of the dishes and is just fun to watch!

Photo Credit: Flickr, IM000394  Video: YouTube, The KAITEN-SUSHI(sushi bar)

An exhibit titled “Renoir + Renoir” will be on display at the Bunkamura Museum of Art until May 6th. The exhibit focuses on two great masters — painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir (1841-1919) and his son Jean Renoir (1894-1979).

Both men had a love of nature and depicted joyful scenes in their work. On display are 50 paintings by the elder Renoir, including “The Swing” (1876) and “The Country Dance” (1883), and still photographs from 15 films directed by the younger Renoir, including “A Day in the Country” (1936) and “Picnic on the Grass” (1959).

The Bunkamura Museum of Art describes the show as follows:

The show illuminates the close relationship and common devotion to their vocation shared by father and son, through people and places they were familiar with or by direct comparisons of master works from each. This unique-style exhibition will be held for the first time in Japan with the full cooperation from the Orsay Museum in Paris.

Event Details:

Dates: Feb. 2-May 6, 2008.
Location: The Bunkamura Museum of Art (next to Tokyu Honten department store)
Directions. 7-min. walk from Hachiko Exit, JR Shibuya Station (map)
Hours: 10 a.m.-7 p.m. (Fri. & Sat. till 9 p.m.; from April 26, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.)
Admission: ¥1,400 (Adult)

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

This past weekend, at Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, 84 babies participated in the ‘crying’ sumo contest or Nakizumo. The first baby to cry or the loudest crier is deemed the winner! Like the other traditions surrounding Children’s day, this event is held to pray for children’s healthy growth.

CNN has put a photo show up documenting the event. It is worth a look as some of these babies are just too cute!

Photo Credit: Flickr, Baby crying competition

A report on the disturbing increase of cyber-bullying on Japan’s school websites.

Japanese men are turning to spa treatments and anti-aging products offered by a local department store.

Some great shots of Geisha in Japan in this slide show from Yahoo! News.

Learn a little bit about how recycling is done in Japan - it’s not that easy!

A new center has opened in Tokyo to help an estimated 2,000 internet cafe refugees get back on their feet.

Ok, this one is not Tokyo related but an overall travelers philosophy.  Check out some great travel tips from Sir Francis Bacon (via World Hum).

Photo Credit:  Flickr, abucho_034

If you want to check out what’s new and hip in Tokyo, take a walk down Takeshita Dori. This ‘back alley’ in the Harajuku neighborhood has a distinctive entrance and is lined with shops, cafes and fast food outlets catering to the young and hip in Tokyo.

The quarter mile long (400 meter) strip is one of the symbols of the Harajuku area and has been know to spawn many fashion trends in Japan. Even if you aren’t hip and young you will enjoy Takeshita Dori for the people watching alone!

The last time I was on Takeshita Dori I saw a mod star wars character posing for photographs, a couple of french maids and a number of different hair colors on some oddly dressed young people. It was definitely entertaining and the next time I’m in the neighborhood I’ll be sure to check it out again.

Takeshita Dori is located across the street from the Harajuku Station about a block down on the left.

Photo Credit: Personal Collection

The Japan Craft Beer Association is hosting the 11th annual Great Beer Festival. What will you find there? Why, beer, and lots of it!

For Y4,800 (Y4,300 in advance) you can sample 1.7 ounce portions of 120 different micro brewed beers in the Garden Hall at Yebisu Garden Place. Beers are separated into 76 beer styles in 12 categories so you are bound to find one that you like! You might even get to taste the next big beer as all beers showcased at the Great Beer Festival are required to be on sale currently or within the next six months in Asia.

The event is Earth friendly too - your entry fee gets you a glass that you re-use for each tasting. Don’t forget to say “Kampai!” (cheers!) as you toss back all those great beers!

Event Details
Dates:
Monday, May 5, 2008, 14:30 to 19:00(Last call 30 min. before closing)
Tuesday, May 6, 2008, 11:30 to 16:30 (Last call 30 min. before closing)
Location: Garden Hall at Yebisu Garden Place
Admission: Y4,800 yen per person per day (Y4,300 in advance)
Directions: Ebisu Station, take the east exit and hop on the Skywalk

Photo Credit: Flickr, Beer

On a overcast day in Tokyo it felt as if I had been transported back to the days of Edo. Under a peaceful canopy of greenery and cherry blossoms, magnificent horses and their riders (ite), dressed in traditional hunting attire (a-ge-shozoku), thundered down a narrow 240 meter track (baba), taking aim at three targets with their bow (shigedo) and arrow (ebira) along the way. I was watching a demonstration of Jabusame (Japanese archery on horseback), a martial art dating back about 900 years.

