Yoyogi Park, home of Tokyo’s “World Festivals“
Apr 24, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Situated south of Shinjuku, north of Shibuya and just west of Harajuku, the expanse of lush greenery, rolling hills and clear ponds, Yoyogi Park serves as an oasis of refreshing nature in the concrete jungle known as Shibuya Ward. It’s also the home of Meiji Jingu, the shrine dedicated to...[ Click to read more ]
Japan National Correctional Facilities Exhibition in Tokyo
By Jason Gatewood
Spending a weekend in jail is probably not at the top of most people’s list, but if you’ve had a passing thought about what a Japanese prison is like, then just like everything else in JapanLand, there’s a festival for it. Called Correctional Exhibitions (矯正展), they give a chance for...[ Click to read more ]
Diving into Hiroshima’s Sakes
Apr 23, 2019 By Matt Mangham
If you’ve only recently moved to Hiroshima, you may not yet be aware that you are in one of Japan’s three great centers for sake production, the other two being in Kobe and Kyoto. Of the three, Hiroshima is both the youngest and, by some metrics, the most innovative. Until...[ Click to read more ]
Cinco de Mayo Festival and Mexican Restaurants in Tokyo
Apr 19, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Cinco de Mayo, while originally a commemoration of an unlikely victory for the Mexican Army against the then powerful French in 1862, has in the US become something of a large celebration for all things Mexico. As these things tend to go, Japan has taken the American interpretation of the holiday, and...[ Click to read more ]
Things to do in Tokyo For Golden Week 2019
Apr 15, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Golden week is the longest public holiday period in Japan, and many residents make a trip abroad, or to a tourist area like Kyoto over the break. Trains and airports can be crowded, and the traffic into any area worth a visit is going to be heavy at best, standstill...[ Click to read more ]
Finding an English-speaking Personal Trainer
Mar 29, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Personal fitness is something that takes dedication, and mental training more than the physical will to push weights or run miles down the road. Moving to another country and embedding oneself into a different culture is hard enough without sacrificing our physical health in the process. Some years ago, I...[ Click to read more ]
Toyota MEGAWEB Showcase
Mar 27, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Tokyo can be a tough place to find something cool for the whole family to get into without either needing to travel a way into the countryside or dropping copious amounts of yen on the adventure. However, here’s something that is both close to the center of the Metropolis and...[ Click to read more ]
Yamathon – Walking Around Tokyo, Saving Lives
Mar 20, 2019 By Bert Wishart
The Yamathon is a fundraising challenge where teams of three or four people compete to walk or run through Tokyo visiting all 29 stations of the famous JR Yamanote train line in under 12 hours. [spacer height="5px"] They say that charity begins at home, and if your home is in...[ Click to read more ]
How to use Public Sports Facilities in Tokyo
Feb 28, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Staying in shape in a big city like Tokyo can be a chore sometimes; I myself am a big fan of running and biking outdoors, and sometimes it seems cars and bad traffic along with the sometimes extreme weather can have me sidelined for days, sometimes weeks without getting my...[ Click to read more ]
Charity Groups and Events in Tokyo
Feb 20, 2019 By Ray Proper
Tokyo is one of the most populous cities in the world, by some measures, the most populous. While all those people take some getting used to, think "crowded rush hour trains" for example, all those mouths create a market of impressive options as well, from the variety and quality...[ Click to read more ]
