All About Japan

Gyutan

2009-05-12T02:54:00.000-07:00

Gyutan

basic information

Sendai is the original home of gyutan, a dish consisting of pieces of thinly sliced beef tongue, cooked over a charcoal grill. Besides the standard version of grilled tongue and pickled vegetables seen above, gyutan is also popular in domburi form, as a curry, or in a beef stew.

The dish originated fairly recently in 1948 when a yakitori restaurant owner in Sendai devoted his business to the preparation of beef tongue dishes. It has grown rapidly in popularity and spread throughout Japan.

Common side dishes of gyutan are oxtail soup, and mugi gohan (steamed white rice with barley). In its domburi variety, gyutan is served over a bowl of steamed white rice, while the curry gyutan is accompanied by rice as well.

The two most popular gyutan restaurant chains are Rikyu and Kisuke. Both of these chains have branches on Gyutan Dori (gyutan street) on third floor of Sendai Station. The restaurants of Gyutan Dori open their doors at 10:00 while most of the city branch gyutan chains open for lunch around 11:00. Menus generally range in price from about 1000 yen to about 2000 yen.

Downtown Sendai

2009-05-11T02:53:00.000-07:00

Downtown Sendai

basic information

Sendai from the AER Building's observation deck

Sendai has a compact downtown which is generally centered to the west of JR Sendai Station. An aerial view of the entire city is available for free from the observation deck of the AER Building next to the station.

The broad streets and abundance of greenery have resulted in Sendai's nickname, "the city of trees". Many parks and public spaces contribute to the greenery.

Ichibancho Shopping Arcade

Trees can even be found in the covered shopping area, Ichibancho Arcade. This covered mall connects several streets together in the downtown area to create the largest arcade in the Tohoku region. The shopping area includes several different arcade malls and covers a T-shaped area along Ichibancho and Chuo dori.

Shops along the arcades range from the budget 100 yen chains, to an Apple store with the full range of restaurants, clothing and souvenir stores in between.

Asaichi ("morning market") is another shopping option that offers visitors a look at local, seasonal fish and produce. A few stalls sell prepared foods such as onigiri, while flower vendors have seasonal plants and cut flowers. The market is located on a small street, only about 100 meters in length.

Fresh produce and flowers at Asaichi Morning Market

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how to get there

AER Building:

The building is a two minute walk north of Sendai Station's west exit across the street from the entrance of the Hapina Nakakecho shopping arcade. The observation deck is located on the 31st floor.

Asaichi Market:

From the west exit of Sendai Station, walk across the elevated walkway towards the E Beans building. The morning market is located along a street behind the E Beans building. The walk takes about five minutes.

Ichibancho Shopping Arcade:

Just across from the AER building to the north of Sendai station, follow the covered shopping arcade (known as Hapina Nakakecho, Clis Road and Marble Road Omachi) for about 15 minutes until the covered street ends and you meet the perpendicularly running Ichibancho Shopping Arcade.

How to get to and around Sendai

hours and fees

AER Observation Deck
Hours:	10:30 to 20:00
Admission:	Free

Asaichi Market
Hours:	Early morning until produce runs out, usually open all day
Closed:	Weekends and national holidays

Ichibanjo Shopping Arcade
Hours:	Shops typically open between 10:00 and 11:00 and close between 19:00 and 21:00
Closed:	Varies depending on the store but many are open year round

Osaki Hachimangu Shrine

2009-05-10T02:50:00.000-07:00

Osaki Hachimangu Shrine

basic information

Date Masamune ordered the construction of Osaki Hachimangu in 1607 and the buildings are now a national treasure of Japan. The shrine deity, Hachimangu, is the Shinto god of war and considered to be a general guardian and protector of the city.

Osaki Hachimangu was recently restored and the shrine's renewed structure is a striking example of Date architecture and style. The main hall of the shrine is uniquely covered in black lacquer, gold leaf and brilliant colors. Some omikuji (fortunes sold by the temple for protection and good luck) are black to reflect the shrine's distinctive coloring.

Osaki Hachimangu hosts several festivals throughout the year. One of the more popular ones is Matsutaki Matsuri. This 300 year old festival celebrates the end of New Year's. The festival, common throughout Japan but particularly large at Osaki Hachimangu, involves burning decorations from New Year's celebrations and dedicating them to the shrine deities (kami).

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how to get there

Osaki Hachimangu is about a 15 minute walk from Kunimi Station on the JR Senzan Line (15 minutes, 190 yen from Sendai Station). Alternatively, you can access the shrine by city buses from Sendai Station. However, the Loople Sendai does not serve Osaki Hachimangu.

How to get to and around Sendai

hours and fees

Hours:	Shrine gift shop selling mikuji open from 9:00 to 16:00
Closed:	No closing dates
Admission:	Free

Aoba Castle

2009-05-09T02:52:00.000-07:00

Aoba Castle

basic information

The view from where Aoba Castle once stood

Aoba Castle was built in 1600 by the powerful feudal lord Date Masamune. Because of considerations for the castle's defense, Masamune chose to locate his fortifications on Mount Aoba, 100 meters above the town below.

In the last 400 years the castle endured the anti-feudal fervor of the Meiji Period, a giant fire in 1882 and the carpet bombing of 1945. Now all that is left of the castle are remnants of the outer stone walls and a guard tower. The location's lookout onto the city below presently serves an aesthetic rather than military role, though a statue of Masamune, armor-clad and horseback, recalls the site's origins.

A museum commemorating Aoba Castle's history can be viewed on the site. It features models of the castle as it stood in the Edo Period, artifacts from the castle, and a theater that shows a short movie on the castle. The movie is in Japanese, but headsets that play an English audio track are available.

Gokoku Shrine

Aoba Castle Museum

The prefectural branch shrine of Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, called Gokoku Shrine, is also located on the castle's former foundations. The shrine also has a museum, but does not offer any information in English. The museum focuses on Japan's modern military history.

Within walking distance from the castle are a few other sites of interest. A short walk down Mount Aoba's northern slope leads to the Sendai City Museum. The museum features relics of the Date clan, and presents varying temporary exhibitions.

About a kilometer and a half walk south-west from the castle lies Sendai Yagiyama Zoo. The selection of animals at Yagiyama is impressive for a small zoo, and the tourist to Japan will surely appreciate the section dedicated to local animals. Unfortunately, some may consider the facilities a bit wanting. Across from the zoo is the Yagiyama Bennyland amusement park.

A Camel at Yagiyama Zoo

Sendai City Museum

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how to get there

Aoba Castle can be reached in about 20 minutes from Sendai Station by the Loople Sendai bus. Get off at bus stop #5 for the Sendai City Museum or bus stop #6 for the former castle grounds. A day pass for the Loople bus costs 600 yen, otherwise one ride costs 250 yen. It takes about ten minutes to walk between the city museum and the former castle grounds.

Sendai Yagiyama Zoo and Yagiyama Bennyland are about a 20 minute walk from Aoba Castle. Otherwise they can be reached by frequent regular city buses from Sendai Station. Get off at "Doubutsu Koen Mae" bus stop, about 30 minutes from Sendai Station. The one way fare is 250 yen.

How to get to and around Sendai

hours and fees

Aoba Castle Museum
Hours:	9:00 to 17:00
Closed:	no closing days
Admission:	700 yen

Sendai City Museum
Hours:	9:00 to 16:45 admission ends at 16:15
Closed:	Mondays, the day after national holidays Dec 28-Jan 4
Admission:	400 yen for permanent collection

Sendai Yagiyama Zoo
Hours:	9:00 to 16:45 admission ends at 16:00 From Nov-Feb, 9:00 to 16:00, admission ends at 15:00
Closed:	Mondays (unless a national holiday, then the next day) Dec 28-Jan 4

Rinnoji Temple

2009-05-08T02:49:00.000-07:00

Rinnoji Temple

basic information

Rinnoji, lying to the north of Sendai's downtown, may first appear to be a somewhat unexceptional temple. However, beyond the main hall of the temple is a beautiful Japanese garden and pagoda that are well worth visiting.

The temple was founded in 1441 by Date Mochimune, a member of the Date clan that later controlled large parts of northern Japan in the Edo Period. Rinnoji is the family temple of the Date clan, and although it was not always located at its present spot in Sendai, it moved there together with the Date family in the early 1600s. All of the buildings have been recently restored to their original appearances.

Visitors to Rinnoji's inner gardens can walk along the various paths, admire the koi (carps), the three-storied pagoda and the well tended trees, flowers and plants. There are also several benches for visitors to sit and relax as they take in the scenery.

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how to get there

From Sendai Station, take the JR Senzan Line to Kitayama Station (10 minutes, 190 yen). Rinnoji is a 10 minute walk to the southeast of the station.

How to get to and around Sendai

hours and fees

Hours:	The inner gardens of Rinnoji are open from 8:00 to 17:00
Closed:	No closing dates
Admission:	300 yen

Zuihoden Mausoleum

2009-05-07T02:48:00.000-07:00

Zuihoden Mausoleum

basic information

Zuihoden, the mausoleum of Date Masamune

Zuihoden Mausoleum is the site of entombment of one of the most powerful feudal lords of the Edo Period, Date Masamune. Masamune was the first in a long line of Date lords to rule over Sendai from Aoba Castle. His son and grandson, Date Tadamune and Date Tsunamune, are entombed in nearby mausoleums, while other descendants are laid to rest in less elaborate graves and tombs.

Zuihoden was designed in the ornate style of the Momoyama Period. It features intricate woodwork and a rich variety of vivid colors. Masamune's son and grandson are entombed in smaller mausoleums designed in the same style.

Massive cedar trees surround the paths in the area, and are meant to symbolize the long history of the Date clan. A museum beside the Zuihoden main building shows some of the personal artifacts of the Date family, and even some specimens of their bones and hair.

A Detail of Zuihoden Mausoleum

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how to get there

Zuihoden can be reached in about 15 minutes from Sendai Station by the Loople Sendai bus. Get off at bus stop #4. A day pass for the Loople bus costs 600 yen, otherwise one ride costs 250 yen.

How to get to and around Sendai

hours and fees

Hours:	9:00 to 16:30 (until 16:00 from December to January)
Closed:	December 31 and January 1
Admission:	550 yen (100 yen discount to Loople day pass holders)

Fukushima Prefecture

2009-05-06T02:47:00.000-07:00

Fukushima Prefecture

basic information

Aizu's Tsuruga Castle

Fukushima is a prefecture on the Pacific coast in the southern Tohoku Region. The prefectural capital is Fukushima City. Fukushima's best known tourist attraction is the former castle town of Aizu-Wakamatsu.

Sendai Travel Guide

2009-05-05T02:47:00.000-07:00

Sendai Travel Guide

basic information

With roughly one million inhabitants, Sendai is by far the largest city in the Tohoku Region and one of the country's fifteen largest cities.

The modern city of Sendai was founded around the year 1600 by Date Masamune, one of feudal Japan's most powerful lords. Many of Sendai's tourist attractions are related to Masamune and his family.

Less than an hour northeast of the city center lies the town of Matsushima, whose bay is dotted by pine clad islets and is known for one of Japan's three most scenic views.

Miyagi Prefecture

2009-05-04T02:46:00.000-07:00

Miyagi Prefecture

basic information

Matsushima Bay

Miyagi is located on the Pacific coast in the southern Tohoku Region. Miyagi's capital Sendai is the region's largest city. Just outside of Sendai is Matsushima, a coastal town well known to offer one of Japan's three most scenic views.

Akita Prefecture

2009-05-03T02:44:00.000-07:00

Akita Prefecture

basic information

Kakunodate's samurai district

Akita is a large prefecture at the Sea of Japan coast in the northern Tohoku Region. Prefectural capital is Akita City. Among Akita's main attractions are its natural beauty of mountains and the sea, hot springs and the city of Kakunodate, which preserves one of Japan's most interesting samurai districts.

Aomori Prefecture

2009-05-02T02:44:00.001-07:00

Aomori Prefecture

basic information

Oirase Stream

Aomori is the northernmost prefecture on Japan's main island Honshu. Prefectural capital is Aomori City. The former regional capital city, Hirosaki, offers a nice castle which becomes a major cherry blossom viewing spot each spring.

Aizu Travel Guide

2009-04-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

Aizu Travel Guide

basic information

Tsuruga Castle

Aizu, located in western Fukushima Prefecture, is a region with a long samurai tradition that is proudly put on display for visitors. A story well known throughout Japan, a group of young soldiers from Aizu committed ritual suicide upon thinking that their castle, Tsuruga Castle, had been taken by the enemy in a battle accompanying the end of Japan's feudal age in 1868.

Though the soldiers had been mistaken and their castle was still standing, the Aizu forces did indeed eventually lose the battle. The imperial forces, who they had been fighting, abolished the Aizu domain and tore down Tsuruga Castle. The castle has since been restored and is now open to the public.

References to Noguchi Hideo, perhaps the area's most famous citizen, can be seen around town. Born and raised in Aizu, Noguchi was a famous Japanese doctor in the early 1900s who made significant advances in the study of syphilis. Tourists may find his face familiar, as Noguchi's portrait adorns the 1000 yen bill.

Oshima and Fukuurajima

2009-04-29T09:29:00.000-07:00

Oshima and Fukuurajima

basic information

Oshima

Oshima and Fukuurajima are two islands close to the pier of Matsushima which are open to the public and suitable for pleasant walks. Oshima can be accessed for free over a short bridge, while a fee applies for crossing the long, red bridge to Fukuurajima.

Oshima, the smaller of the two islands, used to be a retreat for monks. Decorated meditation caves can still be found on the island. Fukuurajima is much larger and contains a botanical garden and walking trails.

Fukuurajima

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how to get there

Oshima is a 5-10 minute walk to the left of the pier when arriving by boat, and Fukuurajima a 5-10 minute walk to the right.

