Japan Bus Pass

The Japan Bus Pass by Willer Express has the potential to revolutionize budget travel in Japan. The pass can be used on overnight and daytime long distance buses on the nationwide network of Willer Express on 3 or 5 days of your choice within two months from purchase. The pass can be used by both foreign tourists and residents of Japan, however, it has to be purchased outside of Japan.

Validity

1)	The pass can be used for a maximum of two bus rides per day on the entire network of Willer Express, but it is not allowed to travel the same route twice on the same day, i.e. a round trip within a single day is not possible. Overnight buses departing after midnight count for the previous day.
2)	The bus pass cannot be used during certain blackout periods, such as during long weekends,Golden Week, Obon and the New Year holidays.
3)	The pass is valid on all buses by Willer Express except some premium buses with a higher level of comfort.
4)	The pass is valid on 3 or 5 days of the pass holder's choice within two months of the date of purchase. The days do not need to be consecutive.
5)	Seat reservations are required for each ride and can be made online until one hour before departure.
6)	The pass cannot be shared between multiple travelers. Photo identification is required when boarding the bus.
7)	The pass can be used by foreign tourists and residents of Japan alike, however, it has to be purchased outside of Japan.

Point of Sale

The Japan Bus Pass can be purchased online by accessing the Willer Express website from outside of Japan. Payment by most major credit cards is accepted. When accessing the website from inside Japan, purchase is not possible.

Purchase the Japan Bus Pass

Assessment

The Japan Bus Pass is a revolutionary pass for long distance travel in Japan for budget travelers who do not mind sleeping on the bus. If used effectively, it can reduce the cost of transportation to ridiculously low levels, e.g. under 2000 yen for a trip from Tokyo to Hiroshima (a regular train ticket costs around 18,000 yen). The pass is a particularly good offer since it can be used on non-consecutive days and because overnight travel also reduces the cost for accommodation.

Willer's bus network is centered around Japan's two primary urban areas (Tokyo and Osaka/Kyoto), connecting these areas with secondary cities across Japan. Therefore, the pass is a great tool for tourists who base themselves in the two primary urban areas, but it does not provide transportation between secondary cities directly and is less useful for off-the-beaten-track travel.

Sample Itinerary for the "Golden Route" (Tokyo - Hiroshima - Kyoto - Tokyo): 
By regular train tickets: around 40,000 yen 
By Japan Rail Pass: 28,300 yen (to be used within seven days) 
By Japan Bus Pass: 8,000 yen (to be used within two months)

Alternative Tickets

The Japan Rail Pass is the more expensive and less flexible alternative for long distance travelers who do not like traveling overnight on buses. The rail pass has a wider area of coverage than the bus pass, and there are no blackout dates during which the pass cannot be used.

 

how to :Bathing ?

Japan has a long history of communal bathing and a visit to one of its thousands ofonsen (hot springs) can be a highlight of any trip. As in the bathroom in a private home, you wash yourself outside the bath before getting into the hot water to soak. It is not uncommon for people to scrub each other's backs. Sento (public bath houses) are quite common as there are still some cheap apartments without their own bathrooms. They cost around 300 yen per visit. You should bring your own toiletries and put your shoes and clothes in the lockers provided. Sento and onsen are almost always separated by sex these days but mixed bathing can still be found in a few places.

Kamogawa Sea World

Located in Chiba. Just a quick trip from Tokyo.

Kamogawa is the location of Kamogawa Seaworld, which opened in 1970. It houses seven orcas — Bingo, Oscar, Stella, Lovey, Lara, Ran II and Earth — and numerous other sea creatures. Lovey gave birth to Earth on October 13, 2008, which makes Lovey the first captive-born mother in a Japanese marine park.

Kamogawa (鴨川市, Kamogawa-shi) is a city located in Chiba, Japan. As of 2010 data, the city has an estimated population of 35,310 and the density of 185 persons per km². The total area is 191.30 km².

Kamogawa has sister city relations with Minobu, Yamanashi, Japan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin, USA. The city was founded on March 31, 1971. On February 11, 2005 the town of Amatsukominato, from Awa District, was merged with Kamogawa.

 

Nakano - Downtown Tokyo

In Tokyo, there are many futuristic areas where are lined with high-rise buildings like Roppongi, Shinjyuku subcenter, Otemachi, and Odaiba waterfront areas along Tokyo Bay. On the other side, lots of old-fashioned small downtown are still alive there. This time, I show you some photos I took around JR Nakano stationlocated west of the bustling Shinjuku area. Did you know Nakano ward is famous as the highest populated area in Japan?

December 2010: Extension of the Tohoku Shinkansen to Aomori

On December 4, 2010, the Tohoku Shinkansen will be extended by about 80 kilometers from its current terminus at Hachinohe to Shin-Aomori Station just outside of central Aomori City, reducing travel time between Tokyo by almost an hour to 3 hours and 20 minutes.

