Shinjuku College Creators Festa 2011

Support the next generation of
artists and designers this weekend at the Shinjuku College Creators Festa.

Students from 21 schools across
the country will be participating in the competition section of the program,
with divisions for space design/installations and video works. All entries will
be on display to the public until the awards ceremony on October 23.

From 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. on October
22 – 23, stop by the Kabukicho Cine City Hiroba for a charity auction of
student-designed T-shirts. Meanwhile, the nearby stage will showcase students’
skills with rock or J-pop musical performances, DJ shows and exhibitions of
street dance.

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Shinjuku Eisa Matsuri

Get into the spirit of Okinawa at
the Shinjuku Eisa Matsuri.

Like Gifu’s Gujo Odori, the Eisa
is one of Japan’s major Obon festival dances. The Shinjuku festival features 25
teams from across the country who will be performing at 12 spots around the east
side of Shinjuku station.

To commemorate the victims of the
Tohoku Earthquake, this year’s festival will also include teams from the
disaster areas performing Sendai’s traditional Suzume Odori and the Jyangara
Nenbutsu Odori from Iwaki City in Fukushima.

For the first time, the
performances will also be live broadcast on the festival’s official Ustream
channel.

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Chocolate sculptures descend on Isetan in Shinjuku

Seventy chocolatiers (our favorite job title) have descended on Isetan in
Shinjuku to show off their sculpting skills from today until January 31,
as part of the Salon du Chocolat.

The
lip-lickingly luscious creations on offer include Swiss chocolatier
Philip Moser of French confectioner Jean-Paul Hevan displaying a
chocolate rabbit for the Year of the Rabbit, and Belgian confectioner Neuhaus chocolatier Olivier Demol with a
sweet version of the famous Brussels statue “Manneken Pis.”

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Gaijin Guide in Shinjuku and Kabuki Cho

The Gaijin Guide travels to Shinjuku and Kabuki Cho. Come take a look at Japan and its urban metropolis. Shinjuku (新宿区) is home to the world’s busiest railway station (seeing over 2 million passengers a day), some of Tokyo’s tallest buildings, and the Metropolitan Government Office, which has two observation floors that offer stunning views of the metropolis and are free to the public. Other notable sights and stops in this ward are the gigantic department and discount electronic stores including Yodobashi Camera. Also located right around Shinjuku Station is KabukiCho. Kabukicho (歌舞伎町) is a red-light district, which houses many hostess bars, host bars, and love hotels. It is also a major shopping, restaurant, and nightclub area as well. The district’s name comes plans to build a kabuki theater on is present spot in the late-1940s. Though the theater was never built, the name stuck.
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Brazil is one of the most diversed countries in the world, it is believed that Brazil is only behind Canada and the USA in terms of global diversity. In Brazil you can’t guess which nationality its people came from, there are so many different people from North to south, and each of them kept a culture that became a unique FUSION which is called Brazilianism. A mix of Portuguese, italian, japanese, German, African elements(specially in Bahia and Rio de Janeiro city) Polish, spaniards, Arabic(especially lebaneses and Syrians) Ukranians, Jewish(especially in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo). and so many more different culture and ethnicities come together in one country called Brazil. Brazil is definitely a country like no other in the world, not even like the USA. If you travel in Brazil I am sure you will feel that sometimes you are not in Brazil and you would feel that the enviroment brings you to Germany, Italy, Portugal, Africa, and even Japan, right, Japan. Brazil has: the largest Japanese population in the world outside of Japan itself. the Largest Italian population in the world outside of Italy, the Largest Portuguese population in the world. The Largest lebanese population in the WORLD.(there are more lebanese in Brazil than in Lebano itself) thats crazy. the second largest german population in the world first= Germany, second = the USA, and third =Brazil. there are also a significant number of spaniards, russians, greeks, ukranians, austrians, dutch, french, swiss …
Video Rating: 5 / 5

Tokyo (Shinjuku) by Night

A glimpse of Shinjuku (Tokyo) by Night
Video Rating: 4 / 5

Giant inflatable woman spotted taking photos in Shinjuku

Visitors to Shinjuku might have thought they’d stepped into a set of “Gulliver’s Travel’s” this week with a very big woman greeting them outside the station.

The inflated lady was there to ‘snap’ shots of the tiny pedestrians with her new Panasonic Lumix FX700 camera.

When Ayase Haruka was chosen as spokeswoman for the product, one wonders if she knew Panasonic planned to remodel her as a giant so big that people can barely touch her knee (as we are sure they would want to).

