The Tokyo Traveler

Absolut Icebar Tokyo is the first permanent icebar in Japan and when it opened in February of 2006 it was the first Abbsolut Icebar outside of Europe.  Everything in the bar from the walls to the bar itself, the tables and chairs and even your glass is made from crystal clear ice from the Torne River in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden.
Cover is Y3,500 for a 45 minute visit, long enough as the temperature is kept at a chilly minus 5 degrees Celsius year around, and includes a cape to keep you warm during your stay and a Vodka cocktail (or non-alcoholic …read more

2 Comments

The cow-munity is made up of over 70 pieces of bovine art in Tokyo’s Marunouchi district and they aren’t just loafing around!  They are part of Cow Parade 2008. Fiberglass replicas of cows and calves have been decorated by local celebrities and the resulting bovine art won’t be put out to pasture after this unique art exhibit in downtown Tokyo, they will be auctioned off to support social welfare organizations.
I found eighteen cows as I walked along Marunouchi-Nakadori Avenue between Yurakucho and Tokyo Stations.  The artists created some surreal cows – some were subdued, many were very bright and a …read more

14 Comments

Are you fascinated with how people live? Do you want to get a better understanding of how the village of Edo started out and grew to become the sprawling, multi-faceted metropolis that is Tokyo today? Then you should visit the Fukugawa Edo Museum. The Fukagawa Edo Museum presents a fascinating reproduction of downtown Edo in the mid-19th century. The warehouses and stores have been painstakingly recreated along with a typical street of row houses where you can see the humble abode of a fisherman, a typical kitchen from the era and the living room that must have …read more

1 Comment

The 1954 movie Godzilla was a sensation in Japan, in fact, Godzilla starred in 28 movies between 1954 and 2004. There have been television series, comics, and even books written about Godzilla, and he even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Godzilla is a big hit, over one hundred million people have been admitted to Godzilla movies in Japan alone, and he even has statue in the Yurakucho area of Tokyo. The statue is small when compare to the lizard’s legend, but fans of the movie won’t want to miss it!

The statue was erected in 1995 …read more

1 Comment

Today I will answer the first of the many great questions that I received when I asked “What do YOU want to know about Tokyo?” More of the questions and answers will follow during the month of June so stay tuned…
Andrea Kirkby from The London Traveler said:I remember a great song by the Pogues called ‘Pachinko Dream’ which had the most compulsive little mandolin riff I’ve ever heard together with sampled real pachinko sounds. Now, I want to know where to find a real pachinko parlor – and how you play it….

Pachinko parlors are everywhere in Japan and they …read more

12 Comments

Yutaka Shinohara is one of the few people in Japan who continues on the ancient tradition of making hand-blown glass wind chimes or Edo Furin.   After the hand-blown glass balls are created they are then painted on the inside to create one of a kind pieces of art. Shinohara-san has been blowing glass furin for 45 years and  you can visit his studio, Shinohara Furin Hompo, to see the process in action and even make one of your own! 
Edo Furin were made as far back as 1600 and are thought to have been brought to Japan from China.  …read more

1 Comment

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 …read more

2 Comments

If you pay attention when you are out and about in Japan you will notice that the Japanese make some everyday things into works of art. Manhole covers are one of those things.
The cover to the left is from Chiba Prefecture is quite beautiful considering what it covers. People look at you a little bit funny when you are photographing manhole covers but such is the life of a blogger.
The bird is a tern (koajisashi), the trees are Japanese zelkova (keyaki) and the flower is an Oga Lotus (oga hasu).
So don’t forget to look down as you wander …read more

2 Comments

Located in the Asakusa area and built in 1989 the 22 story Asahi Brewery Headquarters building is said to capture the essence of a sudsy glass of beer. The adjoining Asahi Super Dry Hall was designed by the noted French designer Philippe Starck and the “Flaming Ornament” on the roof is a symbol of Asahi Breweries’ dynamic heart according to the Asahi Breweries web site.
If you are craving a beer after seeing the building from a distance just head over to the Asahi Super Dry Hall where a variety of bars and restaurants can be found.

The “Flaming Ornament” is …read more

6 Comments