Furthermore, new faster train sets will be introduced on the Tohoku Shinkansen from March 2011. Running under the new nickname "Hayabusa", the trains will feature a new "Gran Class" with even more comfortable seats than in the Green Car. From spring 2013, the new train sets are scheduled to increase their top speeds from 300 km/h to 320 km/h, resulting in a further drop in travel times.

 

As a result of the shinkansen extension, the "Hakucho" and "Super Hakucho" limited express trains, which currently run between Hachinohe and Hakodate, will be re-routed to run between Shin-Aomori, Aomori and Hakodate. The destiny of the "Tsugaru" limited express, which is currently running between Hachinohe and Hirosaki, has not yet been decided on.

 

Furthermore, JR East is scheduled to transfer the non-shinkansen railway tracks between Hachinohe and Aomori to Aoimori Railways, a non-JR company, which will result in increased supplement fees to be paid by Japan Rail Pass holders using the Cassiopeia or Hokutosei night trains. source

Explore Osaka-Kyoto 'power spots'

Ramada Osaka offers an accommodation plan that encourages guests to see historic sites in Osaka and Kyoto and visit trendy, faddish "power spots."

Going to so-called power spots — places believed to give visitors some special energy, healing or refreshing, spiritual feeling — has been a popular activity among some Japanese of late. The places are usually religious, historic or natural.

The accommodation plan at the Ramada Osaka for guests wishing to join this fad comes with a one-day tourist ticket, which allows unlimited use of local subways, city buses and some trains, as well as free entrance to 26 tourist spots and facilities, such as Osaka Castle. An original leaflet produced by the hotel introduces power spots and historic places in Osaka and Kyoto, including Shoman-in Aizen-do Temple, Omokaru Jizo at Shitennoji Temple, Honnoji and Osaka Castle.

The plan starts at ¥11,000 per room for double occupancy and ¥16,500 per room for triple occupancy.

The Ramada Osaka is connected to Nakatsu Station on the Midosuji Subway Line and is a five-minute walk from Hankyu Umeda Station. For more information, call (06) 6372-8181.

Chic summer disco fever returns

Responding to customers who said that "there is no night spot for adults," the Grand Hyatt Tokyo in Roppongi started an event in 2005 that has become a popular semiannual tradition.

Club Chic 2010 Summer — Greatest '70s Disco Hits and Classics will be held Aug. 27. The event features soulful dance numbers once dominant on the world's dance scene revisited in the hotel's spacious 1,000-sq.-meter Grand Ballroom, dynamically transformed into a gorgeous dance floor.

The party starts at 8 p.m. and runs until midnight (last entry 11:30 p.m.). General tickets are ¥11,000 and VIP tickets are ¥21,000. Both include a free drink. Guests are asked not to wear jeans or sneakers.

The Grand Hyatt Tokyo is a three-minute walk from Roppongi Station. For reservations, call (03) 4333-8838 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Beer terrace shows Asian taste

Summer is the season when beer gardens sprout all around. The beer terrace at the newly opened Choice! restaurant in the Ark Hills complex in Tokyo takes on an Asian spin through Sept. 30. A special ¥4,500 plan comes with eight Asian dishes and two hours of unlimited drinks, available only at the terrace area, where the breeze and refreshing sounds of the waterfall in Ark Karajan Place add a pleasing touch.

Select Asian dishes, such as black pepper edamame (soy beans), Thai-style fresh spring rolls, prawn toast, satay and Indonesian nasi goreng (a rice dish), go well with cool drinks such as beer, wine, a selection of shochu, cocktails and soft drinks.

The beer terrace course menu is available daily from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Choice! is on the third floor of the Ark Mori Building (1-12-32, Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo), a one-minute walk from Roppongi-itchome or Tameike-Sanno stations. For further information, call (03) 3585-2900.

 

Two lovingly preserved Japanese villages

We step off the bus at Magome and look in disbelief at the steep cobbled slope winding up the hill in front of us. In the past there would have been scrawny porters elbowing each other out of the way, vying to cart our bags. Had we been great lords we would have been carried up by palanquin, with thousands of retainers and guards barking at the peasants to get down on their knees. But in 21st-century Japan there’s nothing for it but to walk.

We sigh, pick up our bags and set off up the hill. Behind us Mount Ena rises spectacularly. A huge waterwheel slowly turns, creaking and splashing, and a narrow stream trickles noisily alongside the road. There are no electric wires overhead and no cars and every now and then we catch a whiff of wood smoke.

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Far from the surfing crowds - Aug-14

Five more secret surfing paradises - Aug-14

Chic and child-friendly - Aug-14

I’m here to immerse myself in 19th-century Japan. The novel I’m working on begins here on the Inner Mountain Road, where it cuts through the forests and villages of the Kiso Valley, in the Nagano prefecture. The rule of the shoguns ended only 140 years ago, but in most of Japan the flavour of that era is utterly lost. But here in Magome and its neighbouring post town, Tsumago, it has been lovingly preserved, along with the five-miles of cobbled pathway between the two.

