The Tokyo Traveler

Parades and parties are on the Halloween calendar in Tokyo!  Summer and O-bon is the season of ghosts in Japan, but Tokyoites have embraced the fall fun of a western-style Halloween with a few events around the city. Participate or just watch the Hello Halloween Pumpkin Parade down Omotesando-dori towards Harajuku.  The festivities in the area run from 11AM to 6PM on October 26th.
Tokyo Disney’s Halloween 2008 got an early start on September 12th and will run through October 31st.  Feel free to visit the park in costume but be sure to check the costume guidelines before heading out.
Adults …read more

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A 1,000 mile overland race, La Festa Mille Miglia, will kick off from Harajuku on October 11th and traverse through Tokyo, Fukushima, Tochigi and Kanagawa prefectures before finishing in Yokohama on the 14th. 
One hundred and sixteen classic cars will compete in the 12th running of this race where the average driver is 50 years old and no replica automobiles or cars built after 1967 are permitted to race.  A 1923 BUGATTI BRESCIA T22 is the oldest car in the race while a 1967 TOYOTA 2000GT MF10 is the youngest.  Ferraris, Aston Martins, MGs and Alfa Romeos are also among …read more

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H&M, the trendy budget conscious fashion retailer, is set to open three new stores in Tokyo over the next year and on Saturday, September 13th they will celebrate the grand opening of their first Tokyo Store in the fashionable Ginza district.  They will follow with a store in Harajuku in November and another in trendy Shibuya next fall.
In reporting on the openings, Japan Marketing News describes the various locations and talks about the challenges that H&M faces entering the fickle Japan fashion market.  H&M was established in Sweden in 1947 and has over 1,400 stores in 28 countries.  H&M has …read more

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What Tokyo’s Lolita scene is all about – it’s not what you might think. 
A great photo of a rainy Shibuya crossing was featured at Intelligent Travel.
Learn more than you ever wanted to know about Japanese socks including why they are good for the health of your feet.
Japan’s surf culture is alive and well in ancient Kamakura.
Innovation in Japan is being held back by an ageing population.
This week marked the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima & Nagasaki. 
Lastly, don’t forget to participate in the Japan Blog Matsuri by submitting your Impressions of Tokyo by August 20th. I …read more

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Forbes has put together a list of Japan’s 10 Most Popular Tourist Attractions and a companion slide show with some great images.  According to Forbes,
“When foreigners go to Japan, Tokyo tops their list of places to see. Seven of the 10 most-visited destinations in the country are in the capital, according to the Japan National Tourist Organization.”

The article offers a brief overview of Asakusa, Ginza, Harajuku, Shinjuku and other areas that have been mentioned here at The Tokyo Traveler and it is worth a read if you are planning a trip to Japan.
Photo Credit:  Personal Collection

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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 which is lined with beautiful Japanese zelkova trees the entire length of the mall (almost three blocks).
In the mall you will find a selection of restaurants, gallery spaces along with many fashion and lifestyle stores. Most of the stores are Japanese but some American …read more

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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, laquerware, decorative panels and toys. The main floor has a wide selection of Japanese china, postcards and stationery and the upper floor offers a selection of antiques, screens, art prints and books. The store definitely caters to the tourist crowd but it’s enjoyable …read more

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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 to the branch in Harajuku I was amazed by the variety of hashi available. The walls were covered with hashi in almost every color of the rainbow and there were sizes and styles that I had never seen before.
When you purchase hashi the correct …read more

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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

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