Social Vibe

Me supporting Social Vibe

Kingdom Hearts action figures

some figures at the Tokyo game show

Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan

Shibuya is one of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Japan. As of 2008, it had an estimated population of 208,371 and a density of 13,540 persons per km². The total area is 15.11 km². The name "Shibuya" is also used to refer to the central business district of Shibuya Ward, which surrounds Shibuya Station, one of Tokyo's busiest railway stations. Shibuya is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area. Following the opening of the Yamanote Line in 1885, Shibuya began to emerge as a railway terminal for southwestern Tokyo and eventually as a major commercial and entertainment center. It was incorporated as a village in 1889, as a town in 1909, as a ward of Tokyo City in 1932, and as a ward of Tokyo Metropolis in 1943. The present-day special ward was established on March 15, 1947. One of the most well-known stories concerning Shibuya is the story of Hachikō, a dog who waited on his late master at Shibuya Station every day from 1923 to 1935, eventually becoming a national celebrity for his loyalty. A statue of Hachikō was built adjacent to the station, and the surrounding Hachikō Square is now the most popular meeting point in the area. Yoyogi Park in Shibuya was one of the main venues for the 1964 Summer Olympics. In 1965, the shooting rampage by 18-year-old Misao Katagiri, who had already shot dead a policeman, broke out and 16 people were injured. He was sentenced to death and was executed by hanging in 1972. Shibuya has achieved great popularity among young people in the last 30 years. There are several famous fashion department stores in Shibuya. Shibuya 109 is a major shopping center near Shibuya Station, particularly famous as the origin of the kogal subculture. Called "Ichi-Maru-kyū," which translates as 1–0–9 in Japanese, the name is actually a pun on that of the corporation that owns it — Tokyu (which sounds like 10–9 in Japanese). The contemporary fashion scene in Shibuya extends northward from Shibuya Station to Harajuku, where youth culture reigns; Omotesandō, the zelkova tree- and fashion brand-lined street; and Sendagaya, Tokyo's apparel design district. During the late 1990s, Shibuya also became known as the center of the IT industry in Japan. It was often called "Bit Valley" in English, a pun on "Bitter Valley," the literal translation of "Shibuya."

Shinjuku District, Tokyo, Japan

Shinjuku is one of the 23 Special wards of Tokyo, Japan. It is a major commercial and administrative center, housing the busiest train station in the world (Shinjuku Station), and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, the administration center for the government of Tokyo. Surrounding Shinjuku Station are department stores, specialist electronic and camera shops, cinemas, restaurants and bars. Many international hotels are located here. As of 2008, the ward has an estimated population of 312,418 and a density of 17,140 persons per km². The total area is 18.23 km². Shinjuku has the highest numbers of registered foreign nationals of any community in Tokyo. As of October 1, 2005, 29,353 people with 107 nationalities were registered in Shinjuku. Surrounding Shinjuku are six other wards: Chiyoda to the east; Bunkyo and Toshima to the north; Nakano to the west, and Shibuya and Minato to the south. In addition, Nerima is only a hundred meters away. The highest point in Shinjuku is Hakone Hill, 44.6 m, in Toyama Park east of Takadanobaba and Shin-Okubo stations. The lowest point is 4.2 m in the Iidabashi area. Places in Shinjuku include * Ichigaya: A commercial area in eastern Shinjuku, site of the Ministry of Defense.* Golden Gai: An area of tiny shanty-style bars and clubs. Musicians, artists, actors and directors gather here, and the ramshackle walls of the bars are literally plastered with movie posters.* Kabukichō: A district well-known for bars, restaurants and red-light district with street prostitutes, brothels, and other sexual commerce. Located northeast of Shinjuku Station.* Nishi-shinjuku: Tokyo's largest skyscraper district. Several of the tallest buildings in Tokyo are located in this area, including the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, KDDI Building and Park Tower. Located west of Shinjuku Station.* Ōkubo: Tokyo's best-known Korean district.* Shinanomachi: On the southern edge of Shinjuku, close to the National (Olympic) Stadium, and Meiji-Jingu Stadium (where the Yakult Swallows baseball team plays).* Shinjuku Gyoen is a large park, 58.3 hectares, 3.5 km in circumference, blending Japanese traditional, English Landscape and French Formal style gardens.* Shinjuku ni-chōme: Tokyo's best-known gay district.* Waseda: Surrounding Waseda University, one of the most prestigious private universities in Japan. Nearby Takadanobaba is a major student residential and nightlife area. In 1634, during the Edo period, as the outer moat of the Edo Castle was built, a number of temples and shrines moved to the Yotsuya area on the western edge of Shinjuku. In 1698, Naitō Shinjuku had developed as a new (shin) station (shuku or juku) on the Kōshū Kaidō, one of the major highways of that era. Naitō was a daimyo whose mansion stood in the area; his land is now a public park, the Shinjuku Gyoen. Shinjuku began to develop into its current form after the Great Kantō earthquake in 1923, since the seismically stable area largely escaped the devastation. Consequently, West Shinjuku is one of the few areas in Tokyo with many skyscrapers. The Tokyo air raids from May to August 1945 destroyed almost 90% of the buildings in the area in and around Shinjuku Station. The pre-war form of Shinjuku, and the rest of Tokyo, for that matter, was retained after the war because the roads and rails, damaged as they were, remained, and these formed the heart of the Shinjuku in the post-war construction. Only in Kabuki-cho was a grand reconstruction plan put into action. (Ichikawa, 2003) The present ward was established on March 15, 1947, with the merger of the former wards of Yotsuya, Ushigome, and Yodobashi. In 1991, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government moved from the Marunouchi district of Chiyoda to the current building in Shinjuku. (The Tokyo International Forum stands on the site vacated by the government.) Like the other wards of Tokyo, Shinjuku has a status equivalent to a city. As of 2005, the mayor is Hiroko Nakayama. The kugikai (ward council) consists of 38 elected members. The Liberal Democratic Party and New Komeito Party currently forms government. Democratic Party of Japan, Japanese Communist Party and the Social Democratic Party are also represented together with 4 independents. Its kuyakusho (ward headquarters) is at 1-4-1 Kabukicho. Shinjuku is also the location of the metropolitan government of Tokyo. The governor's office, the assembly, and with all political offices are located at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. Shinjuku is a major urban transit hub. JR Shinjuku Station sees an estimated 3.52 million passengers pass through each day, making it the busiest station in the world. It houses interchanges to three subway lines and two privately owned commuter lines, as well as the JR lines.

