New tokyo tower

The function of tokyo tower is to transmit radiowave. But in Spring of 2012, this function will be taken over by New Tokyo Tower called Tokyo Sky Tree, and current tokyo tower will end its function.

Height of Tokyo Sky Tree will be 610m, and it will be big sight seeing spot in tokyo. But will the current tokyo tower survive? At this point, it's not decided. The point is if Tokyo tower can exist as a sight seeing spot or not. Currently, tokyo tower has negative earnings in tourism business. From this point, tokyo tower may disappear from tokyo in someday.

You better see it before it's gone!

Happy New Year Spot 5

Omote-sando is main street which leads to temple. One of most famous area of tokyo "Omote Sando" is known as fashion hot spot, but it is originally a street to Meiji Jingu, the big temple.

The shops on this topic is Omote-sando of Narita-san which I have introduced in past topic as a hatsumoude spot. This spot is 10 min from Narita International Airport by train. Why don't you visit before you leave Japan?

A lot of figurine of cows. What are those? In Japan, 12 animals are asigned to the years. And animal symbol are change every year by rotation. This is called "Eto".

This is complete list of Eto.

2009 is year of cow. 2008 was year of mouse. Next year is year of tiger.

So, this is why there is a lot of cows are in the shop this year.

If you have Japanese friend, ask what his or her "Eto" animal symbole is. Most of Japanese know their own "Eto" animal symbole of their birth year.

I was born in the year of Dragon!

Happy New Year Spot 4

Omote-sando is main street which leads to temple. One of most famous area of tokyo "Omote Sando" is known as fashion hot spot, but it is originally a street to Meiji Jingu, the big temple.

The shops on this topic is Omote-sando of Narita-san which I have introduced in past topic as a hatsumoude spot.

This spot is 10 min from Narita International Airport by train. Why don't you visit before you leave Japan?

Most outstanding shop on this street is Unagi restaurant. Unagi means eel.

Unagi mister man cooks live eels at the store front. It can seem cruel, but the skill of cleaning eel is interesting.

Cleaned eel is charcoal grilled also at the store front. They smells very nice.

This is called "Kabayaki" and grilled with something like sweet soy sauce. Taste like "teriyaki".

These eels are served with steamed rice and called "Una-Ju".

"Una-Ju" cost 2000 - 4000 Yen. A little expensive, but I love this food.

The Ninja's recommend!

Happy New Year Spot 3

After going through the second gate, there is a huge iron pot.

There is a lot of people around the pot. This looks like ants around sugar cube. The haze from the pot is haze of incense stick. This haze is believe to heal bad parts of bady. Sometime, you can see bald man put his head to the haze.

Take a little rest and see 3-story tower. Pretty beautiful.

Go up the stairs of left side of the picture to do a prayer. Everybody throw coins to the box inside the hall, before play.

I have tried to take picture inside the hall, but I couldn't. Nobody can't move free inside. Make good wish to the god, but watch out for picker too.

Parade of monk with special costumes.

This place "Narita San" is too crowded to visit in Oshougatsu, but in normal days, there is only a few people. And located 10 min from Narita International airport by train. It's pretty good idea to visit this very Japanese place before leaving Japan.

Besides, street from station to the temple is pretty interesting. This will be next topic.

Happy New Year Spot 2

Japanese goes to Shrine or Temple in Oshougatsu, even though they are not that religious in normal days. This event is called "Hatsumoude".

Meiji-Jingu, Kawasaki-Taishi, Narita-san are most popular hatsumoude spot. Each spot has about 3,000,000 visitors in the 3 days of year begining.

This year, I have visited Narita-san. First, we have to go through this main gate. In Oshogatsu, it takes hours to get to this gate from the station. Entry is ristricted to control visitors in the temple.

Climb the stairs to the second gate. Still a lot of people. It's better to visit early in the morning, if you visit these temples in Oshougatsu.

Wait for next topic about what's going on behind the second gate.

Happy New Year Spot 1

"Akemashite Omedetou" ninjas!
Hope you guys have a lot of good things with you.

In new year period, there is many Japanese cultural events and behaviors.
This new year period is called "Oshougatsu", and the period is officially from 1st Jan to 3rd. But business offeten does not start till 4th - 6th Jan. In this period, a lot of Japanese spends time with family, rather than with their lovers.

One of the common event of Oshougatsu is "Hatsuhinode" which means "first sunrise". Of course, sun itself is not different from other mornings, but Japanese thinks it good luck thing. Depend on the climate, hatsuhinode can not be seen every year, but we could see good one this year. I wish this hatsuhinode show us the exit of world depression.

"akemashite omedetou" is special greeting for new year period which means "happy new year".

Tokyo tower 50th anniversary

This is 50th anniversary limited illumination of tokyo tower. Tokyo tower has sometime limited illumination, sometime green, sometime pink.

This photo shot is from roppongi hills(one of most famous highrise building in tokyo). Street below the picture is "Keyaki zaka" which is famous street for X'mas illumination.

"50" is shown on the windows of Tokyo Tower.

Red Mt.Fuji

Mt.Fuji is one of the symbolism of Japan. Normally most people, including Japanese, imagine blue triangular mountain with snow on its top. But in Summer and Autum, we don't see snow on the top of Mt.Fuji.

This is Mt.Fuji without snow. And this Mt.Fuji is red! I took this picture from Fuji Speed Way circuit on the day of F1 Japanese Grand Prix.

We can see red Fuji only 5-10 minutes on sunrise of fine day, especially in the Summer and Autum. Red Fuji is called "Aka Fuji" and told as a symbol of good luck. Often seen in the picture of Hokusai's ukiyoe.

Why don't you get up early and see Red Fuji, when you visit!

Pink Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower was colored pink today. I didn't know why, but I have look into it after come back home and know that it was "Pink Ribon Campaign". I don't know this is global or domestic, but this is campaign of Breast Cancer. Anyway there was pretty much people around the tower.

There is always pretty much people around the tower, but not bad as around Shibuya. Comparing to Eiffel Tower, there's less people. There's a lot of people who never been to tokyo tower, even though they live in Tokyo. But I think it's not bad to visit tokyo tower, if you visit Tokyo.

This is how they color Tokyo. This way, color of tokyo tower changes sometime. I think tokyo tower is colored green on end of April.

This is standard color of tokyo tower. It is heigher than Eiffel Tower, but I think Eiffel Tower seems bigger. What do you think?

I sometimes climb up the tower to middle level and drink beer. There was also somoking seat which makes me comfortable for me. This place is most standard for tourist, but blind spot for Tokyo residentiary.