Zuiganji Temple

2009-04-28T09:28:00.000-07:00

Zuiganji Temple

basic information

Main Hall

Zuiganji was founded in 828 as a temple of the Tendai sect. It is now one of the Tohoku's most famous Zen temples, well known for its beautifully painted sliding doors (fusuma).

The proud entrance fee of 700 Yen includes admission to Seiryuden, the Zuiganji Art Museum found on the temple grounds.

Matsushima Bay

2009-04-27T09:26:00.000-07:00

Matsushima Bay

basic information

Matsushima Bay has been celebrated as one of Japan's three most scenic views (the other two are Miyajima and Amanohashidate). The bay is dotted by over 200 small islands covered by pine trees.

A good way to enjoy the bay is to get on a cruise boat. There are round trips starting and ending at Matsushima and boats from Matsushima to the nearby city of Shiogama. Longer cruises will get you to the more remote areas of Oku-Matsushima which are less spoiled by industrial and urban development.

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how to get there

Cruises depart from Matsushima Pier, a 5-10 minute walk from Matsushima Kaigan Station on the JR Senseki Line, and from Shiogama Pier, a 5-10 minute walk from Hon-Shiogama Station, three station ahead of Matsushima Kaigan Station on the same line.

A popular route is taking the Senseki Line from Sendai to Shiogama, then the cruise boat to Matsushima, before returning to Sendai from Matsushima Kaigan Station, or the other way around.

Kakunodate

2009-04-25T10:11:00.000-07:00

Kakunodate

basic information

Weeping cherry trees in the samurai district

Kakunodate is a former castle town and samurai stronghold in today's Akita Prefecture. While Kakunodate Castle no longer remains, the town is famous for its samurai tradition and its hundreds of weeping cherry trees (shidarezakura).

Apart from the loss of its castle, Kakunodate remains remarkably unchanged since its founding in 1620. The town was built with two distinct areas, the samurai district and the merchant district. Once home to 80 families, the samurai district still has some of the best examples of samurai architecture in all of Japan.

Kakunodate is also well known as the location of one of the Tohoku Region's most popular cherry blossom spots. Around late April and early May, large crowds of people come to see Kakunodate's special combination of pink blossoms and historic homes.

Hirosaki

2009-04-24T03:26:00.000-07:00

Hirosaki

basic information

Hirosaki Castle

Hirosaki used to be the political and cultural capital of the Tsugaru Region during the Edo Period, and remains one of the culturally richest cities in the northern Tohoku Region. Hirosaki's main attractions include its castle, samurai district and temples.

Attractions

Hirosaki Castle (1)

Most famous cherry blossom spot in Tohoku.

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(1) - (99) most visited attractions

How to get to Hirosaki

From Tokyo, take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen to Hachinohe (about 3 hours), transfer to the JR limited express to Aomori (about 1 hour) and then to a local JR train to Hirosaki (about 45 minutes). The whole one way trip takes around five hours and costs 17,200 Yen.

Important Notes:

Above fees and schedules are subject to change.

For exact train schedules and fares, consult the external link section of our railway page.

For the current Yen exchange rate, click here.

Hiraizumi

2009-04-23T10:13:00.000-07:00

Hiraizumi

basic information

Motsuji's Pure Land Garden

During the Heian Period (794-1185), Hiraizumi was the seat of the ruling Fujiwara clan's "Northern branch" and rivaled the capital of Kyoto culturally, politically and commercially at its peak in the 12th century.

In 1189, however, Hiraizumi was razed by Minamoto Yoritomo after the local Fujiwara supported and provided a refuge to Yoritomo's rival and brother Yoshitsune. The city never recovered to its former glory, but still features some of the Tohoku Region's cultural highlights.

Attractions

Motsuji Temple (2)	Temple famous for its Pure Land Garden.
Chusonji Temple (1)	Hiraizumi's most famous temple.
Takadachi Gikeido (4)	Memorial dedicated to Minamoto Yoshitsune.
Takkoku no Iwaya (3)	Temple constructed at the foot of a cliff.

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(1) - (99) most visited attractions

Oirase Stream

2009-04-22T03:25:00.000-07:00

Oirase Stream

basic information

The Oirase Stream is a picturesque mountain stream which starts at Nenokuchi, a small town at the shores of Towadako Lake and flows down the narrow and densely wooded Oirase Valley. A hiking trail leads along the most scenic, upper passage of the stream from Ishigedo to Nenokuchi (about 10 km).

Unfortunately for hikers, but fortunately for car drivers and bus passengers, a road runs through the Oirase Valley from which one can see much of the stream. For hikers, however, the busy road can be a distraction, even though the traffic noise is sometimes overpowered by the stream's noise and the birds' songs.

In autumn, when the many maple and other trees turn their color, the Oirase Valley becomes one of Japan's most popular spots for autumn foliage viewing.

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how to get there

From Tokyo:

From Tokyo, the Oirase Valley is most conveniently accessed by JR Tohoku Shinkansen to Hachinohe, followed by a bus ride bound for Towadako. By Hayate Shinkansen (all seats reserved) the trip to Hachinohe takes about three hours and costs 15,350 Yen. The one way bus ride to Ishigedo by JR Bus takes another one and a half hour and costs 2,000 Yen. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on both shinkansen and the JR Bus.

From Aomori City:

From Aomori Station, there are several direct JR buses to the Oirase Valley each day. The one way ride to Ishigedo takes about two hours and costs 2,400 Yen. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on these JR buses.

(Fees and schedules are subject to change.)

Dining out

2009-04-21T09:21:00.000-07:00

Dining out

basic information

Entering the Restaurant

Many restaurants in Japan display plastic or wax replicas of their dishes at the entrance. These replicas serve both to entice and inform patrons and can be especially helpful for foreign tourists who do not speak Japanese. These displays offer a very accurate, visual description of the style and price of meals found inside.

Show window displaying food replicas

Upon entering a restaurant, customers are greeted with the expression "irasshaimase" meaning "please come in", or "welcome". Waiters and waitresses are trained to be very efficient, polite and attentive, and will usually immediately lead you to your table. If they don't, you can assume that it is okay to sit at any table.

While a majority of restaurants in Japan are equipped exclusively with Western style tables and chairs, restaurants with low traditional tables are also common. Some restaurants feature both styles side by side. In traditions Japanese interiors, you are usually required to take off your shoes at the restaurant's entrance, or before stepping onto the seating area.

A restaurant with traditional low tables

Eating

After you sit down, a glass of water or tea will be served for free and later refilled. You also receive a wet towel (oshibori) for cleaning your hands. If chopsticks are not already set, you can usually find some in a box on the table. Most often, they are wooden chopsticks that need to be separated into two before usage.

At some restaurant, such as izakaya, it is common for everyone in the party to order and share various dishes. At restaurants that serve set menus, bowl dishes (such as domburi or noodle soups) or Western style dishes, each person usually orders and eats their own meal.

Paying

The bill will be presented upside down, either as you receive the meal, or after you finish eating. In most restaurants, you are supposed to bring your bill to the cashier near the exit when leaving. Some restaurants, especially cheaper ones, have slightly different systems for ordering and paying.

For example, in many ramen and gyudon restaurants, "meal tickets" are bought at a vending machine near the store's entrance and handed over to the staff who then prepare and serve the meal.

Tipping in Japan is not common or expected and the staff may chase you out of the restaurant in order to give back any money left behind. Instead, it is polite to say "gochisosama deshita" ("thank you for the meal") when leaving.

Visiting Cards

2009-04-20T09:19:00.000-07:00

Visiting Cards

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If you are visiting Japan on business, double-sided business cards in Japanese and English are a must. Why? They show potential partners that you are serious, and that you understand and respect their culture. This small effort on your part establishes trust, and maximizes your opportunity for excellent results.

Business Card Exchanges Guidelines:

Cards are exchanged at the beginning of a meeting; make sure you have enough available for everyone.

It is best to stand up when exchanging cards with those of higher rank.

Facing your counterpart, bow slightly and hand your card (with the Japanese side pointing up!) either with your right hand or both hands. The same rule applies when receiving a card from someone else.

Make time to review your counterpart's card carefully. You might want to speak his/her name and position to be sure of correct pronunciation. If the meaning of his/her job position is in any way unclear, it would not hurt to ask for an explanation. Basically, you want to show interest in and respect to the other party.

DO NOT shove the card into your back trouser pocket!!

If you are meeting in passing, then you may just carefully place the card in a shirt pocket or in a wallet or notebook.
If you are seated at a meeting, place the card gently on the table in front of you. Look at it often during the meeting in order to refer correctly to your counterpart's name and position. If you are meeting more than one person and have received multiple cards, arrange them neatly in front of you.

The Japanese hand out their business card at the drop of a hat. Don't be left out! Give your card to anyone that you want to hear from again. You'll likely go through a lot more cards during your trip to Japan than you would back home.

Superstition

2009-04-19T09:18:00.000-07:00

Superstition

basic information

In Japan there are certain things one does not do because they are thought to cause bad luck. A few examples are:

The number four:
The number four is considered inauspicious because it is pronounced the same as the word for death (shi). Therefore, one should not make presents that consist of four pieces, etc. In some hotels and hospitals the room number four is skipped.

Stick chopsticks into the rice:
Do not stick your chopsicks into your food generally, but especially not into rice, because only at funerals, chopsticks are stuck into the rice which is put onto the altar.

Give food from chopstick to chopstick:
This is only done with the bones of the cremated body at funerals.

Sleeping towards the North:
Do not sleep towards the North beacause bodies are laid down like that.

Funeral Car:
If a funeral car passes you should hide your thumb.

Cut nails at night:
If you cut your nails at night, you will not be with your parents when they die.

Lie down after eating:
If you lie down immedeately after eating, you will become a cow.

Whistle in the night:
If you whistle in the night, a snake will come to you.

Black cat:
There are also some imported superstitions such as the believe that black cats crossing the street in front of you cause bad luck.

In many shrines, temples and souvenir shops, amulets are sold that are supposed to bring luck, safety or good fortune. There are amulets for money, health, love, success on exams, safety on the streets, etc. Small pieces of paper (omikuji) that predict your future are also available. These pieces of paper are tied around the branch of a tree after reading; either to make the good fortune come true or to avoid the predicted bad fortune.

Japanese names

2009-04-18T09:16:00.000-07:00

Japanese names

basic information

Name order:

In Japan, like in China and Korea, the first name follows the family name. A person with the first name "Ichiro" and the family name "Suzuki" is, therefore, called "Suzuki Ichiro" rather than "Ichiro Suzuki".

Family names:

Most Japanese family names consist of two kanji (Chinese characters). The meanings of many of the kanji used in family names are related to nature, geographical features or locations, for example, mountain (yama), tree (ki), rice field (ta), island (shima), village (mura), bridge (hashi), between (naka), below (shita) etc. Some of the most common Japanese family names are Sato, Suzuki, Takahashi, Tanaka and Watanabe.

First names:

Japanese first names also commonly consist of two kanji. The meanings of those kanji are often positive characteristics such as intelligence, beauty, love or light, names for flowers, the four seasons and other natural phenomena, or the order of birth (first son, second son, etc.).

Since quite a few kanji have identical pronunciations, first names that are pronounced the same, are not necessarily written with the same kanji. For example, there are about five common versions for the popular female first name Yoko, depending on the kanji for "Yo".

Not seldomly, the gender of a person can be guessed by the ending of his/her first name. First names ending with -ro, -shi, -ya, or -o are typically male first names, while names ending in -ko, -mi, -e and -yo are typically female first names.

The names of foreigners are usually written in katakana.

Titles:

The Japanese commonly address each other by last name. Only close friends and children are usually addressed by first name. In addition, people rarely address each other just by name, but usually attach an appropriate title to the name. There is a large number of such titles depending on the gender and social position of the person you are addressing. Some of the most frequently used titles are:

san: (for example Sato-san)
This is the most neutral and famous title, and can be used in most situations. Only in formal situations, san may not be polite enough.

sama: (for example Sato-sama)
This is a more polite form of san, commonly used in formal situations and letters, but too polite in a casual context.

kun: (for example Yusuke-kun)
This is an informal title used for boys and men that are younger than yourself.

chan: (for example Megumi-chan)
This is an informal title used for young children and very close friends or family members.

sensei: (for example Sato-sensei)
This is a title used for teachers, doctors and other people with a higher education and from whom you receive a service or instructions.

Seimei Handan:

Seimei handan or name diagnosis is a type of fortune telling concerning names. Its theories center around the number of strokes that are required to write the characters of a name. (Note that there is a defined number of strokes for every Japanese character).

Depending on the total number of strokes, and the sums of strokes for different parts of a name in relation to each other, a name is considered more or less auspicious. Some people consult seimei handan when selecting their child's name or their own artist name.

Giving Gifts

2009-04-17T09:14:00.000-07:00

Giving Gifts

basic information

In Japan, gifts are given on many occasions:

Oseibo and Ochugen
Twice a year, in December and in June, it is common for co-workers, friends and relatives to exchange gifts. The gifts are called Oseibo and Ochugen respectively. On average, they are worth about 5000 yen and may be food, alcohol, household items or something similar. The gift giving seasons coincide with company employees receiving a special bonus in addition to their monthly salaries.

Temiyage and Omiyage
In order to thank somebody, one often presents a gift (temiyage), such as Japanese sweets or sake. Similarly, when a Japanese person returns from a trip, he or she bring home souvenirs (omiyage) to friends, co-workers and relatives. In Japan, tourist sites are generally surrounded by many omiyage shops specializing in souvenir gifts, often in the form of beautifully wrapped and packaged foods.

Birthday and Christmas
Gift giving on birthdays and Christmas is not originally a Japanese tradition. Due to the strong influence from the West, however, some families and friends exchange gifts also on these occasions.

