| TOKYO — A good way to explore Tokyo is by bike. Tokyo Great Cycling Tours take you to the major tourist spots in the city. The tours, especially designed for foreign visitors, last six hours and require a minimum of 10 persons. It's a flat course and there are plenty of rest breaks, so you don't have to be in Olympic condition. There are two routes – the Tokyo Bay Ride (every Saturday and Tuesday) and the Sumo Wrestler's Ride (every Sunday and Thursday), both costing 10,000 yen, including a boxed lunch. After the tour, you can enjoy a foot massage to relax and refresh your muscles and body so you can be up and running the next day. http://www.tokyocycling.jp/ Another option is Tokyo Rent A Bike, located near Nakameguro Station. For just 900 yen, you pick up your bike in the morning between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and return the bike anytime by 8 p.m. You don't need to worry about getting lost. They'll give you a road map for Tokyo that suggests the best routes for cycling in and around Tokyo—to Roppongi, Yoyogi Park, Yoyogi, Harajuku, Shibuya, Ginza, Hiroo, Daikanyama, Nakameguro, Meguro, Shinagawa, Imperial Palace and other areas. Guided tours for Tokyo are also available and English is spoken. Don't forget to bring a photo ID (passport/driver's license). Payment is in cash only. |
Saturday, 7 August 2010
Travel › Bike tours a good way to see Tokyo
Tokyo workers start busy day with soothing tai chi
| Nearly 500 people, some in business suits and others in shorts and with dogs in tow, stretched, twisted and bent their bodies in Tokyo at the crack of dawn as part of a new trend to keep fit and make friends. Japanese traditionally exercise in parks, schools and offices during the summer to piano music to boost morale and encourage unity, but tai chi -- a Chinese exercise using slow, smooth body movements -- is now the new alternative. Enthusiasts say tai chi helps to achieve balance of body and mind, preferring the Chinese exercise to the traditional "rajio taiso" that has been aired by public NHK radio since 1928. "I had to do the "rajio taiso" when I was in school, but it's really boring," said Ryogo Yoshitani, a 40-year-old real estate agent who came to the session on his way to work. "With tai chi I always learn new exciting elements and it's not only good for my body, but also puts me in a great mood for the rest of the day." Exercises in the trendy Roppongi area start before the scorching sun rises too high, with hundreds of colorfully dressed Tokyoites surrounding a stage on which a tai chi master, draped in a traditional Chinese costume, demonstrates steps. The sessions, accessible to beginners and passers-by, have gained popularity since they were first organized by a local residents' group eight years ago, attracting people from as far afield as Kamakura, over an hour's commute away. "When the sessions are on, I wake up at 5 a.m. and eat breakfast after tai chi with friends I made here over the years, then set off to work," said Yoko Nakatsuji from the group as she stood on one leg and moved her arms in slow motion. Tai chi in Roppongi is popular with locals, but foreigners also come to bend and stretch to the tune of traditional Chinese music before a long day in the office. "When business meetings get really hectic, I take a deep breath remembering our exercises during tai chi sessions -- it really helps," said Jill Gould, a sales trainer from New York on a short business trip in Japan. |
Friday, 6 August 2010
tokyo : Take the plunge
| Whether it's a weekday or weekend, if you're looking to escape the noise of the city and experience something on the luxurious side, spending some time at a hotel swimming pool is an option that's well worth considering. Even if you're unable to take enough time off for a proper summer holiday, you can still pull up a deck chair by the pool, soak in some summer sunshine and relax in style. Below are our picks of hotel pools that can be enjoyed by all – even by visitors who aren't booked to stay overnight. Hotel New Otani Tokyo Hotel New Otani Tokyo's The Pool Mai Tai is located directly adjacent to a traditional Japanese garden and could easily be mistaken for a tropical oasis. Around this large hotel pool are various additional facilities, including a luxury poolside cottage, Cabana that can be reserved for the exclusive use of up to two people and comes complete with a bed, a sofa and internet access. However, if all you're after is a comfortable place to sit and relax in your own space (rather than a whole cottage) then you might like to try a Kamehameha Seat to experience some first class service – limited to ten customers per day. Another poolside facility well worth a mention is an American-style restaurant named Trader Vic's Outrigger that, in addition to offering a selection of foods including authentic west-coast-style juicy hamburgers, serve a range of drinks including Mai Tai (said to mean 'out of this world' in Tahitian) cocktails. From Thursdays to Saturdays, until Saturday August 28, and also on Sunday August 8 through to Wednesday August 11, closing time will be extended until 10pm. Along with the later closing time will be poolside background music (played by popular DJs) and poolside lighting – creating an ideal atmosphere in which to enjoy an evening by the pool. Period: Until Sun Sept 5 Hotel New Otani Tokyo (Full details & map) Tokyo Prince Hotel Measuring 25m by 11m, located within the grounds of Prince Hotel Tokyo, a mere two minute walk from Tokyo Tower, the pool here looks up to Tokyo Tower and across to the beautiful green foliage of Shiba Park. In addition to the main pool, there is also a smaller pool for children and a grassy area – making this a great place to bring the family. Plus, after a day spent frolicking around by the pool, there is also a beer garden within the grounds, named Mori no Naka no Beer Garden, that offers a selection of barbequed food and an ideal evening atmosphere in which to unwind with a drink. Period: Until Sun Sept 5 Tokyo Prince Hotel Park Hyatt Tokyo Park Hyatt Tokyo's pool, which sits at 160m above ground level, is usually only open to guests staying at the hotel and members; however, until Friday December 14, visitors can use the pool without having to also book a room for an overnight stay through a special offer that