This is part of the Nakasendo, the Inner Mountain Road, one of the five great highways that crossed Japan. Three hundred miles long, it connected Kyoto, where the emperor lived, and Edo, the shogun’s capital. Under the rule of the shogun, until 1868, no wheeled transport was allowed other than for goods, the idea being to keep a tight grip over the movement of travellers. So even the busiest highways needed only to be wide enough for horses, palanquins and the troops of samurai who accompanied the feudal lords on their enforced processions to Edo to pay homage to the shogun.

Magome is a “loincloth town”, a single street, long and narrow like a loincloth, existing solely to service the road and the travellers who use it. The charming wooden houses with their tiled roofs, some held in place with stones, are almost all inns or eating houses. Today the road is buzzing with tourists, mainly Japanese, in search of a breath of the past, and an increasing number of Chinese, much in evidence nowadays in Japan. In the past the street would have been thronged with pilgrims, merchants and messengers, the famous “flying feet” who carried letters faster than Victorian England’s postal service.

Each post town had a honjin, a palatial inn suitable for a feudal lord, and the processions had to be carefully timed so that there was never more than one lord staying there.

Magome’s honjin is rather special. It was the home of a well-loved writer called Toson Shimazaki (1872-1943) whose most famous novel, Before the Dawn, published in 1932, is one of the inspirations that has brought me here. It is the story of life in this town and, most particularly, of his father, who was the headman.

Part of the honjin is a memorial to Shimazaki. Beyond the gateway is a high stone wall to protect distinguished guests from the vulgar gaze. Inside are spacious grounds and a large country manor. The well with a bucket on a pulley, the stables and the palanquin shed are all there, together with heavy wooden saddles cushioned with woven rice straw, huge lacquered stirrups, a spinning wheel, a loom, and stones for grinding rice.

The palatial honjin is a world apart from the modest lodging houses and eating dens for ordinary travellers. By the time it gets dark most of the tourists have disappeared. We sit outside on a bench watching the sun set over the mountains. Lanterns glow outside the houses and sounds of carousing emerge from the inns along the street. At the Tajimaya guest house, we have dinner sitting on the tatami-matted floor of the living area, then climb some very steep stairs to our cosy corner room.

The next day we take our bags to the tourist office from where they will be transported to our next destination – the modern equivalent of hiring porters. Delightfully free of baggage, we climb the long village street to the end. The path winds on around a couple more houses, then plunges into woodland.

We walk beside a rushing river, through bamboo glades and groves of cryptomeria trees. The trunks stretch endlessly skyward, ending high above us in a dense canopy of leaves. So little light filters through that no leaves grow on the lower branches. It’s a natural cathedral.

In places the path is so steep it’s cut into steps. We come to a small village. Ahead of us an old woman plods along, bent under the enormous basket on her back. We pass a woman in a bonnet working in her garden but other than that there’s no one around.

By now we’re keen for a rest. In the 19th century there were teahouses at regular intervals for just this purpose. We see one, a picturesque dark building with slatted wooden doors. We peer inside. The place hasn’t been used for years.

We finally reach the teahouse at the top of Magome Pass. The approach is a precipitous path winding along the edge of the mountain, which looks exactly as it does in the 19th-century print by the artist Hiroshige. The teahouse is still there but it, too, is shut. Even the Coca-Cola machine doesn’t work. We sit on the bench for a while, gazing down onto the Kiso valley. If there are other walkers on this path, they are certainly not in evidence. We are free to imagine ourselves back in any century we choose.

A postman wears a 19th-century uniform

An easy three hours after we left Magome, we arrive at the next post town, Tsumago. While Magome is picture-book perfect, Tsumago feels more like a working village. Even the postman wears 19th-century uniform. Its honjin is even grander than the one in Magome. We tiptoe across the vast tatami-matted rooms where emperor Meiji rested on one of his journeys around the country and admire the beautiful fretwork above the paper doors and the gardens; one with a pond full of carp, the other a moss garden with a couple of carefully-placed stone lanterns. There’s also a museum here, with old matchlocks and paintings showing what happened to peasants who dared chop down a tree for their own use: “One tree, one head” was the law.

In the evening we think of going for a walk but there’s no moon and no street lighting. It’s pitch black. Instead we sit outside, listening to the rushing of the river and strange unidentifiable animal noises in the undergrowth and smelling the fresh smells of the countryside. It’s the nearest it’s possible to get in this day and age to old Japan.

 

Nara temple may be world's oldest wooden structure

A Zen Buddhist hall in Nara is the oldest wooden structure still in use and a century older than famed Horyuji temple previously thought to hold the crown, according to an expert in tree-ring dating.

Research by Takumi Mitsutani, a visiting professor of dendrochronology at the Research Institute for Humanity and Nature in Kyoto, reveals that Japanese cypress wood in the roof of the Zenshitsu (zen room) building of Gangoji temple was logged around 586.

