Japan Visitor BlogJapan Visitor BlogWhat's on in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Kyoto, Japan Articles
Tsunoshima
2008-03-15 04:17:00 ??Viewers of Japanese TV may recognize this bridge as it is the setting for a car commercial that is currently being shown. It is the 1780m long Tsunoshima Bridge , and when it was built in 2000 it was the longest toll-free bridge in Japan. Since then a longer bridge has been built in Okinawa.Tsunoshima is just off the coast of north eastern Yamaguchi Prefecture. A little over 4 square kilometers in size, and with a coastline of 17 kilometers, less than 1000 people live there, but the bridge cost a staggering 15,000,000,000 yen, which works out at about 150,000 USD per inhabitant.Tsunoshima means "Horn Island" and refers to the shape of island like a pair of cow horns. Cattle have been raised here since the eighth century.There is a fine beach on the island that attracts swimmers and even surfers.The first modern lighthouse on the Japan Sea coast is here, it was the last of 26 lighthouses built in Japan in 1876 by the "Father of Japanese Lighthouses", Briton Richard Henry Burton (184... More About: Shimonoseki
Kansai International Airport
2008-03-14 03:11:00 ??????Serving the Kinki region of western Japan--which includes Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe , and Nara--Kansai International Airport is the most elegant airport in Japan. Designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano, it is also the largest airport in Japan after Tokyo's Narita. In addition, it is both easy to use and easy on the eyes.Whereas Narita calls to mind a very large, very crowded bus terminal, Kansai is all light and space and a dramatic swooping roof. The ceiling looks like outstretched wings, an apt metaphor, with its airfoil roof.The terminal building also can boast that at 1.7 km from end to end it is the longest in the world. Taking advantage of all that ceiling space, the design team has installed mobiles throughout the terminal.The soft color scheme of the interior also seems have been chosen to ease pre-flight stress a bit.Shopping at Kansai International Airport does not compare to Centrair, in Nagoya. However, there is the usual selection of stores: a drug store, electronics ...
Japanese onomatopoeia
2008-03-13 13:20:00 ???Japan ese is rich in onomatopoeia ? words that try to directly capture the sound or feel of something. English has no shortage of it either: vroom, clip-clop, titter, bang, etc. But whereas many of them are considered somewhat inappropriate in ?serious? English (e.g. eentsy weentsy, hoity toity, woof woof, etc.), in other words, peripheral, they are at the very heart of the Japanese language.One of the first you will hear when you start learning Japanese is part of the compliment ?Pera-pera desu ne!,? or ?You?re fluent, aren?t you!?. While pera pera can have a slightly negative meaning too, it is usually reserved for bera bera, which always means something like ?glib voluability? or ?easy prattle?.The real appeal of Japanese onomatopoeia is how they make such a direct non-grammatical appeal to be understood. Many of them, once heard, can never be forgotten. For example, metcha kutcha (the ?ku? pronounced ?coo?), meaning ?a complete mess,??totally mixed up,? ?in utter disorder,? et... More About: Word , Vocabulary , Language
Korankei
2008-03-12 03:50:00 ???Korankei (lit. "Fragrant Storm Valley") is a known beauty-spot outside Toyota city not far from Nagoya .Korankei gets very busy in October and November, when visitors flock to see the autumn leaves. In summer, families with children come here to cool down in the river, in winter the fresh fish and soba noodle restaurants are the biggest draw.There are over 4,000 Japanese maple trees in the area and the pathways and bridges are illuminated at night during the leaf-viewing season.There are Meitetsu buses to Korankei, which is in an area called Asuke, though they are not frequent. If you are coming by car take route 153 from Toyota city.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Korankei maple leaves Nagoya Aichi
Linimo