is currently running, called 'The Perfect Day Off', that entitles guests to day-use of a Park Deluxe Room from 10am (check-in) to 5pm (check-out), lunch or breakfast at the restaurant Girandole on the 41st floor, one of four different 90-minute spa treatments, use of the hotel's fitness facilities – including the pool – and one cocktail at the New York Bar on the 52nd floor. Period: Until Fri Dec 17 Park Hyatt Tokyo (Full details & map) ANA InterContinental Tokyo ANA InterContinental Tokyo's Garden Pool is located on the hotel's 4th floor and whilst only 20m by 13m in size, it's plenty big enough to escape the city and chill out in. Plus, there is also a variety of food on offer poolside, including hamburgers, fish & chips, and chashu-miso-ramen (pork and miso ramen). After 3pm the admission fee is reduced to half-price – making it somewhere well worth considering if you're looking for a pool at which to stop off at on the way home from work, for example. Period: Until Sun Sept 5 ANA InterContinental Tokyo (Full details & map) Hotel East21 Tokyo Hotel East21 Tokyo's Garden Pool is located on south side of the hotel building, and unfortunately, the Tokyo Sky Tree can only be seen from the north side. However, making up for the lack of what would have been an impressive view are the facilities, which include a long, narrow pool measuring 48m by 3m, a shorter but wider main pool that measures 30m by 11m, and a Jacuzzi to help you unwind after your swim. Another interesting point about this particular hotel pool is its poolside, which, like the hotel itself, is designed to be reminiscent of 19th century Europe. In addition to the outside pools, the hotel also houses a pool for the exclusive use of guests booked on an overnight stay. Period: Until Tue Aug 31 Hotel East21 Tokyo (Full details & map) Keio Plaza Hotel Positioned on the 7th floor of the Keio Plaza Hotel, in the heart Shinjuku's business area, the Sky Pool boasts an impressive city view, blue skies (on clear days) and its own collection of poolside foliage. For the hungry swimmer, the hotel offers two special plans that include pool admission and a meal: the 'Asagao' plan, which includes pool admission and lunch for ¥5,500 (Sat, Sun & nat. holidays: ¥7,000) and the 'Yugao' plan, which includes pool admission and dinner for ¥8,000 (Sat, Sun & nat. holidays: ¥9,500). Visitors on either of these two popular plans can choose to eat at one of four different restaurants (Japanese, Chinese, Korea or Italian) and can even choose to eat and swim on different days. Period: Until Sun Sept 5 Keio Plaza Hotel (Full details & map) |
Thursday, 5 August 2010
Obon festival
| Obon is one of the most important traditions for Japanese people. It is a Buddhist event and is the period of praying for the repose of the souls of one's ancestors. People believe that their ancestors' spirits come back to their homes to be reunited with their family during obon. Obon is an important family gathering time and many people return to their hometowns. Obon was originally celebrated around the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar. Obon periods are nowadays different in various regions of Japan. In most regions, obon is celebrated around August 15th on the solar calendar. It starts from August 13th and ends on 16th. In some areas in Tokyo, obon is celebrated around July 15th on the solar calendar, and it is still celebrated on the 15th day of the seventh month of the lunar calendar in many areas in Okinawa. People clean their houses and offer a variety of food such as vegetables and fruits to the spirits of ancestors in front of butsudan (Buddhist families altar). Butsudan is decorated with flower and chouchin (paper lanterns). On the 13th, chouchin are lit inside houses, and people go to their family's graves to call their ancestors' spirits back home. It's called mukaebon. In some regions, fires called mukaebi are lit at the entrances to homes to guide the ancestor's spirits. On the 16th, people bring the ancestor's spirits back to graves, hanging chouchin painted with the family crest to guide the ancestors' spirits. It's called okuribon. In some regions, fires called okuribi are lit at entrances of homes to send the ancestors' spirits. During obon, the air in houses and cemeteries in Japan are filled with the smell of incense called senko. Toro Nagashi (floating paper lanterns) is a custom often held during obon. On the evening of the 15th, people send off ancestor's spirits with a paper lantern, lit by a candle inside and floated down a river to the ocean. Bon odori (folk dance) is the most common custum in obon. The kind of dance varies from area to area. People wearing yukata (summer kimono) go to the neighborhood bon odori and dance around a yagura stage. Anyone can participate in bon odori. Join the circle and imitate what others are doing. Usually, taiko drums keep the rhythms in bon odori. Obon is not a Japanese national holiday, but many people take vacations during obon so that they can visit their hometowns. Especially, around August 13th to 16th is during the school summer holidays and is the peak travel season like Golden Week in Japan. Although it is crowded everywhere, many people take trips during obon. The beginning and end of obon are marked with terrible traffic jams. Airports, train stations, and highways are jammed with travelers. |
Travel › Awa Kamogawa: One of Chiba’s new surfing hotspots