Gifts are given and received with both hands. There are a few rules about what not to give, since certain gifts in certain circumstances or a certain number of gifts are believed to cause bad luck.

Doing Business in Japan

2009-04-16T09:15:00.000-07:00

Doing Business in Japan

basic information

Business Meeting Etiquette

Casual American-style attire is still uncommon in the Japanese business place. You should dress appropriately for the occasion when meeting your counterparts on business.

When sitting down to a business meeting with your Asian counterparts, the seating arrangement will be determined by the status of the participants. Do not just sit anywhere; as the guest, you will be directed to the appropriate seat.

As a general rule, the highest ranking person from the host side will sit at the head of the table. Then, other people will take their seats starting from the seats closest to him and working to the other end of the table. Those of higher status sit closest to the "head honcho".

You should stand at your seat and wait for the top guy to tell you to be seated. Then, when the meeting is finished, wait until he has stood up before standing up yourself.

Non-alcoholic drinks will probably be served at the beginning of the meeting and they will be distributed in the order of descending importance of recipients. You may want to wait for the top guy to drink from his glass before starting on yours.

Gifts are always appreciated. Consider bringing a small souvenir that represents well your hometown to give to your host. Don't be surprised if your hosts give you something from their country too. If the gift is wrapped, don't open it until you leave. If the gift is not wrapped, make sure to express copious appreciation (whether you like it or not). Ask some questions about the gift to show interest.

You may want to take notes during the meeting. This will show that you are interested and will be appreciated by your hosts. However, you should make certain never to write anyone's name in red ink (even your own) and so carry a black or blue pen.

Click here for information about Japanese business cards.

Social Interaction

Your hosts may bring up the idea of getting together socially later. This may be a sincere invitation to dinner; it may just be polite banter. Do not be offended if an invitation turns out to have been just talk and don't aggressively bug your counterpart about when you can get together. He may not say "no" directly so you might need to read from his body language what he really wants.

If you do go out for dinner, keep in mind that "going Dutch" is not normal in Japan. If you're the buyer, you'll likely be in for a free evening of entertainment. If you're the seller... well, if you were a local, you'd probably be picking up the tab. However, it's not quite this simple since your hosts may still insist on paying because you are a visitor in their country. Also, it is normal for the inviting party to pay.

In all cases, if your host is planning to bear the dinner expenses, make at least a meek attempt to pay. Don't worry... he won't let you. But even your insincere attempt to pick up the tab will have looked good. And, you can offer to pay for his dinner when he visits your home country.

Japanese are unlikely to invite you into their homes. It is normal for dinner meetings to be held in restaurants. Also, it is common to extend an evening's entertainment by going out to a coffee shop (or a second round of drinking) after the meal. If your host has paid for the meal, you might want to consider being even more pushy about paying for the coffee or drinks. But be careful! In some settings (especially where hostesses are involved), drinks can get very expensive.

Japanese are liable to ask you questions that make you uncomfortable, such as your age. You don't have to answer, but at least be gracious about it. They are certainly not trying to be offensive; it's just that some questions you would consider rude back home are not necessarily impolite in the country you are visiting.

Japanese love to drink alcohol with and after dinner. If you don't drink... well, that's a strike against you. You should try to drink. But if drinking is completely out of the question, make up an excuse and be ready to explain it several different ways and times. Your hosts may push you to drink and you should be careful not to get angry.

If alcohol is served, DO NOT drink from the bottle. You should pour the beverage into a cup or glass provided and then drink. Tipping is not customary in Japan and you don't have to do it.

When eating with your hosts, try to eat some of everything and look like you are enjoying the food. If there are certain kinds of food you don't like, it would be helpful to alert your hosts to this before they choose the restaurant or the meal. They'll appreciate hearing that you like their food.

Nagoya Port

2009-04-12T09:36:00.000-07:00

Nagoya Port

basic information

Nagoya Port, south of the city center, is one of Japan's largest ports. One part of the port, the Garden Pier, has been redeveloped in recent years as a leisure district and offers an aquarium, shopping mall, amusement park, museums and green space.

The Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium is one of Japan's larger and better aquaria. In two buildings, it exhibits and educates about marine mammals including dolphins, orca and beluga whales and other marine creatures from five aquatic regions between Japan and the Antarctic Ocean.

Moored in the harbor is the Fuji icebreaker, the ship used by Japan to explore the Antarctic Ocean from the 1960s to the 1980s. It is now accessible to the public as Antarctic Museum.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

Nagoya Port is best accessed by the Meiko Subway Line. The various attractions are within walking distance of Nagoyako Station, the subway line's terminal station.

From Nagoya Station, take the JR Chuo or JR Tokaido Line to Kanayama Station (3 minutes, 160 yen) and transfer to the Meiko Subway Line to Nagoyako Station (10 minutes, 230 yen).

From Sakae Station, take the Meijo/Meiko Line Subway Line to Nagoyako Station (15 minutes, 260 yen). Roughly every second train on the Meijo Line operates on the Meiko Line from Kanayama to Nagoyako Stations instead of continuing on the loop of the Meijo Line.

Tokugawa Art Museum

2009-04-11T09:38:00.000-07:00

Tokugawa Art Museum

basic information

During the Edo Period (1600-1868), Nagoya served as the seat of the Owari, one of the three major branches of the ruling Tokugawa family.

The Tokugawa Art Museum preserves and exhibits the belongings of the Owari, who in terms of wealth were surpassed by only four of the nearly 200 feudal domains of the Edo Period. The exhibits include warrior armors, swords, tea utensils, no masks and costumes, poems, scrolls and maps.

The Tokugawaen, a Japanese landscape garden, is located next to the museum. The garden used to be part of a retirement residence of the local lords, but was destroyed during the war. Starting in 2001, the garden was reconstructed as traditional Japanese landscape garden and reopened to the public in 2004.

Tokugawaen

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

The museum is a 10 minute walk from the South Exit of JR Ozone Station, which can be accessed from Nagoya Station by the frequently operating JR Chuo Line (12 min, 190 yen). Alternatively, the museum is a 3 minute walk from Shindeki bus stop.

How to get to and around Nagoya

hours and fees

Hours:	10:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30)
Closed:	Mondays (closed Tuesday instead, if Monday is a national holiday), and mid December to early January
Admission:	1200 yen (museum), 1350 yen (museum and garden)

Sakae

2009-04-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Sakae

basic information

Oasis 21 and Nagoya TV Tower

Sakae is the name of Nagoya's downtown district, which is located less than two kilometers east of Nagoya Station.

The district's old landmark is the Nagoya TV Tower, the oldest of its kind in Japan. Completed in 1954, the 180 meters tall TV antenna houses an observation deck 100 meters above the ground (daily 10:00 to 21:00, 750 Yen). Note, however, that you can soar an additional 140 meters above the city by visiting the JR Central Towers.

Sakae's new landmark is the futuristic looking Oasis 21 complex, which was opened to the public in 2002. Oasis 21 accommodates Nagoya's highway bus terminal and several shops and restaurants. Various events are held on the "Milky Way Square", the public space below the building's intriguing "Water Spaceship" roof.

Furthermore, Sakae offers a large array of shopping, entertainment and dining opportunities, including various department stores. A recent addition to Sakae is the Nadya Park, a small city within the city, containing a design center and museum, a Loft department store, Kinokuniya bookstore and various other shops and restaurants, as well as business and office space.

Toyota Factory Tour and Museums

2009-04-10T09:33:00.000-07:00

Toyota Factory Tour and Museums

basic information

Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall

Japan's leading car manufacturer, Toyota, has its headquarters and many of its domestic production plants in the region around Nagoya.

The company's headquarters are located in the city of Toyota, less than one hour east of central Nagoya. Next to the headquarters stands the Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall, where Toyota's new models and technologies are displayed to the public.

The Kaikan Hall also serves as the meeting point for plant tours. Tours are held from Monday to Friday in English and Japanese. If you wish to join a tour, you need to make a reservation at least two weeks ahead of your visit. Tours last approximately two hours and are free of charge.

For people who can't make it on a plant tour to Toyota City, the best substitute is a visit to the Toyota Techno Museum (also known as Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology) in central Nagoya. The museum introduces the history of Toyota from its beginnings as a textile machinery manufacturer and also features many exhibits on automotive technologies and the car production process.

Car fans should also consider a visit to the Toyota Automobile Museum, where Japanese, European and American automobiles from the late 1800s to the 1960s are exhibited.

Toyota Techno Museum

Toyota Automobile Museum

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall

From central Nagoya, take the Tsurumai Subway Line to Toyota-shi Station (50 minutes, 790 yen; about every 4th train on the Tsurumai Line continues to run on the Meitetsu Toyota Line all the way to Toyota-shi Station). From Toyota-shi Station, take a bus bound for "Toyota Kinen Byoin" and get off at "Toyota Honsha-mae" (15 minutes, 290 yen).

Toyota Techno Museum

15 to 20 minute walk north of Nagoya Station.

Toyota Automobile Museum

From central Nagoya, take the Higashiyama Subway Line to Fujigaoka and transfer to the Linimo. The museum is a few steps from Geidaidori Station. The trip from central Nagoya takes about 45 minutes and costs 570 yen one way.

How to get to and around Nagoya

hours and fees

Toyota Kaikan Exhibition Hall
Hours:	9:30 to 17:00
Closed:	Sundays and during New Year's, Golden Week and Obon holidays
Admission:	Free

Toyota Techno Museum
Hours:	9:30 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30)
Closed:	Mondays (closed Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday), and New Year's holidays
Admission:	500 yen

Toyota Automobile Museum
Hours:	9:30 to 17:00
Closed:	Mondays (closed Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday), and New Year's holidays
Admission:	1000 yen

Noritake Garden

2009-04-09T09:34:00.000-07:00

Noritake Garden

basic information

Noritake is a leading company in the ceramics industry with a history of more than 100 years. The Noritake Garden (Noritake no Mori) was built on former factory grounds and introduces the company and its products, while providing recreational space in the middle of Nagoya.

In the Craft Center, visitors can observe the delicate creation process of porcelain, or try it themselves in a workshop. There is also a museum, exhibiting exceptional, old Noritake pieces, such as vases, jars and dishes from the early 1900s.

In the Welcome Center's Celabo Showroom, you can take a look at the diverse ceramics products produced by Noritake today, which are not only limited to tableware, but also include various industrial products, electronics and cutting edge technologies.

Several stores and a few restaurants are also located in the Noritake Garden.

Japanese Vegetables

2009-04-08T09:31:00.000-07:00

Japanese Vegetables

basic information

Japanese cuisine places a strong emphasis on quality and seasonality of ingredients. This is especially true for vegetables, which are a fundamental element of Japanese cooking.

Apart from a few native types of vegetables, many vegetables used in Japanese cooking today were originally introduced from the Asian mainland. Later waves of new vegetables reached Japan through the first contacts with the Europeans in the 16th century and in more recent decades through a certain Westernization of Japanese eating habits.

See also our separate pages about mushrooms and seaweed.

Leaf Vegetables

Cabbage

Cabbage is an inexpensive, versatile vegetable used to add nutrition and flavor to a broad range of meals. Cabbage is often sliced into thin strips to be served with korokke, tonkatsu (deep fried pork cutlet) or other fried dishes. It is also an important ingredient for okonomiyaki.

Cabbage can be added to just about any dish, from soups and stews to pan-fried meals to side salads. Japan is one of the world's top cabbage producers and the vegetable itself is one of the most frequently purchased vegetables in Japanese supermarkets.

Hakusai (Chinese cabbage)

Chinese cabbage or hakusai is popular in many parts of Asia, where it is often pickled. In Korea, hakusai is the cabbage variety usually used to make kimchi, the nation's most famous dish.

In Japan, hakusai is also pickled in a dish known as hakusai no sokusekizuke, which, however, is much milder than kimchi. Furthermore, fresh hakusai is a very popular ingredient in hot pot (nabe) dishes.

Horenso (spinach)

Horenso enjoys popularity thanks to its health benefits and variety of vitamins, being particularly rich in calcium and iron.

A well known horenso dish is horenso no goma-ae (spinach with sesame dressing), which involves blanching the horenso and then mixing it with a sweet, soya sauce and sesame flavored dressing. Horenso is also used as a topping in soups.

Komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach)

Komatsuna is grown and consumed mostly in Japan, China, Taiwan and Korea. It is similar to spinach, in that it contains many important nutrients and vitamins, but it does not have the same bitterness as spinach. Komatsuna is commonly eaten raw in salads or boiled and served in soups and stews. It can also be pickled.

Mizuna (Japanese mustard, spider mustard)

Mizuna has recently become very popular as a salad leaf. It is frequently paired with julienned daikon (giant white radish) in a fresh tasting salad. Otherwise, mizuna may appear in soups or Japanese hot pot (nabe), or as a garnish on various dishes.

Shiso (Perilla leaf)

Shiso is a mint-like herb whose distinctive flavor is a staple in Japanese cooking. It comes in two varieties which are used for different purposes. Aojiso (green shiso) is often served with sashimi, in salads or to flavor soups and stews. Akajiso or red shiso is used to pickle Japanese plums and add color to dishes.

Root Vegetables

Daikon (giant white radish)

Daikon is a very popular and versatile Japanese vegetable. It can be eaten raw or cooked or ground up to form oroshi, a topping used to flavor various dishes like grilled fish and soup.

Especially the bottom half a daikon is often quite spicy like other radish varieties. However, when cooked, this spiciness disappears and the vegetable becomes slightly sweet.

When used raw, daikon is usually cut into julienne strips and paired with mizuna leaves in a salad. When cooked, daikon is usually boiled in soups and stews. It is the most popular ingredient in the oden hot pot.

Daikon makes also Japan's most popular pickle. Known as takuan, pickled daikon is included in virtually every dish of Japanese pickles. During the harvesting season, daikon hanging from farm houses in preparation for pickling is a common countryside sight.