tokyo view

The great tokyo view

Roof Garden

Some companies are putting gardens on their roof in a bit to fight global warming by going green on their roofs.

Eitai Bridge, Tokyo, Japan

Fukagawa is located 2km east of Nihombashi, on the Eastern side of the Sumida river, across Eitai bridge. The whole area is roughly comprised between Monzennakacho, Kiyosumi-Shirakawa and Kiba stations. The main arteries are Eitai-dori and Kiyosumi-Dori . Like Asakusa, it is called "shitamachi", which refers to the old traditional Tokyo. Fukagawa's greatest shinto shrine is Tomioka Hachimangu. It was established in 1627 and is Tokyo's largest Hachiman Shrine. During the Edo period, sumo wrestlers tournaments were held here, and the "Yokozuna Stone" still shows the name of the champions. The Tomioka Hachiman Shrine is compares in size to the Yasukuni or Meiji Shrine One of the prides of the shrine is its "ichi-no-miya" mikoshi, the biggest "mikoshi" in the Kanto region, weighing 4 tonnes. This mikoshi is actually too heavy to be carried during the festival. Another reason is its value. It is decorated with diamonds, rubis and saphires, and cost a startling one billion yen. The shrine is a short walk from Monzennakacho Station.

Imperial Palace, Tokyo, Japan

The current Imperial Palace (Kokyo) is located on the former site of Edo Castle, a large park area surrounded by moats and massive stone walls in the center of Tokyo, a short walk from Tokyo station. It is the residence of Japan's Imperial Family. Moats and walls surround the imperial palace Edo Castle used to be the seat of the Tokugawa shogun who ruled Japan from 1603 until 1867. In 1868, the shogunate was overthrown, and the country's capital and Imperial Residence were moved from Kyoto to Tokyo. In 1888 construction of a new Imperial Palace was completed. The palace was once destroyed during World War Two, and rebuilt in the same style, afterwards. From Kokyo Gaien, the large plaza in front of the Imperial Palace, visitors can view the Nijubashi, two bridges that form an entrance to the inner palace grounds. The stone bridge in front is called Meganebashi (Eyeglass Bridge) for its looks. The bridge in the back was formerly a wooden bridge with two levels, from which the name Nijubashi (Double Bridge) is derived. Meganebashi Bridge The palace buildings and inner gardens are not open to the public. Only on January 2 (New Year's Greeting) and December 23 (Emperor's Birthday), visitors are able to enter the inner palace grounds and see the members of the Imperial Family, who make several public appearances on a balcony. During the rest of the year, guided tours of the palace are offered in Japanese, with an English pamphlet and audio guide provided. Tours must be reserved in advance with the Imperial Household Agency. Reservations can be made over the internet (see links below). The Imperial Palace East Gardens are open to the public throughout the year except on Mondays, Fridays and special occasions. The Imperial Palace sits on land that was once occupied by Edo Castle. It became the official imperial residence in 1868, when Emperor Meiji transferred the seat of power from Kyoto to Edo and changed the name of the city to Tokyo. Throughout history the palace has been rebuilt many times - most recently in 1968. In the raids of 1945 it was almost completely destroyed, and that was in spite of the popular belief that a pond full of goldfish would scare the bombs away. To get the best view of the palace you need to stand close to Nijubashi Bridge. To find the bridge leave Tokyo station via the Maranouchi Exit, follow the broad avenue up to the Imperial Palace Plaza and cross over the moat. Next take the gravel roadway round to the left; Niju Bashi Bridge is then close to the police box. The palace itself is only open two days a year - January 1st and the Emperor's birthday, December 23rd.. You might even want to spend an hour strolling the 4.8km around the palace and moat. But the best thing to do is to visit Higashi Gyoen the East Garden, where you'll find what's left of the central keep of old Edo Castle, the stone foundation. The entrance is just through Otemon Gate.