| CHIBA — Awa Kamogawa doesn't look like a surf town, even though you can smell the ocean from the train station. Tiled-roof houses line the narrow streets, with wild grass pushing the asphalt apart in places. Closer to the shore there are thick coils of rope, buoys and low-circling hawks. It's still predominately a fishing town, albeit one that happens to have a well-regarded surfing point. "The waves are clean, with a nice shape," says local surfer Kazuya Yokoyama. "I prefer Minami-Boso," he continues, referring to the name for this southern part of the Chiba peninsula. "The water is cleaner and warmer here." The coast at Awa Kamogawa curls gently, dotted with a few humble beach shacks and the ever-present tetrapods. Smack in the middle is Seaside, the name for a consistent beach break that favors a northwest wind. Yokoyama says that summer is good for beginners, while typhoon season produces waves that are "not Hawaii, but not bad at all." Unlike the beaches further north, Awa Kamogawa has yet to be infiltrated by brightly lit brand-name surf shops and hamburger joints. The half-dozen stores that do operate in the area share the same homegrown vibe as Anuenue. Like other coastal towns, however, this one is gradually drawing harried Tokyoites—not just day trippers, but also those looking for a more permanent change of pace. From a visitor's point of view, the main drawback to Awa Kamogawa is its notorious localism, particularly at the central Seaside break. The areas on either side of the main break and near the river mouth (where the current is particularly strong) are less coveted. Yokoyama admits that the water can be tense at times, but believes that showing courtesy and playing by the rules—absolutely no dropping-in—goes a long way. He also points out that the town itself is relatively tolerant, offering free parking and showers at the beach. Given this territorialism, the service that Yokoyama—along with his Lomi Lomi masseur wife—offer is a rare boon to city dwellers. Anuenue welcomes travelers of all stripes, and can arrange lessons with local surf shops as well as sea kayaking and bicycle rentals. Down the road is a temple that holds yoga lessons most weekends, while there are hiking trails in the dense green hills beyond, and those with their own wheels can take advantage of the beaches to the south. Yokoyama recommends Wada, just below Awa Kamogawa, and Heisaura at the tip of the peninsula. 2935-2 Kaisuka, Kamogawa-shi, Chiba. Tel: 080-3086-7013. Nearest station: Awa Kamogawa. www.anuenue-backpackers-herbs.org Surfin' Safari Chiba's surf beaches run along the outer coast of the peninsula, from Kujukuri in the north all the way to the southern tip at Heisaura. As a general rule, the crowds thin out as one moves further south—and further away from Tokyo. However, the weekend toll reduction on the Aqua Line highway connecting Chiba with Kanagawa has also made the southern area more accessible. Katagai is the most popular point in Kujukuri, thanks to consistent waves and easy highway access from Tokyo. The black sand stretch from Ichinomiya to Taito, passing through Torami and Sunrise, offers a string of beach breaks that are accessible from Torami station on the Sotobo line (a 20-minute walk to the coast). Taito is generally the easiest. On a good day, Shidashita (next to Torami) is popular with the local surfing elite, and hosts the occasional competition. Beaches below Taito are served by a southern current and are thus a bit warmer. With its white sand and nearby station, Onjuku is particularly attractive (read: crowded, but not Shonan-crowded). Many beginners start out here, and surf schools abound. Below are the less-trafficked Minami-Boso beaches, beginning with Awa Kamogawa and continuing through Wada, Chitose and Chikura—all within 20 minutes' walk from stations on the Uchibo line. Board rentals and lessons in English are available at Oasis (Ichinomiya; www.oasis2009.jp) and Eugene Teal Surf School & Clubhouse (Onjuku; www.kanaloa7.tv/teal). The undulating coastline means wind and wave conditions vary from point to point. BCM's popular wave report can be accessed by PC, mobile or iPhone: www.bcm-surfpatrol.com (Japanese only). |
Wednesday, 4 August 2010
Turning a stopover in Tokyo into sojourn starts with Conrad Tokyo
| Tokyo is an important gateway into Asia, as well as a hub for international business. Too many travelers merely transit Tokyo - perhaps a bit intimidated by the idea of navigating a vastly different culture, with different language and alphabet and the vastness of a city of 10 million people that makes even New York City seem provincial. But Tokyo is also one of the world's great cities, the repository of thousands of years of human history and culture. I found you can turn a stopover into a sojourn - that most special kind of travel adventure that produces a transformative experience - with just a little pre-planning. I was en route to Hangzhou, China, an itinerary that compelled an overnight in Tokyo in both directions. Rather than just stay over in a hotel at Narita International Airport, I added a night in each direction, so that I would have one full day to explore Tokyo both coming and going. I did some pre-planning in order to cut down the learning curve and get the most out of each day (see below). My efforts were richly rewarded. My flight from J. F. Kennedy International on ANA (Air Nippon Airlines) brings back fond memories of the good ol' days of flying – so gracious, hospitable and immediately put me into the atmosphere of Asia. Just moments after taking off, I feel I am already at my destination, or at least, already starting my trip. I am in economy class mind you, the service, the food, the personal entertainment systems (I see five movies each way), make the 14-hours, even cramped in a seat, fly by as pleasantly as a 14-hour flight could possibly be. Even in economy class, we are served two full meals (wine and beer provided at no charge), plus a snack, and frequent service of drinks – juice, water, green tea and coffee. Before the meal, the flight attendant comes by with a hot towel. They make dining an event – with actual silverware. There is even a menu so you can choose a meat or seafood entrée, with a meal that combined Western and Asian treats. For dessert, small containers of Häagen-Dazs ice cream. You should see Club ANA (Business Class)! Chairs open up to full-length loungers, a down quilt, and First Class is like having your own little studio apartment in the sky – a separated seat opens to a bed and there is a big-screen monitor on its own little desk. We land at 3:35 in afternoon, local time (11 hours different from New York and across the dateline). First the Immigration desk – not at all intimidating. You don't need a visa to enter Japan for such a short stay; they take your picture and finger print you. Next stop – picking up baggage and going through Customs. This too is as efficient and as stress-free as can be – they even provide baggage carts for free, making it easy to get around. Once I clear Customs and Immigration, I go directly to the Friendly Airport-Limousine Bus desk, centrally located as you exit Customs. I am amazed by how efficient this service is. They