Kabu (turnip)

Kabu is almost always boiled and served in soups or Japanese hot pot, (nabe). It is a common miso soup ingredient and is often used to make pickles. Kabu usually have a spicier taste than Western varieties.

Jagaimo (potato)

Jagaimo were not part of traditional Japanese cuisine until relatively recently. They are believed to have been brought by Dutch traders from Indonesia to Kyushu in the 17th century. However, potato cultivation in Japan did not begin until the end of the 19th century. Today, jagaimo are closely associated with Hokkaido where they are a regional specialty and common crop.

Jagaimo are popular in several Japanese dishes and adapted Western dishes. Nikujaga (meat and potato stew) combines beef, vegetables and potatoes in a sweet, soya sauce flavored stew. Jaga batta is a popular festival food in which a grilled potato is seasoned with butter and soya sauce. Jagaimo are also common in Japanese curry and korokke.

Satsumaimo (sweet potato)

Satsumaimo were originally grown in Kagoshima, formerly called Satsuma. hey are a popular winter vegetable used in both sweet and savory dishes. Satsumaimo are often simply grilled, peeled and eaten plain in a snack called yaki-imo. Satsumaimo may also be battered and deep fried in tempura or boiled in soups, stews or Japanese curry.

Daigakuimo is a dish composed of candied satsumaimo. Its name comes from the word for "university" because the snack was invented for university students looking for cheap, tasty food. Because of their natural sweetness, satsumaimo are sometimes made into sweets and snacks.

Satoimo (taro root)

Satoimo are eaten throughout Asia, especially in India, China, Korea and Japan. They are a starchy root vegetable known for their somewhat sticky, slimy texture.

Satoimo are always cooked before eaten, and typically appear in boiled or stewed dishes. Satoimo can be added to miso soup, Japanese hot pot (nabe), Japanese curry or appear battered and deep fried.

Nagaimo (yam)

Nagaimo and its wild mountain variety yamaimo are slightly different in taste, texture and shape, but are prepared and consumed in the same way: sliced and grilled, or eaten raw.

Raw nagaimo is grated to form a sticky, paste-like cream known as tororo. Tororo is used as a topping for rice, soba or udon noodles, or mixed with dashi (fish stock) for flavor. Some people experience a slight reaction when raw nagaimo comes in contact with the skin. This can result in a tingling sensation around the lips.

Renkon (lotus root)

Common in Japan and greater Asia, renkon's attractive pattern makes it a useful vegetable for creating visually appealing dishes. It is not usually eaten raw, but peeled and boiled in water. Depending on how long it is cooked, lotus root may be crunchy like a fresh carrot, or starchy and soft, like a cooked potato.

Renkon is often battered in tempura, boiled in soups or stewed dishes like chikuzenni, fried in pan-cooked dishes or dressed with vinegar in a salad. It is almost always sliced to show off its attractive pattern.

Gobo (burdock root)

Burdock plants exist all over the world, however, the vegetable is mostly consumed in Asia and especially in Japan. Gobo grow to about 1 or 2 meters and length and are cut before sold to make them more manageable. Gobo are always cooked before eaten and are commonly added to soups as a topping.

The most popular gobo dish is kinpira gobo, in which gobo and carrots are shred into thin strips, stir fried and glazed with soya sauce, sugar and sake.

Ninjin (carrot)

Ninjin are a widely available and popular vegetable in Japan. They are often thicker than carrots seen in North American and European markets although the taste is the same.

Like carrots in other parts of the world, ninjin are often enjoyed raw in salads, or cooked into various dishes such as Japanese curry and Japanese hot pot (nabe). Because of their bright color and sturdy consistency, ninjin are often cut into decorative shapes or simply used to add color and visual appeal to a dish.

Tamanegi (onion)

Japan is one of the world's top onion producing countries, and onions are widely used in many Japanese dishes.

As in most other cuisines, onions are usually cooked before eaten, and are a typical ingredient of many fried and stewed dishes such as Japanese curry, various domburi (meals served over a bowl of rice), and Japanese hot pot (nabe). Onion may also be an ingredient in miso soup, or grilled alongside meat in a teppanyaki.

Shoga (ginger)

Ginger, originally important from China, is commonly used in Japanese cuisine. It is a winter flavor, used to add heat to winter meals or served with fish to counter the "fishy" smell.

Ginger may be served ground into a paste, which replaces wasabi as a spice for certain types of sushi and sashimi and to add flavor or counter fishy aromas. Ground shoga is also often served on top of tofu for flavor.

Thinly sliced, pickled ginger, called gari, is served with sushi and eaten in between bites to clear the palate. Another kind of pickled ginger, beni shoga, is commonly served with heavy meats or fried foods such as yakisoba and tonkatsu. Beni shoga is a dark red pickle with a stronger taste than gari.

Other Vegetables

Takenoko (bamboo shoot)

Takenoko symbolizes spring more than any other vegetable. As its name (lit. "child of bamboo") suggests, takenoko is the soft top of a young bamboo plant. Takenoko must be harvested just before the plant peaks out of the soil, otherwise it become hard and green.

Takenoko is consumed grilled, steamed with rice, deep fried in tempura, or boiled in soups and stews.

Negi (leek, green onion)

Negi are included in many fried and boiled dishes, or used as a topping for domburi (rice bowl) dishes such as gyudon (marinated beef over rice). Negi are usually described as having a taste similar to the green onion, though sweeter.

There are as many different varieties of negi as there are regions of Japan; however, the two most common are the Kanto variety with a long, white stem (see picture to the left) and the Kansai variety, whose stem is almost entirely green.

Tomato

In Japan, tomatoes are mostly eaten in Western style cooking, eaten raw in salads or used as a garnish. While it is one of the most popular vegetables in Japan, it is rarely cooked in Japanese dishes. Cherry tomatoes are especially popular to fill up small spaces in bento boxes.

Kyuri (cucumber)

Kyuri are usually thinner than Western cucumbers and are always eaten unpeeled. They are commonly found raw in salads or as a garnish, or pickled in an iced brine. Kyuri are a popular summer time vegetable.

Nasu (eggplant, aubergine)

Nasu are smaller and less bitter than their North American and European counterparts. They are an important vegetable in the Japanese cuisine and used in a wide variety of dishes.

"Nasu dengaku" is one typical dish in which the vegetable is cut in half and baked under a layer of miso paste. Another common dish featuring nasu is "nasu miso itame" in which the vegetable is fried with onions, miso and sugar.

Nasu has also a place in cultural folklore: Dreaming about Mount Fuji, a hawk or nasu on New Year is considered good luck. And in a Japanese proverb, parents are warned against giving nasu to their daughters-in-law in the fall.

This warning comes from the fact that fall nasu are particularly delicious and are better kept to oneself. However, it also refers to the fact that nasu are a "cooling" vegetable best eaten in the hot summer months. Consequently, it is thought to deter pregnancy, thus being a poor gift for a daughter-in-law.

Piman (Green pepper)

Piman comes from the French word for pepper, poivron. Japanese piman are usually smaller than bell peppers. They have a thin skin and sweet taste, and are often served battered and deep fried as tempura, or stir fried in Chinese style dishes. They are also eaten raw in salads.

Shishito (Small Japanese green pepper)

Shishito are a smaller variety of piman, Japanese green peppers. They are a sweet and mild pepper. Shishito are most commonly served as tempura or roasted and topped with soya sauce and bonito flakes.

Kabocha (pumpkin)

Kabocha make their appearance in fall and winter. Kabocha's high vitamin A content made it an important vegetable for northern Japan's long winters.

Kabocha is traditionally eaten in celebration of the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, when people lack the nutrients found more commonly in summer vegetables. Kabocha is often enjoyed as tempura or boiled in sugar and soya sauce resulting in a soft, sweet dish.

Recently, with the import of Halloween from North America, kabocha has become a popular ingredient around the October 31 holiday, for example in kabocha purin, sweet pumpkin pudding.

Tomorokoshi (corn)

Foreign visitors to Japan may notice the frequent addition of corn to Japanese breads, pizzas, pastas, salads and more.

Tomorokoshi is a popular vegetable in Japan, closely associated with Hokkaido, where it is grown. However, the vegetable is so popular that local growers cannot meet demand. Most tomorokoshi is now imported from the United States. Both fresh and canned corn is popular.

When tomorokoshi is in season, it is often grilled, buttered and seasoned in soya sauce. Tomorokoshi is also included in many Hokkaido specialty foods such a Hokkaido style ramen (noodle soup) and miso soup.

Okura (okra)

Okura has a sticky layer surrounding the seeds of its fruit, producing a consistency similar to nagaimo (yam). When okura is consumed raw, the sticky texture is present, however, it is cooked off when boiled or fried.

Okura is a summer vegetable that is often eaten raw in salads, deep fried in tempura, or served with soya sauce and katsuobushi (smoked bonito flakes). Okura leaves are not commonly consumed in Japan.

Goya (bitter melon)

Goya is the most famous vegetables in Okinawan cuisine and the key ingredient in goya champuru, Okinawa's signature dish composed of stir fried goya, tofu and eggs. Goya is well known for its bitter taste.

Food Stalls (Yatai)

2009-04-05T09:26:00.000-07:00

Food Stalls (Yatai)

basic information

Fukuoka's open air food stands (yatai) are possibly the city's best known symbol. There are over 150 yatai across the city, with the highest concentration in the centrally located Nakagawa and Tenjin districts.

Typical dishes to be enjoyed at yatai are grilled chicken skewers (yakitori), hot pot (oden) and most famously Hakata Ramen, a local noodle dish featuring relatively thin ramen noodles in a pork bone based soup (tonkotsu).

Various alcoholic drinks are also available, and help make the yatai a great place to get in touch with the locals, although many of the "locals" happen to be Japanese tourists visiting Fukuoka from other parts of Japan.

Yatai are typically open from around 6pm to around 2am, except when the weather is very bad. Many stands remain closed on one day of the week. The closure day varies from stand to stand, but is often Sunday.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

The best spots for a yatai visit are along Naka River around the Nakasu entertainment district, which is located on an islet on the Naka River. The closest subway stations are Nakasu Kawabata Station and Tenjin Station.

Momochi Seaside Park

2009-04-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

Momochi Seaside Park

basic information

Fukuoka Tower

Momochi is Fukuoka's modern waterfront area with wide, tree lined streets, futuristic buildings, public parks and no phone or electricity lines above ground.

The area's major attractions include the Fukuoka Tower, a 234 meter tall skyscraper with observation deck, and the Hawks Town, a shopping and entertainment complex around Fukuoka Dome, home of the "Fukuoka Softbank Hawks", Fukuoka's professional baseball team.

Ohori Park

2009-04-02T09:29:00.000-07:00

Ohori Park

basic information

Ohori Park (Ohori Koen) is a pleasant city park in central Fukuoka with a large pond in its center. The walking trail leading around the pond spans approximately two kilometers. Not far from the park are the ruins of the former Fukuoka Castle.

Fukuoka Castle Ruins

2009-04-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Fukuoka Castle Ruins

basic information

Fukuoka Castle was built in the beginning of the 17th century by Kuroda Nagamasa, the first daimyo (feudal lord) of Chikuzen, the feudal domain which used to cover parts of today's Fukuoka Prefecture.

Today only ruins, one gate and one turret of the castle remain. There is a nice view of the city from the former main citadel.

Parts of the castle's former moats were used to construct nearby Ohori Park, a pleasant public city park.

Sompo Japan Insurance and Nipponkoa Insurance to Form Joint Holding Company

2009-03-31T09:34:00.000-07:00

Sompo Japan Insurance and Nipponkoa Insurance have agreed to establish a joint holding company, through joint stock transfer, for business integration.

The integration is expected to be completed in April 2010. Through the new group Sompo Japan and Nipponkoa Insurance will focus on their business in Japan, and aim to enhance profitability by jointly expanding the overseas insurance business with high growth potential through consideration of mergers and acquisitions, and review of the existing overseas sales network.

Sompo has said that both the companies will also seek to increase the insurance profits by centralizing the risk management process through a joint risk management system and by sharing the know-how of underwriting. They will also consider reduction of procurement cost by reforming the supply chain such as joint purchase of materials and goods, and the distribution system as well as by promoting shared services.

Canal City Hakata

2009-03-30T09:27:00.000-07:00

Canal City Hakata

basic information

Canal City Hakata is a large shopping and entertainment complex, calling itself a "city within the city". Attractions include about 250 shops, cafes and restaurants, a theater, game center, cinemas, two hotels and a canal running through the complex.

Botanic Garden

2009-03-29T20:10:00.000-07:00

Botanic Garden

basic information

This botanic garden close to Sapporo's city center belongs to the Hokkaido University and primarily serves a scientific and educational purpose. It is also a pleasant place to take a break or to have a (non-alcoholic) picnic.

Established in 1886, the Botanic Garden preserves a small part of the forest which formerly covered the Ishikari Plain. In addition, there is an alpine garden, a greenhouse, a small Ainu museum and several other minor attractions.

Note that an admission fee applies, and that during the winter month, only the greenhouse remains open to the public.

Historic Village of Hokkaido

2009-03-28T20:12:00.000-07:00

Historic Village of Hokkaido

basic information

The Historic Village of Hokkaido (kaitaku no mura) is an open air museum in the suburbs of Sapporo. It exhibits about 60 typical buildings from all over Hokkaido, dating from the Meiji and Taisho Periods (1868 to 1926), the era when Hokkaido's development was carried out on a large scale.

The open air museum is divided into a town, fishing village, farm village and mountain village section. The Historical Museum of Hokkaido (kaitaku kinenkan), which documents the history of Hokkaido's development, can be found nearby.

Nijo Market

2009-03-27T20:09:00.000-07:00

Nijo Market

basic information

Nijo Market is a public market in central Sapporo, where locals and tourists shop for fresh local produce and seafood such as crabs, salmon eggs, sea urchin and various fresh and prepared fish.