2008-03-11 05:51:00 ???Built for Aichi Expo 2005, Nagoya 's Linimo service is a Maglev (magnetic-levitated) train and claims to be the first such urban Maglev service.The Linimo runs on an elevated track via nine stations on the approximately 9km-long Tobu Kyuryo Line from Fujigaoka Station on the Higashiyama Subway Line to the terminus at Yakusa Station, which has connections to the Aichi Loop Line.The smooth-running, driver-less trains are not built for speed, unlike the new Maglev service in Shanghai, reaching just 100kph. The service also has to be shut down during strong winds.The Linimo serves the eastern suburbs of Nagoya, Nagakute, and is convenient for visiting the Toyota Automobile Museum near Geidai Dori Station and the Ai Chikyu Haku Kinen Koen (the former site of Aichi Expo 2005 and now returned to a park).The Linimo is not cheap and a ride from Fujigaoka to Yakusa costs 360 yen. A one-day Linimo pass is 800 yen for adults. The first train from Fujigaoka towards Yakusa departs at 5.50am wi... More About: Train
Nagahama Railroad Square
2008-03-10 04:23:00 ????????There is much to do on a fine day in Nagahama, on the eastern shores of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. There are good views of Japan's largest lake from the restored Nagahama Castle, shopping at the flea markets and crafts stores in the Kurokabe Square area and for train buffs, Nagahama Railroad Square is Japan's oldest preserved railway station.Built in 1882, the old Nagahama Station, just a short walk from the new station, has been transformed into an interesting museum. The original brick Meiji-era station building stands intact and new buildings in the same style have been built housing old trains, including a D51 steam train and an early ED70 diesel locomotive. There are also rooms with model trains for the kids and exhibits of historic railway artefacts including the original station clock imported from the US, uniforms, lanterns and photographs.Nagahama was on the old Tsuruga Line (now Hokuriku Line) that linked Tsuruga, an hisoric port on the Japan Sea coast in Fuk... More About: Train , Museum
Japan This Week 9/3/08
2008-03-09 16:15:00 ?????Fitting in, Japan ese style according to a female American executive at Shiseido cosmetics.NY TimesMarunouchi, the area near Tokyo Station is now a fashionable pleace to be.NY TimesAnti-whaling protester claims to have been shot by Japanese coast guard.GuardianProfessor creates an online "bully detector."Daily YomiuriNagoya University researchers recreate a dog's jaw bone from stem cells.Japan TimesDisney to produce anime in Japan.BBCMariners' Ichiro in spring slump.Yahoo! SportsThe Japanese and US economic bubbles.Japan FocusKansai swindler rips off hostesses.MainichiYurika Nakamura wins today's Nagoya International Women's Marathon with Q-chan, Naoko Takahashi, a lowly 27th.International Herald TribuneLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsThe Japanese National Police Agency reported 153,972 cases of shoplifting for the year August 2006 ? 2007. This marks a decline of 3% from the previous year, but is still 36% higher than 5 years ago. The major victims are home centers an... More About: Politics , Week
Toyota Automobile Museum
2008-03-08 05:52:00 ??????Nagoya has two outstanding museums - the Tokugawa Art Museum and the Toyota Automobile Museum. The first displays the riches of the Tokugawa shogunate and its founder, local boy, Tokugawa Ieyasu. The Toyota Automobile Museum showcases the area's new wealth and prestige based on the huge production of cars by local manufacturer Toyota Corp.Drunken salarymen will tell you the success of Toyota is based on the same "Mikawa spirit" that produced the long rule of the Tokugawa. Be that as it may, if you have time, visit the Toyota Automobile Museum - its a superb tribute to the automobile and surely one of the best museums of its type in the world.Situated in Nagakute, to the east of central Nagoya, the Toyota Automobile Museum has exhibits of European and American cars on its second floor and Japanese cars on the third floor. The displays are carefully themed with sections dedicated to historic automobiles, luxury cars and mass production models. The Japanese section has high perf... More About: Cars
Book Review: Japanese Dishes for Wine Lovers
2008-03-07 01:45:00 ????????????Japanese Dishes for Wine Loversby Machiko Chiba112 PagesKodansha International While Japanese food has traditionally been paired with saké, and later shochu and beer, only recently has wine begun to catch on as a pairing for Japanese food. Japanese Dishes For Wine Lovers is the perfect primer for people wanting to make simple and modern Japanese dishes at home and enjoy them with a variety of wines.Machiko Chiba presents fifty-eight delectable and easy-to-follow recipes accompanied by two or three suggested wines and other wine advice for each recipe by J.K. Whelehan and mouthwatering color photographs by Tae Hamamura. Chiba?s recipes are flavorful and yet readily accessible to even the novice home cook.Most of the recipes are simple enough for a weeknight dinner yet delicious and rich enough to serve at any dinner party. A short appendix explains basic preparation techniques ranging from how to cook rice to how to clean a whole squid. The repertoire of dishes reveals a ... More About: Food , Book Review , Review , Book