give me a ticket for a bus that leaves within10 minutes, and I wheel my luggage cart outside to the curb, find the station, and queue up with the other passengers. The ticket costs 3000 yen ($30), with stops at many major hotels (I had checked online at the hotels that I would stay at, the Conrad Hilton and the Tokyo Hilton, and found that both were direct stops). Otherwise, you can take the bus to the downtown Tokyo Airport Central Station where you can get a taxi or take the subway. (You can also get downtown from Narita Airport by train – in any case, mass transit is definitely the way to go.) Luggage handlers check your luggage; another collects the cart, and as the bus pulls away, the handlers both bow. This, along with the prohibition in the bus against using cell phones because it is inconsiderate of other people, is your first lesson about Japanese culture: politeness is still highly valued. The next thing you realize is that people drive and walk on the left instead of right, like the British; everything is in kilometers and centigrade; and (significantly) road signs offer English language and numerals. Downtown Tokyo is about 35 to 40 miles from Narita Airport and the trip can take anywhere from one to two hours, depending upon the time of day. For a new arrival, the comfortable bus (there are lavatories on board) is like a sightseeing trip, providing a pleasant orientation. Just outside the city, we pass Tokyo Disneyland and Tokyo DisneySea, with seven hotels (including the family-focused Hilton Tokyo Bay, an official Disneyland hotel) and a Giant Ferris Wheel. I am surprised at how close it is to the city (Disneyland is easily reached from downtown by the train). And then we are in downtown Tokyo - modern, vibrant, bustling, tall skyscrapers of glass and steel, eight lane boulevards, colorful neon. I am still getting my bearings after some 20 hours of traveling when I arrive at the Conrad Tokyo hotel. The lobby is actually located at the 28th floor of a commercial skyscraper and the view of Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge, which you can enjoy from the lounge, takes your breath away. Mizuki Spa Within minutes of my arrival, my stopover turns into a true Tokyo "vacation" as I experience one of the unparalleled luxuries of a stay at the Conrad Tokyo – a massage at its Mizuki Spa. The Mizuki Spa is the largest of its kind in Tokyo and the only one featuring a genuine Hinoki bath – a tub made out of Hinoki cypress which has a rich grain, smooth texture and a subtle scent of cypress. (The Mizuki Spa signature treatment includes a deep soak in the Hinoki bath, a massage using bamboo sticks, and a traditional Japanese Tea ceremony.) A massage is pleasurable almost by definition, but this takes the experience to another realm: this is in true Japanese style, with special niceties infused with Japanese tradition in the treatments, as well as the atmosphere. I am taken into a waiting room, where water and moon, two of nature's powerful yet calming symbols, are integrated into the design. A fountain mimics the sound of rain. I sip tea as I choose the scent of the massage oil I prefer. I am taken into a darkened room where a bubble bath has already been drawn to a perfect temperature, and soak in pulsating water for 30 minutes, while looking out of a picture window at the lights of the city. Then the masseuse comes in and works her magic for a full hour, though you lose all sense of time and even forget where you are, you are off somewhere… It strikes me that Japan must be where massage began because it is so much in tune with the custom, the aesthetics and way of life – being in touch with nature, the elements, the self. (I'm close: like so much of Japan's culture, massage was imported from China 2,000 years ago). I am next ushered into a relaxation room with an interior garden, where I am served an orange tea. By now, I feel like my body is mush, and after lingering awhile, I summon the strength to totter back to my room. Oasis of Calm Nowhere is ancient and modern blended better than in Japanese design, and nowhere is this better presented than at the Conrad Tokyo. The hotel, which opened in 2005 and won Conde Nast's design award in 2006, masterfully incorporates modern and traditional Japanese design aspects – nature is woven into the décor with the use of neutral tones, natural materials like stone and wood and plantings, in the sumi-e brush paintings, and in the collection of distinctive contemporary Japanese art commissioned from 21 of Japan's leading and artists. And if there is any validity to feng shui - the placement of furnishings to calm the spirit - this would provide the proof. You can't help but feel calmed just by walking out from the elevator into the lobby. The effect is to give you a wonderful sense of "place" - a rarity among international luxury hotels especially ones that cater to business travelers, which seem to strive instead, for a more universal, cosmopolitan ambiance. The 290 guest rooms and suites are spacious – 48 sq. meters at least – and offer 37-inch plasma screen television, satellite channels, DVD players, video on demand, wired and wireless high-speed Internet, wireless phones, mini-bar, tea and coffee maker, iron and ironing board, electronic safe. There is every amenity of a luxury hotel including express pressing, same day and overnight laundry and valet, 24-hour room service, shoeshine, nightly turndown, pre-registration and express check out; and late check in and check out on request. My room is in the delicate Japanese style, decorated with sumi-e cherry blossom painting, Japanese foliage patterned fabric, softly dimmed light radiating from traditional lantern style lamps, a picture window spanning almost the entire wall with a spectacular view overlooking Tokyo Bay. Also, there is every ergonomic creature comfort imaginable: a relaxation CD, slippers and plush robe, bedside buttons control lights, with an orange dot that stays on so you can find it in dark, a nightlight in the bathroom. The design of the bathroom turns it into more than a utilitarian space. The bathroom is separated from the main room by a glass wall, covered (as you like) by a full-length wooden blind. This means you can soak in the tub and have a dazzling view of the cityscape. A circular mirror, rimmed by fluorescent