A recommended way of visiting the market is by having a fresh seafood breakfast at one of the small restaurants found between the shops.

Among the most popular menu items for starting the day is the uni ikura donburi, sea urchin and salmon eggs on rice (see picture).

The Nijo Market is open from around 7am to around 6pm on all days of the week, with individual shops maintaining their own opening hours and closing days.

Sapporo Snow Festival

2009-03-26T19:16:00.000-07:00

Sapporo Snow Festival

basic information

The Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) is held during one week every February in Hokkaido's capital Sapporo. In 2010, the Snow Festival will be held from February 5 through February 11, 2010.

The Sapporo Snow Festival was started in 1950, when high school students built a few snow statues in Odori Park. It has since developed into a large, commercialized event, featuring spectacular snow and ice sculptures and attracting more than two million visitors from Japan and across the world.

The Snow Festival is staged on three sites across Sapporo City: the Odori Site, Susukino Site and Tsudome Site.

The main site is the Odori Site in Sapporo's centrally located 1.5 kilometer long Odori Park. The festival's famous large snow sculptures, some more than 15 meters tall and 25 meters wide, are exhibited there. They are lit up daily until 22:00.

Besides about a dozen large snow sculptures, the Odori Site exhibits more than one hundred smaller snow and ice statues and hosts several concerts and events, many of which use the sculptures as their stage.

Odori Site

A great view over Odori Park can be enjoyed from the Sapporo TV Tower, which stands at the eastern end of the park and is opened from 9:00 to 22:30 during the festival (from 8:30 on the weekend). Admission to the top observatory deck costs 700 Yen per adult.

The Susukino Site, located in and named after Sapporo's largest entertainment district, exhibits about one hundred ice sculptures. Susukino is located only one subway stop south of Odori Park. The ice sculptures are lit up daily until midnight (until 22:00 on the festival's final day).

Susukino Site

The less centrally located Tsudome Site is a family oriented site with snow slides, snow rafting, snow golf and more snow sculptures. Inside the dome, there are many food stands and a stage for events. The Tsudome Site replaces the Sato Land Site, which was used in the previous three years.

Tsudome Site

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

While the Odori and Susukino Sites are in central Sapporo, the Tsudome Site is located outside of the city center and can be accessed in a short shuttle bus ride (100 yen one way) or a 15 minute walk from Sakaemachi Station, the terminal station of the Toho Subway Line (10 minutes, 240 yen from Sapporo Station).

Shuttle buses to the Tsudome Site are also operated from some other locations, including the Odori Site (200 yen one way). Note that no parking is available near the Tsudome Site.

Odori Park

2009-03-25T19:18:00.000-07:00

Odori Park

basic information

Odori Park is the broad median of Odori ("large street") in the center of Sapporo, separating the city into North and South. The park stretches over twelve blocks and offers pleasant green space during the warmer months, while staging the annual Sapporo Snow Festival in February.

At the eastern end of Odori Park stands the TV Tower with an observation deck that offers nice views of Odori Park and the city of Sapporo.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

Odori Park is five blocks or a 5-10 minute walk south of Sapporo Station. All of Sapporo's three subway lines intersect at Odori Station, which is one station south of Sapporo Station on the Nanboku and Toho Line.

Okurayama Observatory

2009-03-24T19:14:00.000-07:00

Okurayama Observatory

basic information

The 90 meter ski jump competitions of the Winter Olympics 1972 were held in the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium.

Nowadays, when the stadium is not being used for world cup or other ski jump events, the Okurayama Observatory at the top of the hill can be accessed via a chair lift (500 Yen, 8:30-18:00, shorter hours Nov-Mar) for spectacular views of Sapporo.

At the foot of the jump hill stands the Sapporo Winter Sports Museum (600 Yen, 9:00-18:00, shorter hours Nov-Apr) with exhibits about the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics and winter sports in general, including ski jump, bobsled, biathlon and speed skate simulators.

Susukino

2009-03-23T19:13:00.000-07:00

Susukino

basic information

Susukino

Ramen Yokocho

Susukino is well known as Japan's largest entertainment district north of Tokyo. It is packed with stores, bars, restaurants, karaoke shops, pachinko parlors and red light establishments. Of special interest to noodle lovers is the Ramen Yokocho, a narrow lane lined with nothing but ramen shops serving the famous Sapporo ramen.

Mount Moiwa

2009-03-22T19:12:00.000-07:00

Mount Moiwa

basic information

Mount Moiwa is one of several forested, small mountains surrounding the city of Sapporo. There is an observation platform and restaurant on its summit with spectacular day and night time views of the city.

Note that the restaurant on top of Mount Moiwa is not a place for fine dining as suggested by the restaurant's pamphlet. Rather, it is a kind of tourist cafeteria, where meals have to be ordered at vending machines.

Taking the train

2009-03-18T12:13:00.000-07:00

Taking the train

basic information

The following is a guide on how to use trains and subways in Japan. Elsewhere on the site are more specific pages on train tickets, night trains, shinkansen (bullet trains) and train timetables.

1) Train categories

All types of Japanese trains, from local to shinkansen, are typically classified into the following categories:

	Local (kakueki-teisha or futsu-densha) Local trains stop at every station.
	Rapid (kaisoku) Rapid trains skip some stations. There is no difference in the ticket price between local and rapid trains.
	Express (kyuko) Express trains stop at even fewer stations than rapid trains. Japan Railways (JR) charges an express fee in addition to the base fare.
	Limited Express (tokkyu) Limited express trains stop only at major stations. A limited express fee usually has to be paid in addition to the base fare. It is typically between 500 and 4000 yen. JR railway companies always charge this fee, but some other private railway companies do not.
	Super Express (shinkansen) Shinkansen are only operated by JR. Shinkansen run along separate tracks and platforms. A limited express fee has to be paid in addition to the base fare. It is typically between 800 and 8000 yen.

2) Seat categories

JR offers the choice between two classes, ordinary and green (first class), on shinkansen, limited express trains and a small number of slower trains. Most local trains carry only ordinary cars. Green cars are less crowded and offer more spacious seats, but are typically 30% to 50% more expensive than ordinary cars.

Most shinkansen and limited express trains carry non-reserved (jiyu-seki) and reserved (shitei-seki) seats, while a few carry reserved seats only. Seats in green cars are often all reserved. On most local, rapid and express trains all seats are non-reserved. Seat reservations cost roughly 300 to 700 yen, but are free with the Japan Rail Pass.

Smoking cars or smoking rooms are provided on only a small number of long distance trains. On all other trains, smoking is not permitted.

3) Buying a ticket

Tickets for short distance trips are best purchased at vending machines, while tickets and seat reservations for long distance trips can be purchased at ticket counters in train stations.

a) Purchase a ticket at a vending machine

1.	Find your destination and the corresponding fare on the map above the vending machine. The map shows the train lines and stations of the region. Ticket prices are shown beside each station.
2.	Insert the money into the vending machine. Most machines accept coins of 10, 50, 100 and 500 yen and bills of 1000 yen. Many machines also accept larger bills.
3.	Select the number of tickets that you wish to buy. The default is one, so if you are traveling alone, you can skip this step.
4.	Press the button that shows the amount for your ticket.
5.	Collect the ticket(s) and change.

Ticket vending machines with map of lines and stations

Sometimes the station names on the maps are written only in Japanese. If you are unable to find your destination and the corresponding fare, you can purchase a ticket for the lowest possible price, and pay the difference at a fare adjustment machine at the destination station.

b) Purchase a ticket at a ticket counter

In order to purchase a ticket, you need to provide the following information:

Number of travelers

Date of travel

Departure Station

Destination Station

Ordinary or green car

Preference of reserved or non-reserved seat

If you wish to reserve a seat, you need to provide the following additional information:

Train name and number OR departure time

Preference of smoking or non-smoking seat

If you do not speak Japanese and there is a lineup, it is recommended that you write the data on a piece of paper and present it to the salesperson in order to make the purchasing process smoother. Special forms for that purpose (some in English) are actually provided at some stations, but are rarely used by customers.

4) Entering the paid fare zone

After buying the ticket, you can proceed through the ticket gate. At automatic ticket gates, which are found at busy stations, insert the ticket into the slot, walk through the gate and pick up the ticket on the other side. If you insert an invalid ticket, the gate will close and an alarm will sound.

If you have a Japan Rail Pass, you cannot use automatic gates, but must pass through a manned gate, showing your pass to the station staff.

In order to access shinkansen platforms, you need to pass through a second or separate set of ticket gates. They are usually well marked.

5) Station platforms

Find your platform by looking for your train line and direction. Most important signs are written in Japanese and English, and increasingly also in Chinese and Korean.

On many platforms, marks on the floor indicate where the doors of the arriving train will be located. Waiting passengers will line up behind those marks. Train drivers are trained to stop within centimeters.

Passengers waiting in lines on the platform

In case of long distance trains, additional marks will indicate car numbers and whether the car is an ordinary or green car, and whether it carries reserved or non-reserved, and smoking or non-smoking seats.

Note that some platforms are served by trains of different train categories (e.g. local and rapid trains). Displays indicate the next arriving train's category and, at some stations, the set of upcoming stations served by it.

6) Riding the train

Wait for passengers to exit before entering the train. Be careful not to block the door at stations, especially if the train is crowded. Put backpacks on the floor or onto the baggage shelves.

Most passengers on Japanese trains are either reading, sleeping or using their mobile phones for sending messages, browsing the web or playing games. Talking on mobile phones inside trains, however, is forbidden, except in the entrance sections of shinkansen and limited express trains.

Upcoming stations and connecting lines are announced in Japanese. On shinkansen and some other lines frequently used by foreign visitors, the announcements are also made in English. Shinkansen and other newer trains have electronic signs in each car that display the upcoming station.

7) At the destination station

The station names on platforms are written in kanji, hiragana, and English. The previous and upcoming station names are also written.

At your destination, leave the paid fare zone through the ticket gates in the same way as you entered. When paying with a single ticket, the ticket is retained in the machine upon exiting.

If you did not pay the correct fare for your destination station, you have to pay the difference at a "Fare Adjustment" machine before leaving through the gates. If there are no such machines, you can pay the difference at the manned gate.

Seishun 18 Kippu

2009-03-17T12:18:00.000-07:00

Seishun 18 Kippu

basic information

The Seishun Juhachi Kippu, meaning something like "Youthful 18 Ticket", is a seasonally available railway ticket, which gives you five days of unlimited, nationwide travel on local and rapid JR (Japan Railways) trains for only 11,500 Yen, or 2,300 Yen per day!

Availability

The Seishun 18 Kippu is only available three times a year during school holiday seasons, as shown in the table below (subject to change):

Period	Valid	On Sale
Spring	March 1 to April 10	February 20 to March 31
Summer	July 20 to September 10	July 1 to August 31
Winter	December 10 to January 20	December 1 to January 10

Eligibility

Despite its name, the Seishun 18 Kippu can be used by people of any age. It is available to foreign tourists as well as Japanese nationals and foreign residents of Japan. However, there is no child fare.

Usage

Where is it sold?
The Seishun 18 Kippu can be bought at most JR stations across Japan. Consult the table above for the dates during which the ticket is on sale.

How does the ticket look like?
The ticket is one small card with five fields to be stamped on each day it is being used.

Can it be shared?
The Seishun 18 Kippu is a non-personal, transferable ticket, meaning that it can be used either by one person on five days or be shared by up to five different people. When sharing one ticket as a group, you always need to travel together, and each person uses up one of the ticket's five days of validity. Some examples on how the ticket can be used are listed below:

1 person uses it on 5 days (it can be a different person each day)

2 people share it on 2 days, and 1 person uses it on 1 day

2 people share it on 1 day, and 1 person uses it on 3 days

3 people share it on 1 day, and 2 people share it on 1 day

5 people share it on 1 day

etc.

How to use it?
You cannot use automatic gates with the Seishun 18 Kippu. Instead, you have to pass through the manned gates and show the ticket to the station staff. At the beginning of each day's usage, the station staff will stamp one of the five fields with a stamp showing the current date. If you travel in a group, one field will be stamped for each member in your group.

When is it valid?
The ticket is valid on five days during the period of validity (see table above). The five days do not need to be consecutive days. One day is defined as from midnight to midnight, except in the Tokyo and Osaka areas where the ticket is valid until the last train. In all other areas, when you are on board of a train at midnight, the ticket is valid up to the first station reached after midnight.

Which trains can be used?
The ticket is valid only on local trains (futsudensha/kakuekiteisha) and rapid trains (kaisoku), operated by the Japan Railways (JR). It cannot be used on express (kyuko), limited express (tokkyu) and bullet trains (shinkansen).

Is it valid on night trains?
Most night trains are classified as either express or limited express and cannot be used with the Seishun 18 Kippu. There are, however, a few night trains which are classified rapid trains (kaisoku) and can be used with the ticket. They are very popular among Seishun 18 users, because they allow you to maximize the distance traveled during a 24 hour period. Some of those kaisoku night trains are:

Moonlight Nagara: Tokyo - Nagoya - Ogaki (daily)

Moonlight Echigo: Shinjuku - Niigata (daily)

Moonlight Kyushu: Shin-Osaka - Hakata (on selected days)

Moonlight Matsuyama: Kyoto - Matsuyama (on selected days)

Moonlight Kochi: Kyoto - Kochi (on selected days)

Is it valid on non-JR trains?
The ticket can be used only on trains operated by the Japan Railways (JR). (Note that there are a small number of JR trains which partially use the tracks of a different railway company. An additional fee has to be paid on such trains.)

Travel Tips and Timetable Examples

Traveling by local trains is naturally much slower than by shinkansen or limited express. From Tokyo, for example, it takes roughly nine hours and typically one to four transfers of trains to reach Kyoto. (With the shinkansen it takes less than three hours, but the ticket costs more than five times as much.)

