July 16th, 2008
Hello Kitty is a busy feline these days, and at thirty-four she is not showing any signs of slowing down, in fact she is busier than ever. Hello Kitty was recently named Tourism Ambassador to China and Hong Kong and she will be featured on limited edition postage stamps that will go on sale […]
By Shane -- 1 comment
June 26th, 2008
The yukata is a type of kimono worn during the summer months by both men and women in Japan. Usually made of 100% cotton, they are light weight and comfortable to wear in the hot summer months.
The Japanese don yukata when they head out to festivals, use them as a robe after a bath, at […]
By Shane -- 3 comments
June 23rd, 2008
If you find yourself in need of some retail therapy while in Tokyo check out Omotesando Hills.
Located in trendy Omotesando and opened in 1996, this innovative mall boasts six floors of retail space, three of which are underground, and two floors for residential use. There are three wings, all of which front Ometesando Dori […]
By Shane -- 0 comments
June 9th, 2008
Did you know that the use of disposable chopsticks is contributing to the decimation of forests in China?
Asia’s appetite for chopsticks has resulted in the loss of 25 million trees a year in China and since the start of the decade and the country has exported over 165,000 tonnes of chopsticks, with 15 […]
By Shane -- 3 comments
June 5th, 2008
Between the Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace you will find the ultra modern Marunouchi District of Tokyo. The shining Shin-Marunouchi Building is the newest building on the block and is one of the largest shopping and dining complexes in front of Tokyo Station.
The high-rise tower reaches a height of 198m (650 feet) and […]
By Shane -- 1 comment
May 30th, 2008
The Kagurazaka district is located in the center of Tokyo, in the middle of JR Yamanote Line. The area is famous for its lively main street, Kagurazaka-Dori (Dori means “street.”) and it’s winding cobblestone alleyways. The name Kagurazaka is a combination of kagura (a shrine-dance to music) and saka (hill) and evokes the […]
By Shane -- 4 comments
May 26th, 2008
The Oriental Bazaar claims to be the biggest art & antiques store in Tokyo. It’s definitely a one stop shop for all of your souvenir needs so, if you are strapped for time and need a memento from your trip then this is the place for you!
In the basement you will find Kinomo, Yukata, Geta, […]
By Shane -- 1 comment
May 13th, 2008
Did you know that there are over 1400 types of chopsticks and 1,100 different ways to hold them? There are even rules about what you should and shouldn’t do with your chopsticks. The Japanese term for chopsticks is hashi and Ginza Natsuno is a store dedicated to everything beautiful about hashi!
On a visit […]
By Shane -- 5 comments
April 26th, 2008
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 […]
By Shane -- 0 comments
April 10th, 2008
Junichi Nakahara (1916-1983) was prominent artist well know for his water color paintings, illustrations, fashion design, interior decor and doll making. In the 1920s and 1930s his illustrations of young girls with big eyes were very famous and you can see the art deco influence on his work. The style of his illustrations […]
By Shane -- 0 comments
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