Mitsutani argues that his findings indicate that the structure of the hall was made 100 years before Horyuji temple in Ikaruga, Nara Prefecture, hitherto thought the world's oldest, which was built between the late seventh and eighth centuries.

Gangoji, formerly Asukadera temple in Asuka, Nara Prefecture, is thought to have been relocated to Nara after the city became Japan's capital in 710. It had previously been thought that it was newly built in the new location from about 718, but Mitsutani says his research indicates the structure of the Zenshitsu was brought from the Asuka site.

In 2000, Mitsutani examined pieces of lumber removed from the Zenshitsu for repairs in the mid-1940s. He found that one of them had been felled around 582. His latest findings relate to a horizontal tie beam which is still in use.

In 2007, he took photos of lumber in the roof space with a digital camera and then analyzed the tree rings by computer. The horizontal beam was the oldest.

"Nihon Shoki" (The Chronicles of Japan), a historical record completed in 720, says trees were felled in 590 to build Asukadera.

"Zenshitsu is valuable as a structure that represents Japan's wood culture," Mitsutani said.

The Zenshitsu measures 26.8 meters east-west and 12.8 meters north-south, and is 8.4 meters high. The single-story structure is designated as a national treasure.

Its roof space will be open to the public from Oct. 17 to Nov. 13. Up to 160 people will be admitted each day. Advance booking is required.source

 

In Nara, Japan, the deer know their place: everywhere

Reporting from Nara, Japan — 

One of the great side benefits of visiting Japan is the food, especially the sushi and sashimi. But for those travelers willing to go the extra mile, there is a little-known city where visitors go to feed the locals rather than to dine among them.

The city of Nara lies south of Kyoto, less than two hours from Tokyo by train, but to travel here is to journey back in time.

From 710 to 784, it was the capital of Japan and known as Heijo-Kyo. Today it is a beautiful city of 370,000, full of temples and shrines and home to one of the world's largest wooden buildings and one of the largest known statues of Buddha.

Nagasaki Nights : The southern city is a hotbed of after-hours fun

Nagasaki has an amazing wealth of watering holes, and it’s no mystery why: this centuries-old port town has been meeting the needs of travelers for hundreds of years. Most of the nightlife is focused in the maze-like backstreets of Shianbashi, a central entertainment district that takes its name from a bridge where men used to stop and ponder whether they should return home or continue on to the pleasure quarters. (It should be noted that there are no records of any men actually turning back.)

For a gentle start to the evening, though, head to Dejima Wharf, where sailboats glide past the quiet waterfront and the lights on the surrounding hillsides twinkle. If location is everything, then Bar R-10 has it all. It’s one of a handful of places to drink on the wharf, but it’s the only one whose daytime business hours are “when the sun is shining and we’re feelin’ good.” We can vouch for the quality of the food, drinks and views, but the live entertainment is a bit hit-and-miss.

A short walk from R-10, mixed in amongst some of the city’s most dreary office buildings, stands a one-room bar with guitars, graffiti and ’70s rock posters on the walls, flags on the ceiling, and enough booze for a very good night out. Welcome to Crazy Horse. There’s a reason the locals—foreigners and Japanese alike—come here week after week: the owner, who’ll often be serving drinks one minute and performing an Eagles cover with his band the next, is as welcoming as they come. If there’s one place in Nagasaki that you shouldn’t miss, this is it.

Nearer the bright lights of Shianbashi is another fixture of the local scene. Bar G Soul boasts floor-to-ceiling views of neon Nagasaki, seasonal fruit cocktails, and DJs playing R&B and hip-hop to a crowd of well-dressed youngsters until 4am. Like most bars, this place is at its best when busy, so make sure to have a quick peek inside first before you go in.

Whether you’re looking for some live music or just a lively atmosphere, there’s no better place than Tin Pan Alley. The house band’s repertoire ranges from Culture Club to Jamiroquai and everything in between, so feel free to make requests. For a taste of something a little different, head to Psybar Space On. This unmarked bar has been designed with the look and feel of a Meiji-era home, so first-timers might hesitate before sliding open the door: only the blue neon sign and loud “Irrashaimase!” distinguish it from the old lady’s house next door. Take your shoes off, watch your head, and step inside to discover an elegant space with views out onto a small Japanese garden. It’s difficult to find, but those who make the effort will be rewarded.

Still not ready for bed? Ayer’s Rock is Nagasaki’s best-known club, and for good reason. It’s been showcasing local musicians here for over ten years, and drawing the best of Nagasaki’s large university crowd all the while. The young clientele ensures that drink prices stay reasonable, and the fun keeps going until the wee hours of the morning.

 

Getting into the Buddha beat in Kamakura, the laid-back neighbour of fast-paced Tokyo

Daibutsu, the famous Great Buddha bronze statue in Kamakura, looks out over the Kotokuin Temple.