so desu ne
2008-03-06 16:31:00 ???????????There?s a very useful phrase in Japan ese that goes: ?So desu ne? ("so dess nay"), as in the following conversation between a Boss (A) and a Worker (B). If not convinced, click each "so desu ne" to listen, reading the "translation" in parentheses.SO DESU NEA. Come in, come in. It?s a little cool today, isn?t it? B. So desu ne! (Yes, it is a bit.) A. Looking at the forecast I expected a bit of sun today. B. So desu ne. (Yes, guess I did too.)A. Pull up a chair. There?s one over there. B. So desu ne. (Oh, so there is.)A. Now, how are the March sales figures so far? B. So desu ne. (Hmm, yes, well, erm ?)A. What? You mean this is it? B. So desu ne. (I?m afraid so.)A. We?d done a lot better last year at the same point in time. B. So desu ne. (Yes, I know.)A. What do you think?s the problem? B. So desu ne. (It?s got me beat.)A. Well, That?s it for now then. Forward me that mail you said you got from HKL, won't you. B. So desu ne. (Yep, sure thing.)A. See you at lunch then. B. S... More About: Japanese , Language
Azusa & Super Azusa Trains
2008-03-05 03:06:00 ??????????If you are heading north west from Tokyo towards the delights of Shinshu: Matsumoto Castle, Yokota Onsen, Hakuba and Kamikochi the most comfortable and affordable route is on the Azusa or Super Azusa trains from Shinjuku Station to Matsumoto.These frequent JR trains (about once an hour from Shinjuku Station) take around 2 hours, 30 minutes to reach Matsumoto via Kofu. The service, named after the Azusa River in Matsumoto, started in 1966 with the tilting, 130kph "Super Azusa" commencing service in 1994. Both trains have been completely no-smoking since 2007, something of a rarity in Japan.There is some wonderful countryside to enjoy on your journey from Tokyo to Matsumoto. Fares are around 6500 yen and a JR Rail Pass is valid on this route.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Matsumoto Azusa Super Azusa More About: Train , Trains
Peruvian Music At Kanayama Station
2008-03-04 04:28:00 ?????Listen to the music of Peruvian buskersAichi Prefecture along with nearby Shizuoka Prefecture has the largest numbers of South American residents in Japan. Many of them live in small satellite towns surrounding Nagoya , working in the automotive industry, toiling long hours at low pay to produce parts for such giants as Toyota and Mitsubishi.Sunday is usually the only day off during the week for these workers to relax and persue their interests. Occasionally it is possible to see a couple of Peruvian guys performing a duo of guitar and nosepipe outside the gents' toilet at the main entrance to Kanayama Station . Busking is illegal in public places in Japan and the police turn a blind eye depending on how they feel. Yakuza gangsters may also drop by to take a share of street performers' meagre takings.Copies of the guys' CD are on sale if you ever catch them live.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in Japan... More About: Music , Podcast
Matsumoto Castle
2008-03-03 05:08:00 ???Matsumoto Castle , in Nagano Prefecture, is one of Japan's oldest castles and along with Hikone Castle, Himeji Castle and Inuyama Castle, is designated as a National Treasure.Matsumoto's black painted, wooden keep (donjon) is the oldest surviving such structure in Japan, dating from 1595. The black color gave the castle its nickname "Karasujo" (Crow Castle) and the brooding color was designed to sow fear in the hearts of any approaching attacker. Matsumoto Castle is built on flat ground and has a large moat as a means of defence.Construction of the fortress began under the Ogasawara clan in 1504 and was remodeled by Lord Kazumasa Ishikawa, a retainer of Hideyoshi Toyotomi, in the mid-1590s.The castle has six floors, including the obligatory hidden floor where the samurai rested and kept their powder and food. Visitors to the castle must take off their shoes as they clamber up the steep stairs. There is a commentary in both Japanese and English and exhibits of firearms, armor and...