Mount Fuji, Tokyo, Japan

Mt. Fuji can be approached from all sides, but note that transport schedules are sharply cut outside the official climbing season in July and August. For up to date information, the city of Fujiyoshida maintains a Fuji access page listing current routes and schedules. From Tokyo, the easiest and most popular option is to take a direct bus from Shinjuku to the trailhead at Kawaguchiko Fifth Station. The most economical approach is by Odakyu train from Shinjuku to Gotemba, although you will have to change trains and the price difference is rather minimal. There are also Fuji-san climbing tours offered by numerous tourist companies through out Japan. These tours may include round trip bus fare, climbing guide, hut, dinner, breakfast (packed rice box), and a visit to a hot spring after the descent. Prices tend to be expensive though: a one-day "superman" tour costs around ¥20000 and a more leisurely two-day approach (including overnight stay) is over ¥30000. The official climbing season lasts for only two months, from July to August. Even during these months, when Tokyo often swelters in 40-degree heat, temperatures at the top can be below freezing at night and climbers must dress adequately. Climbing outside the official season is not only technically illegal without police permission but extremely dangerous without alpine climbing experience and equipment. Nearly all facilities are closed in the off season. The weather, unpredictable any time of year, is downright vicious in the winter and there are cases of people being literally blown off the mountain by high winds. Fortunately, there are a few options for those who are not fit enough to climb or who would like to get "up close" to the mountain in the off-season. The trails at the bottom of the mountain are less steep, and suited more for an afternoon hike at any time of the year. The nearby Fuji Five Lakes (Fuji-goko) has many attractions close to the mountain, and Hakone also provides spectacular views.

Roof Clock, Wako Department Store, Tokyo, Japan

Wako (officially Wako Co., Ltd., also known as Ginza Wako) is considered by some to be the most exclusive department store in Japan, located at the heart of the Ginza shopping district in Tokyo. This store is famous for its watches, jewellery, porcelain, dishware, and handbags, as well as foreign luxury goods. There is also an art gallery, called Wako Hall, on the sixth floor. Wako was founded in 1881 by Kintarō Hattori as a watch and jewelry shop called K. Hattori (now Seiko Holdings Corporation) in Ginza. In 1947, the retail division split off as Wako Co., Ltd. From 1894 to 1923, the Hattori Clock Tower stood on the site where the Wako Department Store occupies today. The Hattori Clock Tower was destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake on September 1, 1923 and was rebuilt as the Wako Department Store nine years later. In homage to its predecessor, the Wako Department Store was also fitted with a clock. Its 1932 Neo-Renaissance style building, designed by Jin Watanabe, with its curved granite façade, is the central landmark for the district and one of the few buildings in the area left standing after World War II. The building functioned as the Tokyo PX store during the American Occupation of Japan, from 1945 to 1952. The clock tower plays the famous Westminster Chimes. The department store operates branches in Hiroo, Minato; Haneda Airport; Osaka; and some luxury hotels in Japan. The first "Western-style" department store in Japan was Mitsukoshi, founded in 1904, which has its root as a kimono store called Echigoya from 1673. When the roots are considered, however, Matsuzakaya has an even longer history, dated from 1611. The kimono store changed to a department store in 1910. In 1924, Matsuzakaya store in Ginza allowed street shoes to be worn indoors, something innovative at the time. These former kimono shop department stores dominated the market in its earlier history. They sold, or rather displayed, luxurious products, which contributed for their sophisticated atmospheres. Another origin of Japanese department store is that from railway company. There have been many private railway operators in the nation, and from 1920s, they started to build department stores directly linked to their lines' termini. Seibu and Hankyu are the typical examples of this type. From the 1980s and onwards, Japanese department stores are facing the fierce competition from supermarkets and convenience stores, gradually losing their presences. Still, depāto are bastions of several aspects of cultural conservatism in the country. Gift certificates for prestigious department stores are frequently given as formal presents in Japan. Department stores in Japan generally offer a wide range of services and can include foreign exchange, travel reservations, ticket sales for local concerts and other events,Due to their roots, many Japanese department stores have sections devoted to kimono and Japanese traditional crafts, including pottery and lacquerware. The basement level usually has a grocery and food court.