 

KAMAKURA, JAPAN—I realized I had truly fallen under this town’s spell when I found myself in a café shaking a small, giraffe-shaped maraca to the beat of a Tom Waits-infused, acoustic version of Prince’s “Kiss.” It seemed a fitting way to end a day that included crawling through a cave at a Buddhist temple, hanging out with the Great Buddha himself, and hearing people talk about the resurrection of a fallen 1,000-year-old tree. Here’s the back story.

Shortly after my wife and I had settled in Tokyo, a friend who helps North American musicians book gigs in Japan suggested we take a trip to Kamakura to see a concert. We saidhai without hesitation. The city is best described as Tokyo’s laid-back neighbour (or old surfer buddy). It has beaches, Buddhist temples, ice cream shops, and cool restaurants and cafés — the perfect antidote to Tokyo’s frenetic, neon-splashed, steel-glass-and-concrete landscape.

We three met at the station one sunny Sunday morning and grabbed the direct train to Kamakura. In minutes, we were racing out of Tokyo, cutting across a peninsula, and heading toward Sagami Bay. The trip takes less than an hour and costs less than $15 return. The payoff is almost immediate. Soon after you step off the train, you start to unwind. Then it’s just a matter of what to see in the time you have. We figured we’d do better on a full stomach. Buddha doesn’t look like he skipped many meals, so why should we?

One way to get into the Kamakura vibe is to tour around with people who really know the place. My friend, Dan Rosen, moved to this city a couple of years ago after living in Tokyo for a few years and Kyoto for a decade. He whisked us from the train station to one of Kamakura’s best restaurants, 0467, which gets its name from the city’s area code. 0467 is a mix of old and new Japan. Weathered wooden beams butt against perfectly plastered walls and contemporary stonework. Its chefs serve up savory pasta dishes, curries, fish and meat, combining them with local vegetables.

Over coffee, I asked Dan (who works weekdays in Tokyo) why he decided to call Kamakura home.

“I like to see the blue sky everyday. And the mountains all around,” he said without hesitation, recalling the first time he saw Mount Fuji. “I was running along the beach one day and there it was. I said to myself, is that Fuji-san?”

The iconic mountain is just one of the many sights visitors and residents enjoy. After lunch, we started with the revered Hase Kannon Temple, or Hasedera. A few dollars will let you stroll through the temple’s luscious grounds, designed in Zen style to contribute to one’s enlightenment and contentment. But there is also sadness at this temple. One corner of Hasedera is filled with an army of small Jizo statues, representing the souls of miscarried, stillborn or aborted children. Candles and incense burn nearby, and the gurgle of a creek can be heard over the quiet.

The highest point of the Hasedera Buddhist temple provides an expansive view of one of Kamakura’s beaches, with its ant-sized surfers and windsurfers riding the waves. The lowest point is a small cave that contains the seven lucky gods of Japanese mythology. In between, you’ll find the nine-metre statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy. According to legend, it was carved from a single piece of camphor wood in the 8th century. Monks sell offerings for the goddess — candles bearing various messages: I pray to recover from a disease; I pray to be able to meet a wonderful person; I pray for an easy delivery with a child.

At this point, we were praying for more time at this temple. But we had to leave; the Great Buddha was calling. Daibustu is considered a national treasure, one of the main reasons people visit Kamakura. The 38-metre bronze statue was built in the 13th century, back when Kamakura’s samurais ruled Japan. It has survived earthquakes and tsunamis, and now the green giant (which has a reinforced neck) stands patiently by as visitors use him as a backdrop for photos, pray to him, give gifts and pay 20 cents to climb inside his belly. If you’ve still got spare change, chanting monks will take it off your hands, ringing a bell as you drop your yen into their bowls.

But while the Great Buddha is Kamakura’s big attraction, these days it’s a fallen giant that has been capturing the imagination of many Japanese. Since mid-March, thousands of visitors have flocked to one of Kamakura’s Shinto shrines to see the remains of an old tree. The 30-metre gingko towered over the Tsurugaoka Hachiman Shrine for 1,000 years until a windstorm blew it down.

“They’re sad,” one rickshaw driver said of the people he’s ferried back and forth to visit the tree. “The ginkgo was the symbol of Kamakura.”

There’s a plan, though, that is giving hope to some. Shrine officials have cut a section of the ginkgo and planted it in the ground, expecting it will grow roots. If that fails, they’re also trying to make saplings out of branch cuttings. Despite the scientific hurdles, it’s not hard to find optimists in the crowd.

“After living for 1,000 years, the tree still has a vital energy,” said college student, Yu Usui. “It will grow again.”

One Kamakura native I met, Ishii, didn’t mourn the tree and seemed to loathe the packs of tourists in town. She talked about how the city is a drag because of the number of visitors. It didn’t help that U.S. President Barack Obama spoke about his childhood memories of Kamakura when he visited Japan last fall. Now every other ice cream shop is boasting it was the one that sold green tea ice cream to the boy who became the leader of the free world.