Japan This Week 2/03/08
2008-03-02 11:44:00 ?????Japan ese police drop rape charges against US marine in Okinawa.NY TimesEmperor's son rebuked over frequency of visits to his parents.GuardianSumo stable master charged over death of 17-year-old apprentice.BBCDefying immigration, Japan looks increasingly to a robot-led future.Washington PostSouth Korea's new President Lee Myung Bak called for better relations with former colonial ruler Japan.Japan TimesJapanese F1 team Super Aguri insists they will make the grid when the Grand Prix season starts on March 16 in Australia.BBCEx-Chunichi Dragons' stay Kosuke Fukudome is fitting in just fine with the Chicago Cubs.Yahoo! SportsNew Asian drivers, Japan, Korea and the lessons of history.Japan FocusTokyo Metropolitan government to crack down on steamy sex photos.MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsTokyo land prices jumped a record 12.4% in the twelve months between July 2006 and July 2007.Over 3 tons of kangaroo meat is consumed in Tokyo per year, increasingly popular for ... More About: Politics , Week
Links for 2008-03-01 [del.icio.us]
2008-03-02 07:00:00 Beijing International Airport Terminal 3 :: Beijing Visitor More About: Links , 2008
Central Post Offices In Japan
2008-03-01 04:52:00 ?????Japan ese central post offices are a real life-saver if you need to post something out of normal office hours. Central post offices are open longer than local post offices and at weekends.Central post offices in big cities such as Tokyo , Nagoya and Kyoto are usually located near the main railway station.For example Nagoya central post office at Nagoya Station is open Monday-Friday 9am-7pm, Saturday 9am-5pm and Sunday 9am-12.30pm. Outside those hours an emergency 24 window is available until the post office reopens fully the next day.Tokyo central post office located at Tokyo Station's Marunouchi Exit is open even longer, Monday-Friday 9am-9pm, Saturday 9am-7pm and Sunday 9am-7pm. Kyoto central post office to your left as you leave the main exit at Kyoto Station has the same hours as Tokyo.District post offices, one per ward (ku), also maintain an after hours window for emergency posting. For example, my district post office in Tenpaku ward in Nagoya is open Monday-Friday 9am-7p... More About: Post , Post Office
Classifying When You Count in Japanese
2008-02-29 04:45:00 ???????Count ing in Japanese is tricky enough as it is.Making things even worse (or more fun?) is that you will need to alter the classifier depending upon what you count.In English, there are "pods" and "prides" that indicate that you are counting or talking about whales and lions. In daily life, though, one is generally spared having to know this. Not so in Japanese.This blog will go over just several of the more common ways of classifying what is being counted.Counting people, for example, you use "nin" ???. Naturally, though, there are exceptions to this rule:One person = "hitori" (???Two people= "futari" ????Three people="san nin" ????When counting non-human creatures, "hiki" ???is used. One cat/dog/insect/fish becomes: "ippiki" ????. Two are "ni hiki" ????.Books and magazines use "satsu" ???. One book or magazine is: "issatsu" ????. Two are "nisatsu" ????.For shoes and socks, one needs "soku" ???. One pair of socks = "kutsushita issoku" ??????.For flat shapes, "mai" ???is what... More About: Kyoto
Chubu International Airport Shopping
2008-02-28 03:45:00 ??????Chubu International Airport or Centrair is Japan's third largest airport after Tokyo's Narita Airport and Kansai International Airport near Osaka.Located on a man-made island off the west coast of the Chita Peninsula to the south of Nagoya , Centrair is only 25 minutes away from Kanayama Station and 30 minutes from Nagoya Station by express train.Centrair is yet to take off as a real Asian hub but if you do find yourself waiting for a flight or an onward connection be sure to visit the Sky Town shopping and dining center on the 4th floor of the airport.Unlike shopping at Narita, Centrair has not really gone down the international brand name route and its shops and restaurants are meant to represent the best of the Chubu area of central Japan.As you ascend the escalator to Sky Town, on your left is a recreation of a number of Meiji-era buildings - Renga Dori (Brick Road) - housing up-market shops, restaurants and cafes. To your right is the faux Edo-Period Chochin Yokocho (Lan... More About: Shopping , Kyushu
Links for 2008-02-26 [del.icio.us]
2008-02-27 07:00:00 Shanghai Travel & Hotel Guide :: Beijing Visitor Shanghai guide More About: Links , 2008
Ichibata Yakushi Temple
2008-02-27 06:48:00 ????, ???Last weekend we took a trip up into the mountains to visit Ichibata Yakushi Temple in Shimane Prefecture. Heavy snowfall deterred all the other tourists, so we had the place to ourselves.Many temples and shrines in Japan become associated with particular benefits, Tenmangu shrines for success with exams, shrines and temples for blessings for cars, Izumo Taisha shrines for finding marriage partners, etc.Ichibata Yakushi Temple, perched on a mountaintop in Shimane Prefecture is the equivalent of a Japanese "Lourdes" for those with any kind of eye complaint, with hundreds of thousands of pilgrims making their way there everyyear.The temple was founded in 894, and was built around a statue of Yakushi Nyorai, the Buddha of medicine and healing.A local fisherman found the sculpture of Yakushi washed up on a local beach. The current along the Shimane coast comes from Korea, so this is the probable source of the statue.He took it home and prayed fervently in front of it, and many m... More About: Buddhism
Kyoto Tower
2008-02-26 07:47:00 ?????Tower ing above nearby buildings, Kyoto Tower is a striking landmark that over the years has become something of a tourist attraction in the ancient capital. It is just north of Kyoto Station, and because of restrictions on building height in Kyoto, it dominates the skyline in a way that towers in other cities could only dream of.Built in 1964 in tandem with the Olympic Games held in Tokyo that year, it was opposed by the majority of Kyotoites. The city government however forced through its construction in the name of appearing "modern."For younger residents of Kyoto, it is just one part of the modern cityscape; for older people, and many foreigners, it remains a symbol of a construction industry gone wild--and terrible taste. Noted critic Alex Kerr famously called it a "stake through the heart of the city."The Tower is built on the roof of a building--the Kyoto Tower Hotel--in front of the Station building. The first floor of that building has a gift shop which swarms with juni...
