Schools and communities sponsor local sports days to celebrate Taiiku no hi and to  encourage children to live an active lifestyle while having some fun with their friends and classmates.

The benefits of a healthy mind and body are not limited to children or one day of the year.  Visitors and residents of Tokyo can participate in the spirit of Taiiku no hi year-round at a variety of venues throughout the city.

How do you celebrate Taiiku no hi?  Here are some suggestions:

Keep  Active in Tokyo

Walk or jog around the bird sanctuary at Kasai Rinkai Koen Park.

Visit Kagurazaka and wind your way through the alleys that were once home to many of the city’s most famous geisha houses.

Stroll through the Imperial Palace East Garden or one of the other beautiful parks & gardens in Tokyo.

Rent a bike in Tokyo or join the monthly hike sponsored by Friends of the Earth, Japan.

Broaden Your Mind in Tokyo

Visit the Mitsuo Aida Museum in Tokyo International Forum to see some beautiful calligraphy and read some inspiring poetry.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Photography Museum offer insights into the history of photography in Japan along with special exhibits covering both contemporary and historical images.

In the spirit of Taiiku no hi make some time to visit the Prince Chichibu Memorial Sports Museum where you will learn about the history of sport in Japan.  The museum has an impressive collection of Olympic Memorabilia and offers exhibits outlining the history of the Olympic Games.

Also on a sporting theme, the Baseball Hall of Fame offers insight into the history of the game in Japan through exhibits on past Olympic and World Baseball Classic teams.  Learn about famous Japanese players of the past and view current team uniforms displayed in a unique locker room setting.

Image Credit:  Flickr, 運動会 Sports day

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Check out some of the videos on the Japan National Tourist Organizations YouTube Channel.

Have you heard about the banana diet fad in Japan?

Allegations of fixed matches and more in the world of Sumo Wrestling.

Tokyo – Eat Like a Local is featured in the October issue of Budget Travel.

Lastly, read about the Jenns family travels in Japan at Intelligent Travel.

Image Credit:  Wikimedia, Iwasa Katsushige 001

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Kasai Rinkai Park first opened to the public in 1989 and is the largest park in Tokyo’s 23 wards. Lovely grassy areas, a barbeque and picnic area and great views of Tokyo Bay from the “Crystal View” structure (pictured above) that was built in 1995 can be enjoyed by everyone who visits.  Tokyo Sea Life Park, housed in partially in it’s signature glass dome, is one of the best aquariums in the Tokyo area and is home to over 530 different species of fish and other aquatic life. 

One of the most impressive features at the aquarium is the Deep Sea Theater where visitors can sit in the center of a huge, 2,200 ton, donut-shaped tank filled with Blue-fin Tuna and watch, enthralled, as these large fish, some as long as three meters, swim rounds swiftly before their eyes.  The museum also offers a variety of interesting exhibits on fish and other aquatic life native to Tokyo Bay, as well as rare fish from tropical, coral filled waters and those from the frigid waters of the Antarctic.  Kids will have a great time at the tidal pool area where they can observe, and even touch, starfish and other creatures that make tidal areas their home.  Tokyo Sea Life park  is open 9:30AM -5 PM daily except Wednesdays (closed Thursday if Wednesday is a public holiday – last tickets sold at 4PM). Admission is Y700 for adults, Y350 for seniors, Y250 for children and free for the disabled and children under 12. (Tokyo Sea Life Park Map – PDF)

Also located in the park is a 27.1 ha bird sanctuary that incorporates a forest, marshlands, and both brackish and freshwater ponds.  A two-story observatory and a paved walking trail with access to a number of watching windows offer visitors a chance to see and photograph native birds in a beautiful natural environment.  Bird lovers and those looking for a relaxing walk away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo will enjoy a stroll through this area of Kasai Rinkai Park.

Finish the day off with a ride on one of Japan’s largest Ferris Wheels.  The Diamond & Flowers Ferris Wheel is 117 meters tall, rotates once every 17 minutes and includes 68 six-seat gondolas.  Views of Tokyo Disneyland, Odaiba and if you visit on a clear day, Mount Fuji can be seen from this Ferris Wheel that is named after the beautiful patterns that can been seen in it’s lights after sunset.  The wheel operates daily from 10AM -8PM (one hour later on weekends and holidays) with admission priced at Y700 (ages 3-69), Y400 (age 70+), Y350 (physically disabled with two wheelchair accessible gondolas). Spend a few hours, or a full day, exploring all that Kasai Rinkai Park has to offer.  The entrance to the park is located just outside of Kasai-Rinkai Koen Station on the JR Keiyo Line and is only 15 minutes by train from Tokyo Station.

Image Credit: Flickr, 大洋の航海者, Ferris Wheel & Personal Collection

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This year, The Peninsula Tokyo becomes only the second officially recognized Japan landmark to be illuminated pink as part of a Global Illumination Campaign.

Tokyo Tower was the first Tokyo landmark to be lit in pink in 2000 and continues the tradition this year.  It is one of the tallest towers in the world and is also one of the places where you can take in the view of the city’s seemingly never-ending skyline.  Why not visit this October to show your support for Breast Cancer Awareness?

The Peninsula Hotel will join the Tokyo Tower this year and will light up its modern facade in pink this month in support of Estee Lauder Group of Companies’ Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Campaign.   The Peninsula Tokyo will also offer a range of pink-themed promotions in its restaurants during the month, with a portion of proceeds going to the Estee Lauder Group of Companies’ Japan’s local breast cancer charities.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government buildings were also illuminated pink in honor of breast cancer awareness and hosted a number of events and lectures on how to help detect the disease.

On a personal note, I want to pay tribute to my friend, Jeanine, who recently lost her 10-year plus battle with breast cancer but taught many of those around her how to bravely face adversity and make the most of what is precious in life.  For me, the pink lights of Tokyo and other cities around the world are not only a valuable reminder to be ever vigilant in the battle against breast cancer but also a memorial of sorts to all of the brave women and men who have have lost their battle with this disease but fight on in spirit.

For more information about breast cancer, turn to Pink Ribbon Review, where Karen Lynch blogs about raising breast cancer awareness year round.

Image Credit:   Flickr, TokyoTower is illuminated with Pink lights with Ukai Tofu restaurant., the Met. Gov. #2 in Pink Ribbon 2008 & Personal Collection

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