I tried to figure out how a Zen Buddhist would feel about Kamakura’s popularity problem, and drew a blank, which might have been a good thing. Then the main act, L.A.’s Jim Bianco, walked over to the corner, muttered something in Japanese, and started playing before the crowd of 20. After a few songs, he handed me that plastic giraffe maraca. I shook it like a pro and forgot about everything for a few minutes — the good, the bad, and the Buddha.

When we left the café, Kamakura’s narrow streets were deserted, its stores shuttered for the night. Dan told me it’s always like this after 7 p.m.

I wanted to return to one of the temples, or go lie on the ground and stare up at the Great Buddha’s big head. Instead, we went to the train station. On the way, I whispered to my wife, “We have to come back to stay for a while.”

C. James Dale is a freelancer writer based in Tokyo.

 

Cosplay in Kunming China

People changing in to anims.

Smart Vending Machine in Tokyo

Rather than use a tradition pushbutton system, the machines use a 47-inch touch panel display with several distinct automatic modes, the company stated

When a customer nears the machine, only images of the available drinks will be displayed. The machines come equipped with sensors that can recognize age and sex with a 75% accuracy, and make recommendations based on the situation, Nikkei reported. Customers can also zoom in on a particular selection to get more detailed product information if desired.

When people are not in its near vicinity, the machine switches to an advertising mode that will display imagery based on factors such as season, time of day, and temperature. In one instance, the machine popped up a big set of eyes, along with words that read "I'm thirsty!"

 

Things to Remember For Your Trip to Japan

Japan is a country with a rich, endearing history full of culture, tranquility and excitement all at the same time. Most of us who take a trip to Japan soon realize upon touching down that Japan is a magnificent land with some of the most beautiful scenery of any country in the world. However, before taking a tour to Japan, travelers should educate themselves on this land to get a better idea of what to do when visiting The Far East. Read below for some interesting tidbits on the country of Japan:

Population 
Despite its relatively small size compared to some of the world's other larger countries, Japan's population is a little more than 126 million people, with most of these residents living in some of the country's more densely-populated areas. In fact, the Tokyo Metropolitan Area alone houses an estimated 12 million people or roughly ten percent of the country's population. In fact, it's estimated that during the day that number might increase to up to 15 million with people commuting to work in the city, so if you're planning a trip to Tokyo, prepare yourself for some crowds.

Language 
The people of Japan has become more accustomed to visitors from the United States, so language is less-likely to be an issue now compared to past times. Still, do yourself a favor and take along a translating device of some sort or just a phrasebook/dictionary to prepare yourself for those times when you run into residents that aren't familiar with the English language.

Transportation 
Public transportation is readily-available in most of the larger cities with trains, buses and taxis providing the primary source of public transportation in these locations. Make sure to keep that translating device or dictionary handy just in case you get into a situation where you're not around English-speaking Japanese citizens. Also, make sure to print out a schedule of the train schedule to ensure you'll get where you want to go at the time you want to go. As for buses, check online and see the databases for the schedules.

Money 
The currency for Japan is yen. Coins are available in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen with paper currency in denomination of 1,000, 2,000, 5,000 and 10,000 yen. Make sure to check the exchange rates before you head out on your Japan vacation to make sure you bring enough cash for your trip.

Traveler's checks are accepted in most banks, hotels, inns and stores throughout most of Japan's major cities as are most major credit cards including American Express, VISA, Diners club and MasterCard. These credit cards can also be used at most ATMs throughout the cities as well and in fact, most 7-Elevens also have ATM machines that accept these credit cards as well. However, most of the areas outside the major cities do not accept these credit cards, so make sure to take some yen when traveling to these areas.

Fun Facts 
And if you want to brush on some interesting facts on Japan before you go, consider the following: 
• Japan is 70% mountains 
• Japan is made up of over 6,000 islands 
• The most popular pet in Japan is the Golden Retriever 
• Japanese pizza traditionally has mayonnaise, corn and seaweed on it 
• Watermelons can often cost up to $100 
• KFC is a really popular place to visit on Christmas

A trip to Japan provides a fantastic chance to experience the culture of a rich and endearing land while providing memories that will last a lifetime.

 

Tokyo : ginza district

Ginza is the home of that notoriously expensive cup of coffee and that even more extortionate apple! But price needn't be everything. For very little you can see a traditional kabuki play, go to Asia's largest fish market, see an Indian style temple, look at a capsule apartment building, and try out the latest Sony gadgets.

The 1920's were the heyday years for Ginza. Men striving to be at the very height of fashion and sophistication flooded in. The "cafes" were the big attraction - where the "pretty" women "served" the drinks!

One step on - "cafes" are now hostess bars - the haunt of the middle-aged businessman; the shopping streets are very much the territory of the middle aged housewife. But fashion is still very much the word. Brand name bags costing tens of thousands of yen are the essential shopping accessory and if you're not dressed up as if going to a wedding, well, please, do kindly remove yourself.