light, is reminiscent of a Moon gate. The toilet, in a separate compartment, is a story in itself – a high-tech affair that combines the bidet, a seat that is warmed and a spray that you control. (It is important to note that there are Western-style public toilets throughout the city, many as high-tech and luxurious as this one.) The Conrad Tokyo is like a resort which happens to be downtown: in addition to the world-class spa, it offers a 25-meter indoor lap pool with Sumi-e motif, a fitness area, gymnasium, sauna and steam rooms; three meeting rooms and two ballrooms; mother-of-pearl wedding chapel (the hotel is immensely popular for weddings). The Conrad Tokyo is one of the Conrad Hotels & Resorts, the contemporary luxury brand of the Hilton Family of Hotels, with 17 award-winning properties in the US Ireland, Belgium, Egypt, Turkey, Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and Uruguay as well as Japan. Another seven projects are underway in South America, the Bahamas, the United Arab Emirates, Thailand, the Maldives and China (www.ConradHotels.com). The Conrad Tokyo is located at 1-9-1, Higashi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-7337, www.ConradHotels.com. The Japan National Tourist Office is located at 1 Rockefeller Plaza, Suite 1250 New York, NY 10020, tel. 212-757-5640, email visitjapan@jntonyc.org. Its website, www.japantravelinfo.com, offers tools to plan your Tokyo tour, or visit to Kyoto or any other Japanese city. Information on visiting Tokyo is available at www.tourism.metro.tokyo.jp. |
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
Travel › Explore Tokyo's waterways
| TOKYO — Tokyo's waterways have some tours designed to show how our life is connected to the rivers. An NPO called Enjoy Eco School operates group tours, using specially designed exhaust-free electric boats to cause minimal impact to the environment. Different tours explore the Kanda-Nihonbashi, Onagi River and Tennozu areas on half- and full-day trips that offer glimpses of turtles, wild birds and other aquatic animals that inhabit the area. You can also learn about the boats that ply the rivers collecting garbage. Part of the cost goes toward supporting the organization's monthly riverside cleanup gatherings. English tour guides are available on request. For more info, visit www.enjoy-eco.or.jp/eco-tour-index.html. |
Monday, 2 August 2010
The tranquil world of Hiroshima
65 years after the bomb, the site of the world's greatest nuclear devastation is now a graciously landscaped oasis
In the smallest display case in the most unassuming corner of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, there rests what may be the collection's most arresting artifact.
It is a battered, corroded wristwatch, its hand frozen at the precise moment, 65 years ago, when the world changed forever.
At 8:15 a.m., Aug. 5, 1945, the crew of an American B-29, flying over Hiroshima in a cloudless sky, dropped a bomb packed with 60 kilograms of uranium-235. The plane was named after the pilot's mother, Enola Gay. Its bomb dropped for 57 seconds before detonating 600 metres above the city of 350,000. Within a few more seconds, nearly a third of the Hiroshima's population was dead.
Another third, including tens of thousands who presumed themselves unscathed, was dying, and would be dead by the year's end. Most of the dead were civilians: women, children, the elderly, and Korean and Chinese conscripts in forced labour camps.
It was the first -- and remains the most devastating -- use of nuclear weaponry. It precipitated the end of the war and marked the dawn of the modern age. It is the single most ferocious act of violence in human history. And it is commemorated in a museum unstintingly devoted to peace.
Some war-related memorials inspire horror, like the museum at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Others have pointed political messages, like the War Remnants Museum in Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). The mood at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum, and in the verdant Peace Memorial Park that surrounds it, is -- remarkably, given the history of the place -- serene and contemplative.
We visited Hiroshima in April, cherry blossom season in Japan. Our visit was just a few weeks after a historic nuclear arms reduction agreement between the U.S. and Russia, and on the eve of a world nuclear weapons summit in Washington.
We knew that in four months, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon would be among the illustrious visitors to Hiroshima for the ceremony to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the bombing.
Given all this, we felt almost compelled to visit the city during our 10-day stay in Japan.
We came on a daytrip from Kyoto, about 21/2 hours away by bullet train. Like most visitors to this industrial city of 1.2 million, home of the Mazda Motor Corporation, we caught a No. 6 tram at the Japan Railway Station. It took us to a stop called Genbaku Dome-mae, where the Ota River splits on its final sprint to Hiroshima Bay.
Before the bomb, this had been the commercial heart of Hiroshima. After the bomb, it had been a wasteland. The radius of total destruction was 1.6 kilometres.
Now, the site of Hiroshima's greatest devastation is a graciously landscaped oasis in the middle of city, several acres of greenery bounded by the river and dotted with almost 70 memorials and monuments dedicated to making the memory of what took place here transcend the pain it caused.
The Peace Clock Tower, the Peace Fountain, the Prayer Haiku Monument for Peace, the Stone Lantern of Peace, the Peace Memorial Post, the Peace Cairn, the Friendship Monument, the Fountain of Prayer. The list goes on and on.
Among this welter are several must-sees, beginning with the
A-Bomb Dome, whose skeletal remains greet you as you step off the tram.
The Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition Hall was the pride of the city when it was built in 1915. Because the bomb detonated almost directly above the building's dome, it escaped the worst of its destructive force and became the only structure in the area not to be reduced to dust. Now it looks like some old ruined cathedral, and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, over the war-related objections of the U.S. and China.