On major lines, such as the Tokaido Line and the Sanyo Line, local train service is so frequent that you could actually "survive" without preparing a prior itinerary, but on many other lines, local service is infrequent and connections inconvenient. Therefore, it is highly recommended to create an itinerary in advance by studying the timetables.

Below are some example timetables to give you an idea of how far you can get in one day:

From Tokyo:
To Western Japan (Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Shikoku, Hiroshima, Kyushu)
To Tohoku (Sendai, Morioka, Akita, Aomori)
To Hokkaido (Hakodate, Sapporo)

All information on these pages is subject to change. Double-check before starting your trip!

Guide to Japanese Train Tickets

2009-03-15T12:16:00.000-07:00

Guide to Japanese Train Tickets

basic information

Below is a list of the various railway tickets available in Japan:

Regular Train Tickets

Regular tickets simply get you from A to B. Our page about regular train tickets provides an introduction to the various fares and fees, such as the base fare and limited express fee, and the rules for using tickets. Read more...

Rail Passes

Rail passes entitle their holders to unlimited usage of trains in a designated area. There is a variety of nationwide and regional rail passes available in Japan. The best of them all is the Japan Rail Pass, but other rail passes can be more suitable, depending on your itinerary. View a list of rail passes...

Tokaido Shinkansen Discount Offers

Japan's most important shinkansen line, the Tokaido Shinkansen connects Tokyo with Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka. The following are some of the discount offers available on the Tokaido Shinkansen:

Hikari Hayatoku Kippu (about 10 percent discounted)
This ticket is available for trips between Tokyo or Yokohama and Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe, Himeji or some other minor stations. You have to use a reserved seat on a hikari train, and you have to purchase the ticket at least one week in advance of the departure date.

Hikari Kodama Jiyusekiyo Hayatoku Kippu (25 percent discounted)
This ticket is available for trips between Nagoya and Osaka. You have to use a non-reserved seat on a hikari or kodama train, and you have to purchase the ticket at least one week in advance of the departure date.

Puratto Kodama Economy Plan (about 25 percent discounted)
You have to use a reserved seat on the relatively slow kodama train, and you have to purchase this travel plan at least one day ahead of the departure date. You will get one can of beer, soft drink or a coffee as a free bonus.

City Passes

Passes for unlimited city travel on subways, trams, trains and buses on one calendar day and similar tickets are offered in many cities across Japan. Take a look at the "special ticket" section at the bottom of the following city pages:

	Tokyo		Osaka
	Kyoto		Kobe

Sets of Multiple JR Tickets

For any route, which covers 200 kilometers or less, it is possible to purchase eleven tickets (basic fare only) for the price of ten.

Between selected stations on some shinkansen and limited express routes, it is also possible to purchase sets of multiple tickets. They usually come in sets of four or six tickets and are discounted by about 5 to 10 percent.

Multiple tickets have to be used within a certain time frame, typically three months, and can be used in either direction.

Discounts on JR Roundtrip Tickets

On any route, which covers more than 600 kilometers one way, a round trip ticket (basic fare only) can be purchased at a 10 percent discount.

Between selected stations on some shinkansen and limited express routes, it is also possible to purchase round trip tickets, which are typically discounted by about 10 to 15 percent.

Tour Packages

Tour packages combine transportation and accommodation at big discounts to individual or group travelers. They are offered by travel agencies inside and outside of Japan, including the railway companies themselves. Much of the information, however, is available in Japanese only.

Discount Ticket Shops

Discount ticket shops purchase large amounts of discounted tickets and re-sell them to individual shoppers at prices which are typically 5 to 10 percent below the cost of regular tickets. Discount ticket shops can be found around major railway stations in large cities.

Guesthouses

2009-03-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

Guesthouses

basic information

A guesthouse (or "gaijin house", meaning "foreigner house") is an inexpensive type of accommodation for foreigners, who stay in Japan for one month or longer, and who want to avoid the hassle and the expense of renting and furnishing a conventional apartment. Some guesthouses also offer weekly contracts.

There are many guesthouses in Tokyo, but they can also be found in other major Japanese cities. While some are single, independently managed houses, others are owned by realty companies, which may operate multiple houses across the city. Some companies maintain a "foreigners only" policy.

Guesthouses come as shared or private apartments and with Japanese or Western style rooms. Naturally, private apartments are more expensive than rooms in shared apartments, where kitchen and bathrooms are typically shared.

Depending on the room and company, the monthly rent for a shared apartment in Tokyo is typically between 40,000 and 100,000 yen per person per month, while a private apartment usually costs at least 100,000 yen per month. Whether cost for utilities is included depends on the company.

Guesthouses do not tend to be the newest or most modern buildings, although the apartments are usually equipped with basic kitchen utensils, a futon, a pay phone, and possibly a television.

By living in a guesthouse, a foreigner has the opportunity to closely experience Japanese everyday life, buy food and household goods in Japanese supermarkets, dispose of garbage in the correct way, etc.

Immigration

2009-03-08T06:14:00.000-07:00

Immigration

basic information

Passport with landing permission sticker (left), visa (right)

Below is a basic introduction to the Japanese immigration system. Please contact your closest Japanese embassy or consulate outside Japan or an immigration bureau inside Japan for official advice.

Entering Japan

As of November 20, 2007, all foreigners, including foreign residents, get fingerprinted and photographed upon entering Japan as a measure aimed at preventing terrorism. People refusing to cooperate are not granted entry into the country.

Excluded from this procedure are persons under the age of 16 and a few special groups, such as diplomats, visiting dignitaries and tokubetsu eijuusha (Korean and Taiwanese long-term residents of Japan, who lost their Japanese citizenships after the war).

All foreigners receive a status of residence when entering Japan. There are more than twenty statuses of residence, including "temporary visitor" for tourists and a range of statuses for students, workers and relatives of Japanese nationals and residents.

Tourists and Business Travelers

If you are a citizen of one of the over 50 countries, with which Japan has a "general visa exemption arrangement", you need only a valid passport to enter Japan as a "temporary visitor". Otherwise, you need to obtain a visa before entering the country. Temporary visitors from most countries are allowed to stay for up to 90 days.

If you are a citizen of Austria, Germany, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Mexico, Switzerland or the United Kingdom, you have the possibility to extend your stay for up to six months. You still initially enter Japan on a 90 day permit, but can then apply for an extension at an immigration bureau in Japan.

Temporary visitors are not allowed to engage in any paid activities. However, short term studies at Japanese language schools are permitted.

All foreign tourists in Japan are required to carry their passports with them at all times.

Workers

Foreigners, who wish to work in Japan, need to get a work visa from a Japanese embassy or consulate outside of Japan in order to enter the country on a status of residence permitting work.

There are over a dozen such statuses of residence, each allowing the holder to work only in a specific professional field, for example, journalism, arts, research, education, engineering, entertainment, business management, international services, etc.

If you change jobs while you are in Japan and your new job falls into a different professional field (e.g. from education to engineering), you will need to change your status of residence.

A university degree or considerable professional experience in the applicable field is required to qualify for a working visa. Most types of working visas also require you to have a prospective employer as a sponsor. Residence permission is usually granted in periods of one or three years and is extendable.

Students

Foreigners, who wish to study in Japan (except for short term studies at language schools), need to get a student visa at a Japanese embassy or consulate outside of Japan in order to enter the country on a status of residence that permits long term studies.

There are a few such statuses of residence, differing on the type of study, e.g. pre-college, college or cultural activities. Sponsorship from an educational institution in Japan and proof of sufficient funds to cover all your expenses during your stay are required to qualify for a student visa. Residence permission is granted in periods of six months, one year or two years and is extendable.

Students are not allowed to engage in any paid activities, unless they get permission from their school and the immigration office. Even then, students may work only a set maximum number of hours per week.

Spouses and Dependents

Foreigners, who are married to a Japanese national or permanent resident of Japan (see below), can obtain a spouse visa, which allows them to engage in any paid activity in Japan. Residence permission is granted in periods of one or three years and is extendable.

Spouses of foreigners, who are currently staying in Japan under a status of residence permitting work, can apply for a dependent visa. Residence permission is granted in periods of between three months and three years and is extendable.

Dependents are not allowed to engage in any paid activities, unless they get permission from the immigration office. Even then, dependents may work only a set maximum number of hours per week.

Working Holidays

This is a special visa type for citizens of Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, France, Ireland, Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom between the ages of 18 and 30. Consult the working holiday visa page for more details.

Alien Registration card

Staying in Japan

Inside Japan, most immigration related matters, such as extending residence permission, changing status of residence or obtaining a re-entry permit, are handled by the Immigration Bureau (nyukoku kanrikyoku), which has branches across the country.

Alien registration

All foreigners, who stay in Japan for more than 90 days, need to apply for an alien registration card within the first 90 days of their stay. Applications are to be made at the local municipal office (e.g. city hall). The alien registration card is an important document required for opening a bank account, obtaining a cell phone and similar activities. Foreign residents are required to carry their alien registration card with them at all times.

Extending residence permission

Most statuses of residence allow you to stay in Japan for a period of three months, six months, one year, two years or three years. If you wish to stay longer, you must apply for an extension at an immigration bureau inside Japan before the expiry date of your current residence permission.

The application process is relatively simple, provided that you still fulfill the conditions for the specific status of residence. It typically takes a couple of days or weeks for the application to be processed, and you are allowed to remain in Japan during that time even if your previous residence permission expires in the meantime.

Changing status of residence

It is possible to change your status of residence (e.g. from temporary visitor to instructor or from student to engineer) at an immigration bureau inside Japan. You will have to provide similar documentation, as you would have to when applying at an embassy or consulate outside of Japan.

Re-entry permits

Foreign residents who wish to temporarily leave Japan, need to get a re-entry permit, otherwise, they lose their status of residence upon leaving Japan. Single or multiple use re-entry permits can be obtained at immigration offices (and some airports in case of emergencies).

Permanent residence

Foreign residents who have shown good conduct and have sufficient assets or ability to make an independent living, can be granted permanent residence if they reside in Japan for typically ten or more consecutive years (less in case of spouses of Japanese nationals and people who have made significant contributions to Japanese society). Permanent residence status is indefinite and allows any paid activity.

Naturalization

Foreigners, who have resided in Japan for at least five consecutive years (less if married to a Japanese national), have shown good conduct, have never plotted against the Japanese government, have sufficient assets or ability to make an independent living and are willing to renounce any other citizenship held, can be granted Japanese citizenship.

Language Teaching

2009-03-07T06:20:00.000-08:00

Language Teaching

basic information

There is a constant demand for native English language teachers in Japan, with private conversation schools and the JET Programme as the main sources for teaching positions. There is also a certain demand for teachers of other foreign languages.

Conversation Schools

"Eikaiwa" or English Conversation schools are a big business in Japan, offering Japanese people of all ages the opportunity to practice their English communication skills with native speakers in small classes or private lessons.

Geos, Aeon and ECC are some of the leading conversation schools, each operating more than 200 schools across Japan. In addition, there are countless mid sized and small language schools.

The major conversation schools operate recruitment offices overseas, including the USA, Canada, UK and Australia. The requirements to get a job differ from school to school, but many require little more than a university degree in any field.

JET Programme

JET stands for "Japan Exchange and Teaching", and is a government operated program that recruits non Japanese people for foreign language teaching and counseling positions at schools and companies in Japan. Most JET participants work as Assistant Language Teachers (ALT) at high schools and junior high schools in Japan.

The citizens of over 30 countries are eligible to apply for a position in the JET Programme at the Japanese embassy or consulate of their home country. Requirements are a university degree in any field and good language skills. There is an age limit of 40 years, but exceptions are made.

The duration of JET positions is initially one year, but can be extended by up to two more years. The JET Programme is considered by many the best way of teaching in Japan.

Languages other than English

At conversation schools and in the JET Programme, there is also a certain demand for native speakers of foreign languages other than English, especially French, German, Spanish, Italian, Korean and Chinese.

Working in Japan

2009-03-07T06:18:00.000-08:00

Working in Japan

basic information

Many foreign residents from English speaking countries, work in Japan as language instructors. The demand for native language instructors remains high, with some major language schools even operating recruitment offices overseas.

Other professional fields, in which qualified foreign residents have a good chance to find work, include translation, IT, modeling, gastronomy and entertainment. Being in Japan while job hunting and Japanese language ability are two keys to increase your chances of finding a job in Japan.

Foreign nationals, who wish to engage in paid activities in Japan, require a visa that allows them to work in Japan. It is not permitted to engage in any paid activities on a tourist visa.

There are about a dozen types of working visas, each allowing the holder to engage in paid activities only within a defined professional field, e.g. as an engineer, instructor or entertainer. A job offer in Japan is required to successfully apply for most types of working visas.

Permanent residents of Japan and spouse visa holders (i.e. those married to a Japanese national or permanent resident of Japan) are allowed to engage in any paid activity regardless of the professional field.

Student visa holders are not allowed to engage in paid activities, unless they attain the permission of the school and the immigration office. Even then, students are only allowed to work a set maximum hours per week.

Citizens of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Korea, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ireland, who are 18 to 30 years old, can also consider a working holiday visa for working in Japan for up to one year.

Working Holiday Visa

2009-03-06T06:17:00.000-08:00

Working Holiday Visa

basic information

A working holiday visa is a special visa for young people between the age of 18 and 25 (30 in some cases), to stay in Japan for up to one year. Working holiday visa holders are allowed to work part time while staying in Japan.

Japan has currently mutual working holiday agreements with the following countries:

Australia

Canada

Denmark

Germany

France

Ireland

Korea

New Zealand

United Kingdom

Citizens of other countries are not eligible for a working holiday visa.