Inokashira Park & Zoo
2008-02-25 15:12:00 ?????????-less than 20 minutes from Shinjuku or Shibuya-a venerable old Tokyo park founded in 1918-the first Imperial gift of its kind to the nation-has a zoo and aquarium-popular cherry-blossom park in spring-famous for its temple to Benzaiten, goddess of loveInokashira Park is a venerable old park straddling Musashino and Mitaka cities in western Tokyo. A little rough around the edges, it is nevertheless elegant in atmosphere, in full working order, and freer and more laid back than many other more kempt Tokyo parks.More than just a place to enjoy nature, Inokashira Park, especially on the weekend, is a gathering place for casual musicians, artists, and street performers, sharing their creativity with other visitors - an alternative vibe not found so readily inside Tokyo's 23 wards.Inokashira Park was bestowed as gift from the Imperial family in 1918 - the first such park in Japan. It is dominated by an elongated, tree-lined lake, fed by the Kanda River, on which you can paddle a...
Japan This Week 2/24/08
2008-02-24 00:47:00 ?????Japan ese whaling town divided by reports of mercury taint.NY TimesMan dons girl's school uniform, enters a school, and gets arrested for trespassing.GuardianAnother US serviceman accused of rape in Okinawa.BBCTokyo-based New National Theatre Ballet debuts at the Kennedy Center.Washington PostMaritime Self Defense Forces head to get the axe over Aegis collision with fishing vessel.Japan TimesJapan launches communications satellite into space.BBCThe life and times of Bob Sapp, Japan idol.Yahoo! SportsSpecial service in a Nagoya sex shop.MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsPhotochemical oxidant pollutants broke a record in 2007. Warning days, on which the pollutants exceeded safety standards, were issued in 28 prefectures last year, and on 220 days in Tokyo. The prime suspect is Chinese industry.Source: The Daily YomiuriBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsJapanese FictionHappi CoatsTagsJapan Japan News Japan Statistics sex politics More About: Politics , Week
Kinosaki Onsen (hot spring)
2008-02-23 03:33:00 ????Located near the Sea of Japan in Hyogo Prefecture, Kinosaki is a quaint town with many public baths and onsen, or hot springs. The economy of the town is devoted almost entirely to hot spring tourism and crab, which is a local delicacy.Bathing in hot springs in the area dates back 1400 years.The resort town of Kinosaki has many ryokan (Japanese inns) and seven public baths. These draw in crowds primarily from Osaka and Kyoto , from which express trains arrive frequently.Exiting the train station, the main street is a jumble of restaurants, antique shops, and fish stalls that sell freshly caught crab and squid and various types of fish. Crab can range in price from 1500 yen (about $15) per all the way up to 15,000 yen depending upon the size and type.At the end of this street is the Otani River. Willows lean over this small, tree-lined canal that feeds into the Sea of Japan. In front of you is Ichi no Yu (pictured above right), a massive public bath that features a "Cave Bath." Tu... More About: Spring , Onsen
Links for 2008-02-21 [del.icio.us]
2008-02-22 07:00:00 Guizhou Travel Guide :: Beijing Visitor More About: Links , 2008
Narita Airport Shopping
2008-02-21 19:25:00 ????????Narita Airport , in Chiba Prefecture, is Japan's largest airport and the main international airport serving the Tokyo and Kanto area.Narita, or to give the airport its full name, New Tokyo International Airport, also serves as an important Asian hub, especially for flights coming to and from the west coast of the USA.Also many international flights that originate at other Japanese airports, such as Chubu International Airport, just south of Nagoya, fly to their destinations in Europe and the US via Narita.Chances are then that visitors to Japan or Japan residents will spend some time waiting for a flight at Narita Airport.There's a reasonable, though by no means outstanding, collection of shops, cafes and restaurants to help you pass the time between international flights. Besides the usual range of international brands to choose from, including Prada, Tiffany and Ferragamo, Narita has an interesting Oxygen Bar, where transit passengers can revive themselves, after a long t... More About: Shopping , Flying