Stroll a few metres down the Ota River and you'll reach the Memorial Tower to the Mobilized Students, a tiered structure upon which carved doves roost. It commemorates the 6,300 students conscripted to work in Hiroshima's munitions factories, all killed in the blast.
At the base of the memorial, innumerable garlands of colourful origami cranes bedeck a statue of Kannon, the bodhisattva, or enlightened being venerated by Buddhists for her compassion.
The tower is not to be confused with the park's more famous repository of paper cranes, the Children's Peace Monument, which occupies a square just across the bridge. It is a memorial for the thousands of children who died during the bombing, but for one in particular: Sadako Sasaki, made legendary by Eleanor Coerr's 1977 book, Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.
Sadako was two years old when the bomb dropped and 12 when she was diagnosed with leukemia from the lingering radiation. In her final months, she folded more than 1,000 paper cranes, hoping to be granted a longer life.
When she died, her school friends took up her cause and raised money for the memorial. Now paper cranes, imbued with a wish for peace, arrive daily from children all over the world.
Beyond the Children's Peace Monument is the Peace Bell, upon which is carved a map of the world, conspicuously devoid of borders. Visitors are invited to sound the bell by swinging a log that strikes a nuclear symbol. Nearby is the Atomic Bomb Memorial Mound, which contains the ashes of 70,000 unidentified or unclaimed victims of the bombing.
Heading back downriver, one comes to a broad plaza lined with trees trimmed to resemble heat-blasted figures. Here you'll find the Peace Flame, intended to burn until the last nuclear weapon is disarmed, and the Cenotaph, a triumphant arch over a stone chest said to contain all the names of the victims of the bomb. The list is still being updated; each year, more members of the hibakusha (bomb survivors) pass away from radiation-related illness.
Behind the plaza is the museum, which records the destruction of the city. There are some disturbing displays here, but overall the curators show amazing restraint. There is not a hint of censure, though much regret, and a sense of responsibility to the future that is universal.
There are other sights to see in Hiroshima, some directly related to the war (like the ad hoc displays in two elementary schools largely destroyed by the bombing), and others less so (Hiroshima Castle is a 1958 replica of the 16th-century original razed by the blast).
But the Peace Memorial Park -- which, under an azure sky and a cloud of cherry blossoms, seems more like a sacred shrine than a war monument -- makes Hiroshima worth a pilgrimmage.
Former Citizen writer Tony Atherton, now living in Asia, says he thinks Hiroshima is a better symbol of the postwar change in Japan than Toyota or Honda.
IF YOU GO
When to go: Anytime this year, the 65th anniversary of the dropping of the bomb. If you time your visit to coincide with the annual memorial ceremony on Aug. 6, you'll be in the company of UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and perhaps U.S. President Barack Obama. The day's events include a minute of silence at 8:15 a.m. and a flotilla of lighted lanterns on the river in the evening.
How to get there: By bullet train from almost anywhere in Japan. Many foreign tourists get rail passes before their visit, which allow them to hop on and off the convenient Japan Rail trains that connect the country, as well as the JR commuter train that circumscribes Tokyo (details at www.jrpass.com). The pass won't let you board the Nozumi train, which takes you direct from Tokyo to Hiroshima in four hours, but there are connecting trains that will span the same distance in five hours. Alternatively there are flights into Hiroshima airport from Tokyo, Sapporo, Sendai and Okinawa.
What you'll need: Canadian passport holders do not need a visa to visit Japan.
Where to stay: You can do the Memorial Peace Park in a day, but if you do decide to stay over, there are lots of options. Hiroshima is a large, modern city offering everything from hostels and ryokans (Japanese style guesthouses) to luxury hotels.
Where to eat: There's a bistro with a patio at the bridge near the Memorial Tower which makes a pleasant stop for a meal or a glass of wine. Just outside the park, behind the museum and across from the Gates of Peace (six towering angular arches covered in the word "peace" in 49 languages), is Ristorante Mario, which offers good pizza and pasta in an old European-style building with tables overlooking the park.
Let’s Climb Mt. Fuji!