Mount Fuji

2009-03-05T03:57:00.000-08:00

Mount Fuji

basic information

Mount Fuji (Fujisan) is with 3776 meters Japan's highest mountain. It is not surprising that the nearly perfectly shaped volcano has been worshipped as a sacred mountain and experienced big popularity among artists and common people.

Mount Fuji is a dormant volcano, which most recently erupted in 1708. It stands on the border between Yamanashi and Shizuoka Prefectures and can be seen from Tokyo and Yokohama on clear days.

The easiest way to view Mount Fuji is from the train on a trip along the Tokaido Line between Tokyo and Osaka. If you take the shinkansen from Tokyo in direction of Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka, the best view of Mount Fuji can be enjoyed from around Shin-Fuji Station on the right hand side of the train, about 40 to 45 minutes after leaving Tokyo.

Note however, that clouds and poor visibility often block the view of Mount Fuji, and you have to consider yourself lucky if you get a clear view of the mountain. Visibility tends to be better during the colder seasons of the year than in summer, and in the early morning and late evening hours.

If you want to enjoy Mount Fuji at a more leisurely pace and from a nice natural surrounding, you should head to the Fuji Five Lake (Fujigoko) region at the northern foot of the mountain, or to Hakone, a nearby hot spring resort.

Mount Fuji is officially open for climbing during July and August via several routes.

Attractions

Climbing Mount Fuji	A guide to climbing Mount Fuji.
Hakone	National park with views of Mount Fuji.
Fuji Five Lakes	Resort at the foot of Mount Fuji.

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Orientation

How to get to the Fuji Five Lakes
How to get to the summit
How to get to Hakone

About transportation in Japan

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park

2009-03-03T10:21:00.000-08:00

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park

basic information

Kushiro Shitsugen National Park in Hokkaido was established in 1987 and is Japan's most recently designated National Park. It was created in order to preserve the country's largest wetland and marsh habitat which supports the only known population of endangered Japanese Cranes in Japan.

The park is located between Kushiro City and Akan National Park and is easily visited when traveling between the two. The park does not receive much snowfall, even in winter, and offers bird watching, nature viewing, and walking trails. Japanese Cranes can be viewed there year round and attract hundreds of photographers.

Dancing Cranes

Photographers at the Tancho Observation Center

Japanese Cranes, also known as Tancho (lit. red head), were thought to be extinct in Japan due to overhunting and habitat destruction. However, in 1926 a group of about 20 birds was discovered in the marshes around Kushiro. With conservation efforts they have since made a dramatic recovery and now number more than 1000 birds.

The cranes are most spectacular to watch as they dance, often in pairs, with seemingly choreographed dips and jumps. The cranes are best seen in the winter as they gather at winter feeding sites. These sites are best accessed by car, but they can also be reached by public transportation.

Centers:

Akan International Crane Center

Hours: daily 9:00 to 17:00
Closed: Mondays (April to October)
Admission: 400 yen (includes Tancho Observation Center)

The Akan International Crane Center is a museum, breeding center, and sanctuary where cranes can be seen year round. It has a good exhibit about crane history and ecology with English explanations.

Kushiro City Marsh Observatory

Hours: 8:30 to 18:00 (9:00 to 17:00 November to April)
Closed: New Years Holidays
Admission: 400 yen

The Marsh Observatory is connected to the Kushiro Shitsugen Viewpoint by a number of boardwalk paths that offer nice, easy walks. The Observatory houses exhibits about the surrounding marshlands.

Feeding Stations:

These are open from November to March to offset food shortages of the colder winter months. Visitors can watch the feedings which are once or twice a day depending on the station. Feeding times are the best times to see groups of cranes together.

Tancho Observation Center

Hours: 8:30 to 16:00 (8:30 to 16:00 February to March)
Closed: April 1 to October 31
Admission: 400 yen (includes Akan International Crane Center)

The Tancho Observation Center is a winter feeding ground adjacent to the Akan International Crane Center. The facilities include an observation room, toilets, and a small restaurant.

Tsurui Ito Tancho Sanctuary

The Tsurui Ito Tancho Sanctuary feeding ground is on the same grounds as the Japan Wild Bird Association Nature Center. Although there are no facilities at the feeding ground itself, the Nature Center across the street has an observation room and a research center.

Tsuruimidai

Tsurumidai is a feeding ground located directly beside Route 53. There are no facilities at the feeding ground except for a parking lot large enough to accommodate a few tour buses. There is also a restaurant across the street.

Winter Roosting grounds:

Otowa Bridge

In winter the cranes come here at night to roost in the relative safety and warmth that the river provides. They are best observed in the mornings as they are usually out feeding during the day. The bridge is only accessible by car.

Viewpoints:

The landscape of Kushiro Shitsugen National Park can be viewed from various viewpoints around the park.

Kushiro Shitsugen Viewpoint

Kushiro Shitsugen Viewpoint
This viewpoint can be reached in about 15 to 20 minutes by a (wheelchair accessible) boardwalk path from the Kushiro City Marsh Observatory. There are numerous paths in the area, some of which lead down to the edge of the marsh.

Hokuto Viewpoint

Hokuto Viewpoint
This viewpoint is located right beside Route 53 and offers unobstructed views of the park. It is accessible by car or bus.

Hosooka Viewpoint

Hosooka Viewpoint
Located on the eastern edge of the park, this viewpoint is especially beautiful at sunset. It can be accessed by car or by a diesel train from Kushiro Station.

Akan National Park

2009-03-02T10:20:00.000-08:00

Akan National Park

basic information

Akan National Parks is located in eastern Hokkaido. The park's main attractions are its beautiful crater lakes, hot springs and mountains, which are of volcanic origin.

Attractions

Akan National Park

Lake Masshu (2)	Picturesque crater lake.
Iozan (4)	Volcano with sulfurous vents.
Lake Akan (1)	Beautiful crater lake famous for marimo algae.
Lake Kussharo (3)	The largest of Akan's crater lakes.

Nearby Attractions

Kushiro Marshlands

Marshlands populated by Japanese cranes.

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Orientation

Orientation
How to get to and around Akan National Park.

About transportation in Japan

Rishiri and Rebun

2009-03-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

Rishiri and Rebun

basic information

Rishiri viewed from Rebun

Rishirito (Rishiri Island) and Rebunto (Rebun Island) are two small islands near the northern tip of Hokkaido. The islands are part of the Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park and offer beautiful hiking trails, costal sceneries, alpine flowers and small fishing villages.

Rishiri is a round island with the 1721 meter tall Mount Rishiri at its center. Due to its appearance, the dormant volcano is also known as Rishiri-Fuji. Rebun is longer and flatter than Rishiri and most famous for its wealth of alpine flowers found at sea level due to the harsh climate.

Attractions

Rebun Island (1)	Island famous for its alpine flowers.
Rishiri Island (1)	Island with a dormant volcano at its center.

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Orientation

Orientation
How to get to and around Rishiri and Rebun Islands.

About transportation in Jap

Daisetsuzan National Park

2009-02-28T10:17:00.001-08:00

Daisetsuzan National Park

basic information

Daisetsuzan is Hokkaido's largest national park. It preserves a densely forested, mountainous area of virtually unspoiled wilderness, which equals more than ten times the size of Osaka City. It is a paradise for hikers, outdoor lovers, deer and brown bears.

Attractions

Asahidake Onsen (2)	Best base for exploring Daisetsuzan.
Sounkyo Onsen (1)	Touristy resort in a beautiful gorge.
Tenninkyo Onsen (3)	Hot spring resort in the back of a valley.

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Orientation

Orientation
How to get to and around Daisetsuzan National Park.

About transportation in Japan

Shiretoko National Park

2009-02-28T10:14:00.000-08:00

Shiretoko National Park

basic information

Shiretoko National Park, located on the Shiretoko Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido, is one of Japan's most beautiful and unspoiled national parks. No roads lead further than about three fourth up the peninsula, and the northern tip can only be viewed from boats or be reached on multi day trekking tours.

The peninsula is home to a variety of wildlife, including brown bears, dear and foxes. In winter, the peninsula's coast along the Sea of Okhotsk becomes one of the northern hemisphere's southernmost regions to see drift ice.

In July 2005, Shiretoko was added to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites for the irreplaceable value of the peninsula's ecosystem and biodiversity.

Attractions

Kamuiwakka Falls (6)	A hot waterfall in the middle of nature.
Five Lakes (1)	Five lakes in beautiful surroundings.
Sightseeing Boats (4)	Cruises along the peninsula's western coast.
Furepe Waterfall (6)	Waterfall fed by ground water.
Oshinkoshin Falls (2)	Waterfall at the national park's entrance.
Utoro (4)	Hot spring town on the western coast.
Shiretoko Pass (8)	Mountain pass with views of Mount Rausu.
Eastern Coast (3)	Rausu Town and hot spring pools at the beach.

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Orientation

Orientation
How to get to and around Shiretoko National Park.

About transportation in Japan

Yokaichi Old Town

2009-02-27T07:59:00.000-08:00

Yokaichi Old Town

basic information

Uchiko's name became synonymous with high quality white wax production in the late 19th century. At that time, wealthy local merchants built new homes or added to their own, resulting in beautiful streets lined with large, stylish, Meiji Period houses. The Yokaichi district has since been restored to preserve these buildings.

Yokaichi is comprised of about 90 buildings along a single street. Two of these buildings are open to the public as museums, the largest and most impressive of which is the Kamihaga Residence. A combination ticket for Kamihaga Residence, the Uchiko-za kabuki theater and the Uchiko History Museum is sold for 700 yen from any of those locations.

Kamihaga Residence

Hours: 9:00 to 16:30
Admission: 400 yen

The Kamihaga Residence is one of Uchiko's most interesting buildings, offering visitors a glimpse of how the town prospered by its wax industry. It is open to the public and contains an informative wax museum.

Machiya Museum

Hours: 9:00 to 16:30
Admission: free

The Machiya Museum is a small building at the southern end of the old town, which is open to the public. It shows how a typical merchant's residence looked like during the Edo Period.

Honhaga Residence

No Admission

The Honhaga family was Uchiko's first and primary wax producer. They made Uchiko Wax an international name by visiting the 1900 World Expo in Paris. The Honhaga Residence is a preserved property, which can only be viewed from the outside.

Omura Residence

No Admission

The Omura Residence neighbors the Honhaga Residence and is one of Uchiko's oldest buildings, dating back to the end of the Edo Period. Like the Honhaga Residence, the Omura Residence is not open to the public and can be admired only from the outside.

Koshoji Temple

Hours: 9:00 to 16:40
Admission: free

Koshoji Temple houses a large and impressive statue of a reclining Buddha. The temple grounds are pleasant as well, located at the top of town up a slight elevation and offering a nice view of the streets belo

Kamihaga Residence

2009-02-26T08:01:00.000-08:00

Kamihaga Residence

basic information

The Kamihaga Residence is the former home and workshop of the Kamihaga family, a branch family of Uchiko's most influential family, the Honhaga. Located in Uchiko's Yokaichi Old Town, the large building complex consists of a spacious Meiji Period residence and a museum which documents Uchiko's wax producing history.

Uchiko wax was well regarded in Japan at the beginning of the Meiji Period, bringing modest prosperity to town residents. This was particularly true of the Honhaga household, Uchiko's main wax producers. The Honhaga and Kamihaga together produced the distinctive "Crane in the Sunrise" label, for which Uchiko became internationally known.

In 1900, when the Honhaga family visited the Paris World Expo to showcase their goods, Uchiko's reputation for high quality wax spread to Europe and America. A new level of success was achieved with average yearly profits totaling over one billion yen in today's currency.

The Kamihaga Residence includes a well documented and informative wax museum with displays in both English and Japanese. The wax making process is detailed by entertaining miniature displays and wax products produced under the "Crane in the Sunrise" label are on show.

Besides the Wax Museum, the family residence itself is a beautifully maintained example of a prosperous family's living quarters during the early 1900s. Elegant tatami rooms with painted screens and decorative pottery are combined with Western elements that became more popular as the 20th century progressed.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

The Kamihaga Residence is located in the Yokaichi Old Town, about a 20-30 minute walk from JR Uchiko Station. It can also be reached in a short ride on the Chagamaru Retro Bus.

How to get to and around Uchiko

hours and fees

Hours:	9:00 to 16:30
Closed:	December 29 to January 2
Admission:	400 yen

Uchiko-za Theater

2009-02-25T07:56:00.000-08:00

Uchiko-za Theater

basic information

Uchiko-za is a fully operational kabuki theater in the center of town, and a distinguishing feature and point of pride of Uchiko. The beautiful, multi-story building was built in 1916 and continues to occasionally host various events, including kabuki and bunraku performances.

Visitors can enter Uchiko-za and explore the many trap doors and hidden passageways around the stage. Kabuki stages are known for their elaborate design, allowing for sudden dissapearances, dramatic entrances and the like. At Uchiko-za, visitors have the opportunity to examine the mechanics of such stage choreography.

how to get there

Uchiko-za is located a 5-10 minute walk from JR Uchiko Station.

How to get to and around Uchiko

hours and fees

Hours:	9:00 to 16:30
Closed:	December 29 to January 2
Admission:	300 yen

Uchiko History Museum

2009-02-24T07:54:00.000-08:00

Uchiko History Museum

basic information

The Uchiko History Museum, also known as the Museum of Commercial and Domestic Life, is located along the main street, outside of the Yokaichi Old Town district. The museum is compact, but enjoyable, with life-sized, automated figures arranged to show how residents of the town lived in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The displays are visually informative, making up for the lack of English translations in the written material. On the second floor, beautiful tatami rooms with sliding doors and painted screens show how the more stylish town houses of local merchant families looked like.

how to get there

The Uchiko History Museum a ten minute walk from JR Uchiko Station. It can also be reached in a short ride on the Chagamaru Retro Bus.