Royal guards or local samurai displayed their skills in exhibitions of Jabusame as a form of entertainment for the nobility as early as 809. After the decline of the nobility the practice of Jabusame continued as a martial art that was considered exercise for young samurai, not only in horsemanship and archery but also in concentration, discipline and refinement.

The practice of Jabusame is considered spiritual by many and the demonstration started with a procession of officials from the Dempoin Temple in Asakusa. Drummers, beating the yose-no-taiko (attacking signal), led the procession down the Nakamise, with the five story pagoda as a backdrop, to the Asakusa shrine where the procession paused and, with a solemn bow, petitioned the Gods for good fortune in battle.

The procession continued on to Sumida koen (park) and down the length of the baba with the mounted ite following in all of their finery. The stage was set for a fine display of Jabusame which starts when the Bugyo (head official) raises his fan to confirm that all the targets (shikinomato) are in place and the track is safe.

The ite then set their horse to a full gallop and guide their mounts with their knees as they take aim at the three shikinomato spaced 80 meters apart along the baba.

With a shout of “In-Yo!”, meaning to align the spirit and soul with the universe, they release the ebira towards the shikinomato.

If their aim is true, the ite will be able to celebrate, with a smile of satisfaction, the shattering of the shikinomato and the resulting shower of confetti, as the crowd cheers on loudly.

Check out this video of Jasubame and you will see how you could, if just for a moment, believe that you were back in old Edo.

Photo Credit: Personal Collection, Sources (History): Ogasawara - ryu website, Encyclopedia of Shinto Yabusame page, The Takeda School of Horseback Archery

Kodomo no hi (Children’s Day) is observed in Japan on May 5th. The event is celebrated by hanging carp streamers (koi-nobori) and displaying samurai dolls and helmets (kabuto) in and around the home.

Kodomo no hi was originally the day that Japanese families would pray for the health, strength and future success of their sons. This holiday said to have originated in ancient China as Tango no Sekku which was held on the fifth day of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar. The Chinese believe that the 5th month is one for purification and rituals were performed during the month to ward off evil spirits thus protecting the crops and people. It is unclear when this holiday was adopted in Japan but I have read that ancient Samurai families began the tradition of displaying samurai dolls and helmets (kabuto) to protect their sons as early as 600AD.

In 1948 the day was declared a national holiday and was renamed “Children’s Day”. Today the holiday celebrates the happiness of all children, both boys and girls.

Over the years, the carp streamers have come to symbolize this day and almost every home and business will be flying a koi-nobori. You may also see the amazing sight of koi-nobori stretched, row upon row, across various rivers and canals throughout Japan. It is said that because the carp can swim upstream in heavy currents it represents strength and the courage needed to overcome hardships in life.

Photo Credit: Personal Collection & Flickr, carp streamers

You may have heard of Golden Week if you live in a popular destination for Japanese tourists but do you really know what Golden Week is?  Golden Week runs from Tuesday, April 29th through Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 and there are four national holidays during this 8 day period.  Many Japanese take this opportunity to maximize their vacation days and plan overseas trips or trips within Japan during this period. 

Many smaller business close completely during this period so if you are planning a trip to Tokyo during Golden Week be sure to confirm that any of the more offbeat places that you plan on visiting will be open.  Most touristy destinations and larger stores are not affected by these closures.

If you plan on visiting or transiting through Tokyo during this period expect extremely heavy traffic at the airports and on the trains and roadways.  Tourist destinations are also very crowded so be prepared.

So how did Golden Week get it’s name?  “Golden Week” is a variation “Golden Time”, a term used by Japanese radio to identify the period with the highest listener ratings.  In 1951, the managing director of Daiei Films coined the term when he noticed that during this period of national holidays in early May the attendance at movie theaters spiked.  Participation and revenue resulting from other leisure activities also rose dramatically during this timeframe and the moniker “Golden Week” stuck. 

Here is a list of the national holidays during Golden Week:

April 29th - Showa Day (Showa no hi)
The birthday of former Emperor Showa who died in 1989.
May 3rd - Constitution Day (Kenpo kinenbi)
On this day in 1947, the new post war constitution was put into effect.
May 4th - Greenery Day (Midori no hi)
The day is dedicated to the environment and nature and was formerly celebrated in combination with Showa Day due to the Emperor’s love of plants and nature.
May 5th - Children’s Day (Kodomo no hi)
Formerly Boy’s Day, this is the day when families pray for the health and future success of their children.

Photo Credit: Flickr, 57192769    Source: Wikipedia, Golden Week (Japan)