Where to eat: Best yakitori in town

Where to eat: Best yakitori in town

Posted on Jan 22, 2014 in Where to eat |

Where to get your tasty skewered chicken fix in Tokyo Best known as every Japanese oyaji’s favourite beer snack, the humble yakitori (grilled, skewered chicken) is most commonly consumed in noisy pubs, at simple roadside stalls, or at various open-air festivals taking place year-round all over the country. However, the gourmet value of this simple delicacy is also widely recognised, best evidenced by the existence of Michelin-starred yakitori restaurants in Tokyo....

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Things to do this week in Tokyo Wednesday January 22nd- Sunday January 26th

Things to do this week in Tokyo Wednesday January 22nd- Sunday January 26th

Posted on Jan 21, 2014 in Things to do |

This week’s hottest events, gigs, films, festivals and more   Salon du Chocolat 2014 Wed Jan 22 – Mon Jan 27, 2014 Isetan Main Building 6F, 7F Event Plaza With Valentine’s Day just a few weeks off, Tokyo’s most indulgent romantics will be heading to Shinjuku Isetan to stock up on fancy choccies at this year’s Salon du Chocolat. Now into its 12th year, the Tokyo incarnation of Paris’s famous chocolate trade show bears little relation to its...

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Japans whacky holidays: Coming of age day

Japans whacky holidays: Coming of age day

Posted on Jan 15, 2014 in History of Japan, Japanese customs, Must see, Stories about Japan |

The second Monday of January is Coming-of-Age Day, a national holiday to encourage those who have newly entered adulthood to become self-reliant members of society. (The holiday used to be on January 15, but in 2000 it was moved to the second Monday of the month.) Last Monday we celebrated the coming of age day for 2014. Local governments host special coming-of-age ceremonies for 20-year-olds, since an “adult” in Japan is legally defined as one who is 20 or...

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An office for everyone: 5 share spaces in Tokyo for creatives and freelancers

An office for everyone: 5 share spaces in Tokyo for creatives and freelancers

Posted on Jan 14, 2014 in Must see, News, Things to do, Where to stay, work spaces in Tokyo |

With the cost of property in Tokyo so high, and an estimated 6,000 people squeezed into every square kilometre of the city, more and more urbanites are starting to think small. As well as choosing tiny houses that provide everything required for living but with none of the clutter, people are learning that life is far easier if, rather than yearning for their own private spaces and a multitude of possessions, they learn to share. Following in the footsteps of movements such...

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Where to stay: 20+ cheap accomodations in Japan

Posted on Oct 30, 2013 in Where to stay |

Japan can be a quite expensive country to visit. Still lately it has become a lot cheaper due to the weak yen so you can get a lot more yens for your euro’s and dollars than you did a few years ago. Admittedly, land prices are one of the most expensive in the world, which is why hotel rooms tend to be small and a lot more expensive than other countries around the world. If you have trouble finding an affordable accommodation, then please consider these alternatives....

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Things to do this weekend in Tokyo October 18- October 20

Posted on Oct 18, 2013 in Must see, Things to do |

Innovative Sweden Wed Oct 2 – Fri Oct 18, 2013 National Museum of Emerging Science & Innovation This touring show of innovative designs has arrived in Tokyo, having already visited a number of countries, including the US, China and Brazil. Expect innovative design and technology from 20 up-and-coming Swedish companies in the fields of ICT, cleantech, gaming and life sciences, with the likes of eye-controlled computers and green mobile phone chargers on the bill....

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The Japanese secret to staying young for longer

Posted on Oct 18, 2013 in Japanese technology, News, Stories about Japan |

Wasabi, the Japanese condiment which offers a delicious kick to the nasal passages with every bite, has long been embraced in Japan, and more recently other parts of the world. However, aside from accentuating sushi or playing jokes on friends, the pungent plant has been found to provide anti-aging effects in recent years. For those who turn up their noses at the thought of a daily dose of wasabi, you may reconsider when you realize how easy it is to benefit from...

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Things to do: Have birds eye view dinner in the Tokyo Skytree

Posted on Oct 18, 2013 in Things to do, Where to eat |

Timing is everything at Tokyo Skytree. in daylight the urban sprawl below just looks banal; at night, the city lights gleam with romance, but you can’t see to the far horizons. get there for sunset, though, and if conditions are right, the view can be little short of magical. The same applies when you pick a place to eat at the city’s most popular tourist attraction. At peak meal times there are waits of up to an hour. But arrive early or as the crowds are thinning, and...

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Fun short news stories from Japan

Posted on Oct 6, 2013 in News, Stories about Japan |

NEWS FROM THE LAB STATS: 76Percent sixth-graders who “enjoy or somewhat enjoy learning English,” according to the education ministry ¥301,000Per capita medical costs in Japan in fiscal 2012—the first time the figure has topped ¥300,000, according to the health ministry ¥764Average minimum wage in fiscal 2013, a ¥15 rise from last year, according to the labor ministry I RISKED MY LIFE COLLECTING THESE THINGS” —Anthropologist Yoshihiko Yamaguchi, on the closing of two museums...

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