How to get to and around Uchiko

hours and fees

Hours:	9:00 to 16:30
Closed:	December 29 to January 2
Admission:	200 yen

Uchiko Travel Guide

2009-02-23T07:53:00.000-08:00

Uchiko Travel Guide

basic information

Uchiko is a pleasant town located about 40 km southwest of Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture. Now a vestige of traditional, rural Japan, Uchiko was once a prosperous center of wax and paper production. One of the town's main attractions, the Kamihaga Residence, explores this historical industry.

Yokaichi Old Town is Uchiko's preserved street of houses where most of the town's attractions can be found. This historical district looks just as it did over 100 years ago, when wealth and prosperity came to Uchiko through its wax trade.

Another symbol of Uchiko is found outside of the old district: Uchiko-za is a full scale kabuki theater equipped with trap doors, hidden entrances and a rotating stage.

Attractions

Yokaichi Old Town (1)	Street lined by preserved, historic buildings.
Kamihaga Residence (1)	Elegant former residence of wax producers.
Uchiko-za Theater (1)	Beautiful, old-fashioned kabuki theater.
Uchiko History Museum (1)	About the life of Uchiko's former residents.

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Orientation

Access and Orientation
How to get to and around Uchiko.

About transpo

Railway News - Spring 2009

2009-02-22T08:39:00.000-08:00

Railway News - Spring 2009

basic information

March 2009 brings a timetable revision by the Japan Railways Group (JR) as well as a few other railway related news. Some of the major changes are summarized below:

More night trains to be discontinued

The dying of overnight trains is continuing due to competition by cheaper highway buses and low domestic airfares. The latest victims are the Hayabusa limited express between Tokyo and Kumamoto and the Fuji limited express between Tokyo and Oita. As a result, there will be no more night trains between Honshu and Kyushu from March 14, 2009.

Furthermore, the Moonlight Nagara (Tokyo - Nagoya - Ogaki) and Moonlight Echigo (Tokyo - Niigata), two night trains classified as rapid trains and popular among Seishun 18 Kippu users, will discontinue daily operation. They will, however, continue running during peak seasons.

A night train at Osaka Station

Hanshin Namba Line opens in Osaka

On March 20, 2009, the Hanshin Nishi-Osaka Line will be extended from Nishikujo Station to Namba Station and renamed Hanshin Namba Line. The newly opened section will enable direct train service from Kobe to Namba and Nara by connecting the networks of Hanshin Railways and Kintetsu Railways at Namba Station.

Wireless Internet on N700 Tokaido Shinkansen trains

From March 14, wireless high-speed internet connection will be available on N700 trains sets on the Tokaido Shinkansen (Tokyo - Yokohama - Nagoya - Kyoto - Osaka). Because the N700 train sets are almost exclusively used on nozomi trains, Japan Rail Pass holders will not be able to profit from the new service. N700 shinkansen

More prepaid IC cards: Kitaca and Sugoca

JR Hokkaido introduced its Kitaca IC card in autumn 2008. From March 14, 2009, Kitaca will become compatible with JR East's Suica card, which means that Suica cards can be used on JR trains in the greater Sapporo area, and Kitaca cards on JR trains in the greater Tokyo, Sendai and Niigata areas.

On March 1, 2009, JR Kyushu will introduce its Sugoca IC card to be used on JR trains in the greater Fukuoka and Kitakyushu areas. Compatibility with Suica and Nimoca, the prepaid IC card of Fukuoka's Nishitetsu Railways, is planned for spring 2010.

Solar Eclipse 2009

2009-02-21T08:40:00.000-08:00

Solar Eclipse 2009

basic information

On July 22, 2009, the longest total eclipse of the 21st century will pass over Asia. The eclipse will have its peak duration over southern Japan, and will be visible from the Tokara Islands, Yakushima and Amami Oshima. Partial eclipses will be visible throughout the country.

From the Tokara Islands

If the weather cooperates, the Tokara Islands will be the best place to view the awe inspiring mid-day twilight and solar corona of the total eclipse, as the islands are located directly along the line of maximum eclipse duration. Full obscuration will last from 5 min 40 sec to 6 min 20 sec, starting from around 11:00 am.

The Tokara Islands consist of about a dozen small islands, half of which are populated, and are home to approximately 650 people. A ferry connects the islands to Kagoshima City twice per week. Lodgings, restaurants and other tourist facilities are extremely limited on the islands.

Officials on the islands are expecting a considerable influx of tourists, and have partnered with Kinki Nippon Tourist (KNT), Japan's second largest travel agency, to handle the logistics. All travel to the islands during the eclipse will be done through KNT. Because of the limited facilities on the islands, only a limited number of applicants will be able to join their tours.

KNT is offering an island stay tour and a cruise tour. The island stay tour involves staying on one of the islands for four to seven days and costs 350,000 yen. The cruise tour is a three day cruise on a luxurious ship, but the actual eclipse viewing will take place on one of the islands. It costs between 400,000 and 1,400,000 yen.

Cruise ship tours are also offered by a few other companies during the eclipse, but these tours will not be landing on the Tokara Islands.

From Yakushima and Amami Oshima Islands

For those, who will not be able to go to the Tokara Islands, the islands of Yakushima and Amami Oshima are possible alternatives. The total eclipse will last about four minutes at the southern end of Yakushima and about three minutes at the northern end of Amami Oshima. Note that only a partial eclipse will be visible from the southern end of Amami Oshima.

Access information to Yakushima Island can be found here.

Amami Oshima can be reached by either plane or ferry. JAL operates five flights a day from Kagoshima and one flight a day each from Osaka, Tokyo and Naha. Ferries travel to Amami Oshima from Kagoshima once or twice a day, Naha once a day, and less frequently from Tokyo and Osaka. See our ferry page for more details.

From other places in Japan

For those unable to reach the regions of total eclipse, partial eclipses will be visible throughout the rest of Japan. The period of partial eclipse will last two to three hours, with effects becoming more dramatic as the sun becomes more obscured. In Japan's various cities different peak obscurations will occur at different times:

City	Obscuration	Time
Sapporo	40%	11:10
Tokyo	70%	11:13
Osaka	79%	11:05
Kagoshima	96%	10:57
Naha	92%	10:53

Appropriate caution must be exercised when observing the partial eclipse. Serious damage can be done to the eye if the sun is observed directly or through sun glasses, even when no pain is felt. Instead, special sun filters must be used. The eclipse can be viewed with the naked human eye only during total eclipse.

Dazaifu Tenmangu

2009-02-20T09:55:00.000-08:00

Dazaifu Tenmangu

basic information

Dazaifu Tenmangu is the first and most important of several hundreds of shrines built and dedicated to the spirits of Sugawara Michizane, an influential scholar and politician of the Heian Period, who has later been identified with Tenjin, the kami ("Shinto god") of education.

After a spectacular political career, Michizane was unfairly exiled from Kyoto to Dazaifu, where he died a few years afterwards. A series of natural disasters, which followed Michizane's death, were interpreted as a consequence of exiling him unfairly, and the shrine was built on top of his grave in order to please his spirits.

There are about 6000 plum trees (ume), Michizane's favorite kind of tree, on the precincts of Dazaifu Tenmangu, including tobiume ("flying plum tree"), a tree which is said to have followed Michizane into exile by flying from Kyoto to Dazaifu. It now stands on the right side in front of the shrine's main hall.

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how to get there

From Tenjin Station in central Fukuoka (also known as Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station), take a Nishitetsu limited express to Futsukaichi Station (12 minutes) and transfer to the Dazaifu Line to Dazaifu Station (5 minutes). Limited express trains leave Tenjin Station every 30 minutes. The one way trip costs 390 Yen.

Dazaifu Tenmangu is a 5 minute walk from Dazaifu Station.

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

2009-02-19T09:52:00.000-08:00

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

basic information

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is one of several hundred Tenmangu Shrines across Japan. They are dedicated to Sugawara Michizane, a scholar and politician who was unfairly exiled by his political rivals. A number of disasters were attributed to his vengeful spirit after his death in exile, and these shrines were built to appease him.

Sugawara Michizane is associated with Tenjin, the kami ("Shinto god") of education, and many students come to Kitano Tenmangu to pray for success in their studies. The shrine can become especially crowded with students during exam times and school trip seasons.

Michizane loved plum trees and one tree called tobiume, or flying plum tree, is said to have followed him from Kyoto to his exile in Kyushu. Because of this, a plum tree can always be found in front of a Tenmangu Shrine's main building.

Kitano Tenmangu has beautiful plum blossom viewing, especially in a grove of nearly 2000 trees that bloom from February to March. The shrine hosts a special tea ceremony, called Baikasai, in this plum grove every February 25th. The ceremony is performed by maiko and geiko of the nearby Kamishichiken geisha district.

Last but not least, the shrine holds a flea market on the 25th of every month. The shrine grounds and surrounding streets are taken over by hundreds of vendors selling plants, antiques, tools, toys and crafts. There is also a large food section selling festival food such as yakisoba, karaage and takoyaki.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine can be directly reached by Kyoto City Bus number 101 from Kyoto Station (220 yen, 30 to 45 min). An indirect but perhaps quicker route is to take the Karasuma Subway Line to Imadegawa Station and catch the 102 or 203 bus to the shrine. In either case get off at the Kitano Tenmangumae bus stop.

Another alternative route would be to take bus number 205 from Kyoto Station to Kitanohakubaicho Station on the Keifuku Rail Line. It is a short walk from the station to the shrine.

Orientation in Kyoto

hours and fees

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine

Hours: Daily 5:00 to 18:00 (5:30 to 17:30 in winter)

Flea Market

Hours: 25th of every month, 6:00 to 21:00

Plum Grove

Open: February to March
Hours: 10:00 to 16:00
Admission: 600 yen

Japanese Plum

2009-02-18T09:47:00.000-08:00

Japanese Plum

basic information

The Japanese plum or ume (sometimes referred to as a Japanese apricot) has played an important role in Japanese culture for many centuries. It was originally introduced from China.

The plum is associated with the start of spring, because plum blossoms are some of the first blossoms to open during the year. In the Tokyo area, they typically flower in February and March. The event is celebrated with plum festivals (ume matsuri) in public parks, shrines and temples across the country.

Like cherry trees, plum trees come in many varieties, many of which were cultivated by humans over the centuries. Most plum blossoms have five petals and range in color from white to dark pink. Some varieties with more than five petals (yae-ume) and weeping branches (shidare-ume) have also been cultivated. Unlike cherry blossoms, plum blossoms have a strong fragrance.

Umeboshi

The actual ume fruit is more sour than the western plum or apricot, and is usually processed in various ways before eaten.

The most popular processed form is the umeboshi, a sour, pickled plum, which is usually enjoyed with cooked rice. Umeboshi is one of the most typical Japanese flavors. Umeshu, a sweet alcoholic beverage made of plums, is also very popular.

Some popular plum spots in and around Tokyo

	Kairakuen (Ibaraki Prefecture) Mito Station, JR Joban Line Ranked as one of Japan's three finest landscape gardens, Kairakuen features over 3000 plum trees of 100 varieties. A plum festival is held annually from February 20 to March 31. More details
	Koishikawa Korakuen (Tokyo) Korakuen Station, Marunouchi Subway Line A beautiful Japanese landscape garden in central Tokyo with a few dozen plum trees. An ume matsuri is held from February 14 to March 1, 2009. More details
	Kyu Shiba Rikyu (Tokyo) Hamamatsucho Station, Yamanote Line A classic Japanese landscape garden with a pond, man made hills and about a dozen plum trees. More details
	Hanegi Park (Tokyo) Umegaoka Station, Odakyu Line A small park with about 700 plum trees of many varieties. The Setagaya Ume Matsuri is celebrated here on weekends and holidays from February 7 to March 1, 2009.
	Yushima Tenjin Shrine (Tokyo) Yushima Station, Chiyoda Subway Line A popular shrine among students who wish to pass entrance exams. A plum festival is held annualy from February 8 to March 8, with various events on weekends and holidays.

Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden

2009-02-17T09:45:00.000-08:00

Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden

basic information

Kyu Shiba Rikyu Onshi Teien ("Former Shiba Villa Gardens") is a classic Japanese landscape garden in central Tokyo, located just next to Hamamatsucho Station and not far from Hama Rikyu, another popular Japanese landscape garden.

A green oasis surrounded by tall buildings, the Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden features the typical elements of a Japanese landscape garden, including a pond and man made hills, symbolizing the ocean, lakes and mountains of the real world, and circular walking trails to enjoy the garden from various perspectives.

During the Edo Period, the garden was built on land reclaimed from Tokyo Bay, and served as the residence of various feudal lords and government officials. In 1875 after the fall of the feudal government, it was turned into the Shiba Detached Imperial Villa, however, all buildings were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923.

In 1924, Kyu Shiba Rikyu Garden was opened to the public.

Winter protection

Plum blossoms

Koishikawa Korakuen

2009-02-16T09:43:00.000-08:00

Koishikawa Korakuen

basic information

Koishikawa Korakuen is one of Tokyo's oldest and most beautiful Japanese landscape gardens. It was built by close relatives of the Tokugawa Shogun in the early Edo Period.

Like most traditional Japanese gardens, Koishikawa Korakuen attempts to reproduce famous landscapes from China and Japan in miniature, using a pond, stones, plants and a man made hill.

Koishikawa Korakuen is attractive during all seasons of the year, but particularly so in the second half of November, when the fall colors appear, during the plum festival in late February and when the beautiful weeping cherry tree near the garden's entrance is in full bloom.

Any advice or questions? Voice them in the forum!

how to get there

Koishikawa Korakuen is a 5-10 minute walk from Iidabashi Station (various JR and subway lines) or a 10 minute walk from Korakuen Station on the Marunouchi and Nanboku Subway Lines.

Orientation in Tokyo

hours and fees

Hours:	9:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30)
Closed:	December 29 to January 1
Admission:	300 yen