Archive for 'Map' Category

50. The best riverboat entertainment – yakata-bune

Sumida river is the most beloved river of the shitamachi Tokyo downtown and also home to the yakata-bune — a traditional Japanese boat whose internals look like a typical Japanese pub. Package deals offer a boat and all-you-can-eat-and-drink food and alcohol for large groups, who gorge on beer and okonomiyaki as their vessel plies the current. Read the rest of this entry »

Edo-style “UKIYO-BURO” was revived in Hakone Tenzan.

Hakone Tenzan renovated Men’s Inner Bath in 1998.

The men’s inner bath was redesigned with the similar improvements. An “URUSHI-BURO” or ancient cypress bath tub coated with japan was also employed, here. Actually, the “URUSHI-BURO” set for women’s inner bath could not last long and beautiful color of japan faded caused by ultraviolet rays in less than a year. Learned from this bad experience, experimental trials were done, and finally anti-fade lacquer was developed. The new type of anti-fade lacquer was applied to both inner bathes for men and women. So, now you can enjoy Onsen bathing in a beautiful “URUSHI-BURO” that is finished as the same quality as traditional japan lacquer ware.
Read the rest of this entry »

49. The finest art cafés

Tucked on the fifth floor of a nondescript building in the back streets of Aoyama, the A to Z Cafe brings Yoshitomo Nara’s works to life in an imagined recreation of the artist’s atelier.
Read the rest of this entry »

48. Vegan restaurants that make even carnivores’ mouths water – Takao Yakuo-in

When it comes to excellent vegan cuisine, look no further than … a Buddhist temple. The monks of  Takao Yakuo-in （高尾山薬王院）　monastery prepare elaborate vegan courses （精進料理）for visitors on a reservation-only basis. The multi-course, multi-plate spreads are a special treat for carnivore and non-carnivore alike. ¥2,500 to¥3,500 per person. Read the rest of this entry »

47. The most fiscally reckless, visually spectacular fireworks displays – Sumida-gawa river

Tokyo has a huge number of major hanabi-taikai, or fireworks festivals, every summer, but the gathering at Asakusa and Mukojima along the Sumida-gawa river has got to be the most spectacular. Over 20,000 individual fireworks are launched every year on average, and in 2009 alone, a whopping 948,000 residents flocked to the area to view the show. Read the rest of this entry »

46. Cocktails are maniacally fresh – Bar Rage

In cocktail-crazy Tokyo, bartenders approach their subject with the artistry and focus of Michelin-starred chefs. The mixologists at Aoyama’s swanky Bar Rage source top-quality, fresh ingredients from around the country for their seasonal drinks. They hunt down the tastiest passion fruits from Okinawa, or the sweetest kumquats from Miyazaki to give classic cocktails a Japanese twist. Read the rest of this entry »

45. You can eat like a sumo wrestler – yoshiba

Sumo wrestlers are always going head-to-head in a fast and furious slapping match against 300-pound opponents, which is why they require a steady diet of chanko nabe （ちゃんこ鍋）stew to keep their stamina up and their butts padded.

Yoshiba （吉葉）is located in a former sumo stable, and you can chow down like a champion at a table right beside the clay ring. Read the rest of this entry »

44. Monumongous supercute mascot characters – Shibuara Water Recycling Center

Talk about hiding in plain sight. When Tokyo’s Bureau of Waterworks decided to paint its official P.R. mascot character ‘Mr. Earth’ atop the roof of their Shibaura facility, they didn’t mess around. Although you can’t see it from street level, it’s actually visible from several kilometers above the Earth’s surface. (東京都下水道局芝浦水再生センター)
Read the rest of this entry »

43. Onsen with the best Feng Shui – yukari

Strictly built according to the principles of Feng Shui, Yukari (深大寺温泉ゆかり） is a beautifully appointed hot spring in Tokyo’s western suburbs. The baths are marked with the cardinal directions for proper orientation during soaking. Read the rest of this entry »

42. You will never see a more expansive sake list – Kuri

In terms of sheer variety, Tokyo is the best place in the world to try sake, and it’s likely that you’ll be able to find most of it at Kuri （庫裏）in Ginza. The sake menu is a tome that lists over 100 varieties. After the third cup, you might be brave enough to try the hoya no shiokara (fermented sea pineapple guts), which isn’t half as bad as it sounds. Read the rest of this entry »

41. The world’s best service -department stores

Sure, at some stores around the world, the staff are experts in their field, hoping to wait on your every wish and command. Japanese department stores such as Mitsukoshi and Isetan have that, of course, but they add in a few other perks: an army of uniformed women running automated elevators and bowing greeters at the door. Read the rest of this entry »

40. The most prolific festivals – Three Great Edo Festivals

While festivals of all shapes and sizes are staged throughout the year, any Japanese will tell you that there is no festival like a summer festival. Most well known are the ‘Three Great Edo Festivals’ of Kanda-matsuri in Kanda, Sanno-matsuri in Nagata-cho, and Fukagawa-matsuri in Tomioka, Koto-ku. Read the rest of this entry »

39. Its red-light district is the least dangerous – Kabukicho

Kabukicho is full of sketchy hostess clubs, airplane-themed ‘showtime cabarets’ and ‘pink salons’ (don’t ask), but also … college students hanging out with acoustic guitars? Yes, the Shinjuku red-light district is not ‘classy,’ but it’s still Tokyo. So feel free to wander through it any time of the day, maybe picking up a cone of Häagen-Dazs on the way. Read the rest of this entry »

38. It’s home to the world’s best fashion chains

Japanese select shops — such as Beams, United Arrows, Ships and Tomorrowland — grew to fame and prominence thanks to the expert curating of the world’s best indie fashion brands. Read the rest of this entry »

37. You have to work for high-end tempura

It might take a while to find Motoyoshi among the backstreets of Minami-Aoyama, but its GPS-confounding location is part of the fun. The prize for actually arriving is perfectly crisp tempura. The chef is as picky about his ingredients — succulent scallops and tender asparagus in summer, hearty red carrots from Kyoto in winter — as he is about his technique. Read the rest of this entry »