The main street is closed to traffic on Sundays

Exit C2 of Ginza Subway Station, which incidentally was built for the 1964 Olympics, brings you out next to the Sukiyabashi zebra crossing. Having emerged look out for the department stores Hankyu, Seibu and Printemps (to the left in the distance). For advertising purposes there's definite merit in a Ginza location, but the extortionate price of land means that in terms of making a profit, stores must rely on their branches in cheaper areas.

The Seibu Railway Company owns Seibu, the Hankyu Railway Company of Osaka owns Hankyu Department store, but Printemps, with its fashionable French name to lure in the style conscious shopper, was opened in 1984 by a supermarket chain.

Displaying the latest electronics

Sony Building

In the Sony Building, (next to the Sukiyabashi crossing) all the very latest Sony gadgets are on display. Amongst camcorders and various other personal devices, there's a high vision theatre, a broadcasting studio and several room layouts suggesting how all the technology can be best incorporated into the home. Demonstrations are held everyday throughout the day (10:00 am to 8:00pm) and entrance is free.

Mistsukoshi Departent Store

From the Sukiyabashi crossing, next walk down Harumi Dori Avenue in the direction of Tsukiji and Harumi. As you go, Mitsukoshi Department Store is on the left. This particular branch dates back to the Meiji Era (1868 - 1912) and was one of Japan's first western style department stores.

Apple Store Ginza

The Apple Store in Ginza is a cool, sleek designed store offering all of the latest products. The store is seven-levels, complete with a theatre which shows tutorials of apple products.

Apple Store

Kabuki-za Theatre

Just past Mitsukoshi you'll find the Kabuki-za Theatre. It's a beautiful structure, and in Tokyo it's one of only three or four good examples of a traditional style building built from modern materials, not wood. Performances take place everyday (you can buy a ticket on the door for under 1000 yen!) For more information go to the Kabuki-za Theatre web site.

Tsukiji Honganji

By carrying on down Harumi Dori Avenue and then turning left into Shin Ohashi Dori Avenue, you'll reach the rather impressive and refreshingly incongruous Tsukiji Honganji (Hongwanji) Buddhist Temple. The original temple dated back to 1617 but in 1657 the Great Fire of Tokyo destroyed it. It was then destroyed again in the earthquake of 1923. Now on a new site, this present building was completed in 1935. As the head temple of the Jodo Shinshu denomination, the Indian style is said to be symbolic of the roots of Buddhism.

Tsukiji Fish Market

By heading back to Harumi Dori and then crossing over, you'll be in the vicinity of Tsukiji Fish Market, the largest fish wholesale market in Asia. By mid afternoon trading is well and truly over but with stray felines still licking their lips and the odd crab or two on the pavement, the deserted streets at this time can make for an atmospheric wander. The market is open everyday except Sundays and public holidays. To catch it at it's best you need to be there around seven or eight in the morning.

Nakajin Capsule Apartment Building

Built in 1971 and designed by the architect Kisho Kurokawa, the Nakajin Capsule Apartment Building is the world's first attempt at a capsule or cube in which you can live. Each capsule is approximately three meters by five meters square. The bed takes up most of the space and all the appliances needed for every day living surround it. Quite conveniently too, on the first floor there's a convenience store.

Nakajin Capsule Apartments

To find the building first retrace your steps back up Harumi Dori Avenue until you get to Chuo Dori Avenue (Mitsukoshi is on the corner). Then turn left and walk in the direction of Shimbashi. Continue and then once at the junction with Showa Dori Avenue look to the left and you should be able to see it. The walk takes about ten minutes.

On the way, by taking a de-tour down some of the side streets you'll encounter some bank breaking restaurants. One small fish from the fish tank outside could set you back more than 10, 000 yen! Also notice the expensive teashops. These are usually full of housewives tucking into bowls of Anmitsu. Anmitsu is an expensive desert but it essentially consists of a dollop of sweet red beans, several transparent cubes of gelatin, a couple of rice balls and some fruit cocktail (which, don't you dare say looks like it's come out of a tin!).

Street Performer

How to Get to Ginza

Take the Ginza Subway line, the Maruonuchi Subway Line of the Hibiya Subway Line to Ginza Subway Station.

The closest station the Tsukiji Fish Market is Tsukiji Subway Station on the Hibiya Subway Line.

The closest station to the Kabuki-za Theatre is Higashi Ginza Station on the Hibiya Subway Line.

 

How to get to central Tokyo from Narita Airport

The Airport Limousine Bus

The Airport Limousine Bus, is probably the most convenient way to get to the city centre. You'll find the ticket desk right in front of you as you enter arrivals, and the bus stops are then located immediately outside each terminal building. Buses leave for Tokyo Station, Shinjuku Station, Disneyland and major hotels. They depart every fifteen minutes. A one way ticket costs 3000 yen, and depending on traffic, expected journey time is about one and a half hours.

For more information go to the Airport Limousine Bus web site or telephone 03 3665 7220 (English information is available).

