The Tokyo Traveler » Yurakucho http://www.thetokyotraveler.com About Tokyo for travelers, visitors, and residents. Wed, 10 Dec 2008 08:30:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 en hourly 1 Oedo Antique Market http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/09/oedo-antique-market/ http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/09/oedo-antique-market/#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2008 11:00:26 +0000 http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/oedo-antique-market/ Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

]]> The Oedo Antique Market is held the first and third Sunday each month in the courtyard of the Tokyo International Forum.  The event started in 2003 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the Edo Shogunate and has grown to include more than 250 licensed antique dealers in the ensuing years.

What will you find at the Oedo Antique Market?  The selection varies but you will likely find a selection of Japanese artwork, possibly some ukiyo-e (woodblock) prints and maybe some old Japanese signs that you could take home and display as a great souvenir from your trip.image 

There are sure to be a selection of vintage kimonos and obi for you to peruse along with jewelry, Japanese ceramics, dolls and figurines.  You may also find the display of antique house wares intriguing and may even be tempted to pick up a Japanese screen to take home with you. 

The Oedo Antique Market market offers a glimpse into the way the Japanese lived and the things that they value from the Edo period, through the Meiji period, to the present day. Images from recent markets show that this is a fairly laid back event that can be enjoyed by antique lovers looking of their next treasure or the simply those who want to browse the history of Japan through the items on display. 

Event Details

Upcoming Dates:  September 7 & 21, October 5 & 19, and November 2 & 16
Hours:  9AM – 4PM
Location:  Courtyard of Tokyo International Forum (access map) with easy access from a number of train stations including Tokyo Station and Yurakucho Station.

The Oedo Antique Market is an outdoor event that may be canceled due to heavy rain.  Please check the Oedo Antique Market website for updates if the weather is questionable.

Image Credit: Flickr, japanese dolls

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

]]> http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/09/oedo-antique-market/feed/ 2 Godzilla Still Terrorizes Tokyo http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/07/godzilla-still-terrorizes-tokyo/ http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/2008/07/godzilla-still-terrorizes-tokyo/#comments Sat, 05 Jul 2008 11:00:54 +0000 http://www.thetokyotraveler.com/godzilla-still-terrorizes-tokyo/ Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

]]> Godzilla Movie Poster 1954The 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!

Gogzilla2

Gogzilla1The statue was erected in 1995 to commemorate the lizards “passing” in the 1995 film Godzilla vs Destroyer and it sits in a plaza along with the handprints of over 60 film and music stars from Japan.

The statue is a bit hard to find but if you look for The Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries on this map, you will find Godzilla in the vicinity of the second “i” in “Fisheries”, about a five minute walk from the Yurakucho station in central Tokyo.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia, Gojira 1954 poster 2 & Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

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