| Mt. Fuji is one of Japan's icons for its perfect shape and snow-capped peak. Many visitors to Japan enjoy the view from the Hakone or Fuji-Goko (five lakes) areas. But have you ever thought of climbing it? Actually, it being a relatively easy climb, everyone from young kids to senior citizens can enjoy the experience. It takes about 6 hours to ascend and 3-4 hours to descend, originating from the 5th Station base point which you can reach by car or bus. When I say "relatively easy", I do not mean it is not hard. You do not need special mountaineering knowledge or techniques, but you do need average physical strength and endurance. Mt. Fuji is 3,776 meters (12,388 feet) high. The climbing season is from the beginning of July to the end of August. Many climbers start climbing in the afternoon, spend a night at a hut and start climbing again early in the morning to watch the sunrise at the summit. You should ascend slowly and steadily to avoid altitude sickness. You need to bring warm clothes since the average temperature at the summit is approximately 40°F even in the summer. Raingear is also a necessity due to weather changes. Other things you should bring with you are: suitable shoes; a hat; extra clothes for change; a towel; handy food such as chocolate; water; sunblock lotion; and a headlight or torch. (If you are prone to altitude sickness, bottled oxygen will help.) Mountain huts are very basic and rustic. Some do not have showers. You are usually required to share a room, and there are certain rules you should follow, such as when to have supper and turn the light off. As they are sometimes very crowded, making reservations in advance is recommended. The best moment is the sunrise. You will feel a sense of accomplishment, and it is a somewhat religious experience. It is no wonder that Mt. Fuji has been an object of local religions, and you may even meet people on pilgrimages in traditional clothes on the way to the summit. Yamanashi Prefecture issues a certificate of climbing to the top of Mt. Fuji for foreign visitors which will commemorate your achievement forever. (For more information about the certificate, send an email to kokusai@pref.yamanashi.lg.jp.) You can try to conquer the summit of Mt. Fuji for yourself, although some companies offer guided climb tours: JTB Sunrise Tours: Many tourists see Mt. Fuji, but few climb it. If you want to take something special back with you from your trip to Japan, why don't you give it a shot? For more information: http://www.japantravelinfo.com/news/news_item.php?newsid=91 |
Climate in Japan
| What is the climate of Japan? Since Japan stretches approximately 20 degrees of latitude, from 25 degN to 45 degN, and approximately 23 degrees of longitude, from 122 degE to 145 degE, the climate varies widely from one region to region. (See Japan maps.) Basically, Japan has four distinct seasons. Spring months are March, April, and May. Summer months are June, July, and August. Autumn months are September, October, and November. Winter months are December, January, and February. Summer is hot and humid in general. During the winter, it snows a lot on the Sea of Japan side, and it is dry on the Pacific Ocean side. The weather averages are good indicators of what to expect any month. Please refer to average temperatures and precipitations in Japanese cities. If you are not familiar with the Celsius scale, please see converting between temperature scales. Japan's rainy season lasts about 40 days during the months of June and July. Also, August to October is the typhoon season in Japan. It's important to check the weather often during the typhoon season. Japan Information Network indicates that Japan has an unusually high amount of rainfall, averaging 1,700-1,800 millimeters per year. Good times to travel in Japan might be early/mid-April, mid/late-May, October, or early November. The temperatures are mild, and there is not too much rain at that time. You can enjoy beautiful cherry blossoms in April and colorful autumn foliages in late October to November. Before you go to Japan, please check the weather you might expect for your destination. Be prepared and have fun! |
Travel › Mitsui Garden Hotel to open in Ueno in September
| TOKYO — Ueno in Tokyo's Taito Ward will get a new hotel on Sept 14 with the opening of the Mitsui Garden Hotel. It will be conveniently located right by Ueno Station, which has easy train access to and from Narita Airport. With a modern, stylish design, the hotel has 245 rooms ranging in size from 18 to 25 sq meters. The hotel – whose themes are greenery, culture, history and art—will offer a full range of services to businesspeople, tour groups and families. To celebrate the opening, the hotel has a special "Opening Anniversary Plan" from Sept 14 through Oct 31. |
Sunday, 1 August 2010
Old Japan lives on at Ikaho Spa
The ways are various in Japan for having one's sense of local pride bolstered by recognition on some official list.
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Japan has its three most famous scenic spots, its three most celebrated gardens and, more prosaically, UNESCO's growing roster of World Heritage Sites. But none of these honored listings comes anywhere near the venerable clout bestowed on somewhere that is name-checked in the "Man'yoshu."
Japan's oldest — many would say its greatest — collection of poetry, the "Man'yoshu" was completed in 759, with the earliest poems included in it probably dating from the previous century. And in this superb tome, which embodies what renowned U.S. poet Gary Snyder has called an "in the morning of the world" feeling, Ikaho figures in no fewer than three poems.
Among them is this evocative piece: The mountain wind of Ikaho — There are days when it blows And there are days when it blows not. But my love is timeless. I was there on a day when that mountain wind blew not. (As for love, well, that's another story.)
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| Sights to see: This long series of 360 stone steps forms the main axis of the ancient spa town of Ikaho in Gunma Prefecture. |
It was a bright spring morning when I reached this ancient spa town in Gunma Prefecture.
The air was thick with swallows, which sped over Ikaho's grand central feature of 360 stone steps that form its striking main axis. To the right and left are inns, restaurants and stores hawking the usual range of souvenir fare, plus such items pertinent to the bath as cotton yukata(kimono) and wooden geta (clogs) for clomping around in afterwards.
Beyond the top of the steps toward the public outdoor bath, the graceful arch of Kajika Bridge spans a stream. From the bridge, the chief mineral content of the hot spring is clearly evident in the ruddiness of the water, caused by its high iron content. Those with a fondness for strong metallic flavors can sample the stuff themselves from a small drinking fountain beside the road.
In odiferous contrast to Gunma's more famous — and stinkily sulfureous — spa town of Kusatsu, which is some 20-odd km distant on the other side of the Agatsuma River, the tea-brown waters of Ikaho are easy on the nose.
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| Square meal: A hearty dish of the local okirikomisoup made with thick, broad udon noodles and a variety of vegetables. |
If you have an ailment — and it seems practically any ailment — the chances are that the waters of Ikaho will somehow be efficacious. The list of conditions that they are reckoned to cure ranges the gamut from gastrointestinal disorders, burns, arteriosclerosis and sprains to high blood pressure, chronic disease (presumably all forms), nervous disorders and weakness in children. In fact, so beguilingly comprehensive is the list that you almost feel inclined to take a quick dip in the water just to be on the safe side.
But of course you can't spend all your time simply soaking your way to rude health, and around Ikaho an impressive number of attractions have sprung up to delight the jaded tourist eye.
Ikaho Green Bokujo is a farm-theme amusement park where you can ride ponies, milk cows, cuddle rabbits and marvel at the Kiwi staff on hand to demonstrate the fine arts of rounding up sheep using razor-witted dogs. As a bonus, they (the Kiwis) then pepper their explanations of how they do what they do with jokes in Japanese that nobody understands.