The JR Narita Express Train (N-EX)

With departures every thirty minutes or so, the JR Narita Express (N-EX) serves JR Shinjuku Station, JR Tokyo Station, JR Ikebukero Station, JR Shinagawa and JR Yokohama Station. To board the train, follow the signs from inside the terminal buildings (be prepared for quite a walk!). The Japan Rail Pass is valid, but otherwise a one-way ticket (depending on destination) will cost around 3310 yen. It takes approximately 53 minutes to reach Tokyo station from Narita

 

Travel › Thai Airways to serve Haneda airport, boost flights to Nagoya

Thai Airways International announced Tuesday the inauguration of a daily service linking Bangkok and Tokyo's Haneda airport on Nov 1 while saying its flights from Bangkok to Nagoya and Fukuoka will be increased in the winter timetable that takes effect Oct 31.
    
The Thai carrier's services to Nagoya's Central Japan International Airport will rise to 10 per week from seven now, while it will start flying a daily flight to Fukuoka, up from five per week.
    
Thai Airways currently flies also to Narita International Airport for passengers bound for Tokyo and to Osaka's Kansai International Airport.
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Japan observes 65th anniversary of Nagasaki bombing

 

Nagasaki marked the 65th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the Japanese port city Monday, in which about 74,000 people were killed. The ceremony observed a minute of silence in memory of victims of the attack at 11.02 a.m. 65 years ago. The Peace Memorial Ceremony was attended by a record 32 countries, including nuclear power Britain and France, which joined in for the first time. Both also attended events in Hiroshima last week. The bombing, the second in the closing days of World War II, injured about the same number in Nagasaki, which had a population at the time of 240,000. Nagasaki is now a prosperous city with a population of more than 440,000 on the southern Japanese island of Kyushu. Three days after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, the second blast increased the pressure for Japan to surrender, which it did on Aug 15, 1945, six days later. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon met victims of the bombing Thursday during his first visit to Nagasaki. On Friday, Ban attended the ceremony in Hiroshima that commemorated the Aug 6, 1945 bombing of that western Japanese city. He was the first UN chief to participate in the annual event. Representatives from more than 70 countries, including US Ambassador to Japan John Roos, attended Friday's ceremony in Hiroshima. Roos was the first US envoy to do so.

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SHINJUKU GYOEN NATIONAL GARDEN

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden is one of the best gardens in Tokyo and a popular location for viewing cherry blossom. Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden contains Japanese and European style sections.

 

Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden (新宿御苑, Shinjuku Gyoen) is a large park with an eminent garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya (Tokyo, Japan). It was originally a residence of the Naito family in the Edo period. Afterwards, it became the garden under the management of the Imperial Household Agency of Japan. It is now a park under the jurisdiction of the national Ministry of the Environment.

 

The imperial gardens, for royalty only, were completed in 1906, and were destroyed in 1945, during the later stages of World War II. The jurisdiction over the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and the Kyoto imperial garden was transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare (now part of the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare) with Shinjuku Imperial Gardens in 1947. It was on May 21, 1949 that the gardens became open to the public as "National park Shinjuku Imperial Gardens". It came under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of the Environment in January, 2001 with the official name "Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden"

 

The gardens which are 58.3 hectares in size, and with a circumference of 3.5 km, blend three distinct styles: French Formal, English Landscape and Japanese traditional. The gardens have more than 20,000 trees, including approximately1,500 cherry trees which bloom from late March (Shidare or Weeping Cherry), to early April (Somei or Tokyo Cherry), and on to late April (Kanzan Cherry). Other trees found here include the majestic Himalayan cedars, which soar above the rest of the trees in the park, tulip trees, cypresses, and plane trees, which were first planted in Japan in the Imperial Gardens.

 

Horticulture work has been going on in the greenhouses in the gardens since 1892. The present greenhouse, built in the 1950s has a stock of over 1,700 tropical and subtropical plant species on permanent display.

 

The gardens have three access gates: Shinjuku Gate, Okido Gate and Sendagaya Gate. Shinjuku Gyoen is open from 9:00 until 16:30. Mondays the gardens are closed, except during the cherry blossom and chrysanthemum seasons, late March-late April and early November respectively when the gardens are open seven days a week. The last admission is 16:00. Admission is 200 yen for adults, 50 yen for children. The greenhouse is open from 11:00 until 15:00. A traditional Japanese tea house can be found within the gardens.

 

The gardens are a favourite hanami (cherry-blossom viewing) spot, and large crowds can be found in the park during cherry blossom season. With its proximity to Shinjuku ni-chome, Tokyo's best-known gay village, the park is also popular among gay men, and mass cherry-blossom viewing parties are organized in the park by local gay bars.

 

The gardens are a short walk from Shinjuku Gyoenmae on the Marunouchi Line or Sendagaya Station on the JR Sobu Line.

 

Shinjuku Gyoen is not to be confused with Shinjuku Central Park, a small green area located behind the Tokyo Metropolitan Buildings in Nishi-Shinjuku.

 

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