Hiragana
2008-02-21 03:22:00 ????A few weeks ago we looked at katakana (????). Today we are going to focus on the other syllabary (an alphabet of syllables) in the Japan ese written language - hiragana (????).As katakana are square and angular in design, hiragana are more rounded and flowing. Whereas katakana are used mainly to write foreign loan words, hiragana are used for representing the body of Japanese grammar.There are 48 hiragana "kana" which include the vowels (a, i, u, e, o; ?,?,?,?,?), consonants followed by a vowel (?ka, ?ki, ?ku, ?ke, ?ko) and n ?.Hiragana are used for Japanese words for which there are no equivalent Chinese characters (?? kanji), for example particles such as wa ?, some suffixes such as ~san ?? (Mr, Mrs) and verb and adjective inflections. In the present tense of the verb "to go" iku ?? (ku ?) is the inflection, in the past tense of the verb - ikimashita ????? (kimashita ????) is the inflection. Similarly with adjectives: using "beautiful" - utsukushii ??? - as an example (shi ??) ...
Bjork in Tokyo
2008-02-20 05:00:00 ????????Bjork was in town last night, playing at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo . I took a taxi there after work and got together with a couple of friends to watch her.The Budokan, with a maximum capacity of 15,000 people, was sold out. Security was not particularly strict going it (I was politely asked if I had a camera), but very high strung once inside (We had the misfortune of sitting right where a security guard was posted, and had to put up with his half-panicked skittering and jitterbugging around for the whole concert as if he'd been put in charge of a busload of football fans.)Bjork was a powerhouse of vocal passion, and her band was an impressive mix of the old and the new, ranging from what looked like a clavichord played by a man who could have been your banker uncle to electronic gadgets that appeared more like Star Trek weaponry (and sounded like it too!) than musical instruments - and manipulated by a guy that looked like a Miami surfer.Bjork was, of course, a massive hi... More About: Concert
Hyakumanben Flea Market, Kyoto
2008-02-19 06:55:00 çžä¸éEvery month, there are three major flea markets held at Kyoto temples: Hyakumanben on the 15th at Chion-ji, Kobo-san on the 20th at Toji Temple, and Tenjin-san on the 25th at Kita no Tenmangu.Hyakumanben is the smallest of the three but offers a wide variety of handmade jewelry, bags, clothing, and wonderful homemade breads and other food. Chion Temple is located just across the street from Kyoto University on Imadegawa Dori.The temple grounds teems with visitors and bargaining on the non-food items is half of the fun.Pictured above are handmade pouches that can be used for cell phones, a wallet, or more traditional items. Below are beads that can be strung together to create a necklace or bracelet.Most of the prices ranged from 300 - 2,000 yen. The sellers/artists tended to be young creative women, though the woman who sold me a bag of kimchi has clearly seen many years of flea markets.AccessBuses #17 and 206 from Kyoto Station, buses 201, 31, 17, 17 from Shijo Kawaramachi... More About: Market
Nagoya Friends 4 year anniversary party 2/23 THIS SATURDAY!!
More articles from this author:2008-02-17 23:07:00 Nagoya Friends is holding it's 49th party in Nagoya! 4 YEAR ANNIVERSARY PARTY AT Date: February 23rd, 2008 (4th Saturday) THIS SATURDAY!!! Time: 18:30 - 21:00 Drinks will be served between 6:30pm-8:45pm. Place: Shooter's Bar (Pola Bldg, 2-9-26 Sakae, Naka-ku (very close to Fushimi Station) Fee: 3000 Yen Dress code: Anything (Casual, etc) Reservations: Not necessary but recommended and appreciated. Just show up to the party! Over 25,000 Yen worth of exciting prize giveaways each month! Discount Travel Vouchers from JST Travel in Sakae!! A brand new iPod Shuffle! more prizes to be announced! There will be free food along with free drinks (beers, wine, cocktail drinks and juices). Our party is not a dinner party, but we will have light food & snacks. Quantities are limited, so please come early! Please free to come alone or bring your frie... More About: Japan , Party , Anniversary , Tokyo 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 |
|
 |
|
 |