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| The pagoda of Mizusawa Temple is unusual for being hexagonal and featuring just two stories. |
For those with a more cultural bent, there are museums nearby focusing on such niche themes as teddy bears, chocolate, chansons, dolls, optical illusions and hideous glassware. Regarding another form of Japanese heritage, gaudy hotels with names such as Riviera and Free Time are also readily available to accommodate visitors who prefer more horizontal forms of entertainment.
In contrast to Ikaho's hedonistic diversions, the nearby temple of Mizusawa presents a more ascetic side of things.
As anyone of a pilgrimaging inclination well knows, Japan has no lack of routes to cater for the wayfaring devotee. The best-known such courses in eastern Japan are those dedicated to the bodhisattva known as Kannon. In Mahayana Buddhism, bodhisattvas were originally all male. But when Avalokiteshvara made his way to this country and became Kannon, the Japanese decided he was far too butch and that a spiritual sex op was in order. "And then," in the words of Lou Reed, "he was a she."
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| Local color: The ideal footwear for trips to and from the baths for which Ikaho is famed are geta clogs like these on sale at a shop in the town. |
The Bando pilgrimage route for Kannonophiles dates back to the 13th century and covers 33 temples in the Kanto region stretched out over a 1,300-km course, which would take a person on foot around 40 days to complete. Founded over 1,000 years ago, Mizusawa is number 16 on the Bando route, and with the steeply pitched roof of its main hall, bold brick-red color, exotic decorative details and two-storied hexagonal pagoda, it presents a distinctive architectural character.
Mizusawa's main object of veneration is a statue of 11-faced, 1,000-handed Kannon. But those hoping for a glimpse of this plurality of body parts will be disappointed as she is not out for public inspection. Instead, they have to content themselves with paying ¥500 to push a huge wheel in the pagoda around three times and earn themselves a little good luck. Or they could spend ¥100 to ring the temple bell, which has been thoughtfully calibrated to a "wake the bloody dead" volume level.
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| Founded more than 1,000 years ago, Mizusawa Temple features a number of exotic architectural flourishes. |
The temple is also famed for its udon(wheat noodles), and a dozen eateries nearby serve up Mizusawa udon. But I preferred to try the more intriguing- looking local dish of okirikomi — a hearty soup with udon and vegetables.
Each restaurant, just like each family, has its own way of making its okirikomi, though generally the noodle dough is prepared immediately before use, then cut and dropped into the soup. The okirikomi I sampled was made with carrots, Satsuma-age (fish-paste cake), potatoes, burdock, daikon radish, mushrooms and warabi bracken along with the thick, broad noodles.
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Since Ikaho is halfway up a mountain, winters here get numbingly cold. And the rib-sticking fare of okirikomi is no doubt as effective a remedy to the icebox conditions as a good long steep in all that hot iron water.
Ikaho is not the kind of place that tends to figure in many English guidebooks, but it is absolutely worth a visit. With its deserted pop-gun game arcades, wooden traditional inns, old-style souvenir stalls and antique metal ads touting long- forgotten products still adorning many walls in the town, it presents an engaging picture of a Japan that is quietly and sadly slipping out of existence.
Getting there: From Nerima Station in Tokyo, Ikaho can be reached in just over two hours by Joshu Yumeguri express bus.
When to go to Japan
| Now that you've decided to visit Japan, you maybe wondering when you should visit Japan. Japan has four distinct seasons. Let's take a look at each season. Spring (March-May) Ume (Asian plums) blossoms can be viewed from late January to March in Honshu region. Sakura or cherry blossoms bloom in March and April on the mainland of Japan. Viewing pretty sakura flowers is a main reason for many travelers to visit Japan. See Japanese Cherry Blossom Links There is a popular Japanese vacation season called Golden Week from the end of April to around May 5. Since airports and train stations in Japan are overflowing with people, it's best to avoid traveling to Japan during Golden Week if possible. Summer (June-August) Japanese rainy season starts in early June and ends in middle July. If you don't like rain avoid this time of year. If you don't mind gloomy weather, it can be a cool and nice time to visit Japan. In Hokkaido, there is no rainy season, this is a good time to visit Hokkaido. July and August are usually hot and humid on the mainland in Japan. If you are visiting Hokkaido, these months are the best, because the weather is cool and dry. Obon (August 13-16) is another Japanese vacation season. If possible, avoid traveling during this time. However, Tokyo tends to be less crowded during obon since many people travel out of the city to their home towns. Fall (September-November) Japan's fall foliage season begins in mid. October and extends through early December. See Autumn in Japan. Halloween Events in Japan Winter (December - February) Winter in Japan is cold, but it's not so bad. In Tokyo, the temperature hardly drops below 33F. January and February is a good time for skiing. There are many good ski resorts in Hokkaido and the north region on Honshu island. See Snow Resorts in Japan. Colorful holiday illuminations and Christmas decorations can be seen around the country from November to December. New Year's is an important holiday for Japanese people. Japanese airports, highways, and train stations are crowded during the last week of December and the first week of January. Try to avoid traveling this period of year. |
Travel firms step up sales of overseas tours using Haneda airport
| TOKYO — Japanese travel agencies are stepping up sales of overseas trips departing from Tokyo's Haneda airport ahead of the launch of regular international flights there on Oct 31, with JTB Corp having already released package tours to 22 overseas cities that will leave from the airport between October and January. © 2010 Kyodo News. All rights reserved. No reproduction or republication without written permission. |