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Mount Fuji Japan

Mount Fuji is the highest point in Japan at 12,388 ft (3,776 m). Along with Mount Haku and Mount Tate; it is one of Sanreizan (Three Holy Mountains). An estimated two hundred thousands people climb Mount Fuji annually, thirty percent of whom are non-Japanese. The most popular time to hike up Mount Fuji is from 1 July through 27 August, when resting places and other facilities are fully operating. Buses to the 5th station start running at 1 July. Some prefer to climb the mountain at nighttime in order to have good observation spot when the sun rises.

To reach Mt. Fuji, you can take a bus from Shinjuku West via Keio Shopping Mall. The ticket can be bought in the level two of Shinjuku West Terminal. The staffs can speak English quite fluently. It is possible to make an advance booking, just make a telephone call from your town and collect the ticket in Shinjuku West. The journey with the bus is relatively long, as you will likely encounter a heavy traffic jam. It is important that you arrive 10 minutes before the departure, Japanese are really punctual and they will not wait for you, not even for one minute. The last bus that leaves for Mount Fuji’s Kawaguchiko fifth station is at 3 PM. If you miss it you will waste one night in Shinjuku.

Mt. Fuji is mildly challenging and very pleasant to climb. Be sure, you eat and drink enough but not too much. You will find huts along the way to rest, drink or eat, although you may find that the price is slightly overpriced.

Most choose Kawaguchiko route due to its large parking lot and larger resting places where a climber can eat and drink. In summer season, most Mt. Fuji tours start from there. If you prefer less crowded surrounding, you can choose Fujinomiya route with its highest 5th station, or Gotemba and Subashiri for a quieter climb to the summit.

You can use four major routes from the Kawaguchiko 5th station to the mount summit while from the mountain foot there are four routes. The major routes from the 5th station are Fujinomiya, Gotemba, Subashiri, and Lake Kawaguchi. If you start from the mountain foot, you can choose Murayama, Suyama, Yoshida, and Shojiko routes. Each route has its own stations which are located at different elevations. The highest 5th station is in Fujinomiya route.

Accommodations in Tokyo

The captivating aura of the Tokyo metropolis is the what makes the city so appealing. This place is a fine mix of contemporary life and the ancient tradition that goes hand in hand. Visitors get to experience something that make this place stand out of the others, and that is their rich culture and tradition, which they have not let go of in the process of modernization. At some place one may experience the hi-tech environment which makes it so special and at the he may be enjoying the serenity in some breathtaking mountain top.

Tokyo is one of the most visited places, not just for its futuristic approach but also for the kind of hospitality it extends to all its guests. It has got everything in itself, you may satisfy your appetite with the exotic spread which is one of its kind here, or shop your hart out at one of the futuristic shopping store, visit the most exotic places on earth or simply relax in one of their best hotels which offer you the best of hi- tech facilities on card.

There are those expensive ones promising all the best of services ever experienced, while on the other hand they have the budget hotels which provide all amenities and comfort at reasonable rates. With so many varied ranges of hotels accommodation is never an issue in Tokyo. Tourist need not worry about the language problem since there are many hotels who offer Western style of service with staff interacting in English.

Just to get a brief idea of the kind of hotels that are available in Tokyo, here is a short description:

The Budget Hotels:

This kind of hotels may be found in the Taito area, in the region of Ueno and Asakusa. Most of the budget hotels are available mainly in this region, but if one is not willing to stay in this part they may find some more in places like Yokohama too.

The cheapest alternatives available in Tokyo are the Capsule hotels which offer all the services expected by a guest but at a very reasonable rate. They do not have extensive behavioral rules which need to be strictly followed. But most of them allow men only.

The Mid-Range Hotels:

These kinds of hotels are often situated near the railway stations and have very small size rooms for single occupancy. These reasonably priced hotels may be found through out Tokyo and one may enjoy all the services available which are typical of Japan. These are mainly of two types Tokyo Stay and Ryokans.

The Luxury Hotels:

These are best if you have an extravagant lifestyle. These are high in price and offer special services for its guests. One may get to experience the best of the hi-tech facilities these kinds of hotels offer.

You may find these hotels in the regions of Shinjuku and Aksaka in Tokyo.

These different kinds of hotels offer services to people of different walks of life and makes the stay in Tokyo a life time experience.

Restaurants Found in Tokyo

Well, you find that your stomach is demanding food and you are right in the middle of Japan. There should be no cause for concern as the restaurants for plentiful and you will find they offer a huge variety of food that will satisfy you. There were more than one hundred ninety thousand restaurants in Tokyo according to Fodors.com’s last count. You will find it will be a hard decision as to where you will eat your meal due to the sheer number of restaurants.

In the latter years of the 1980′s, history shows that paying the amount of one thousand dollars for a steak was not unheard of and it seemed that money was abundant. Paying such an amount would make for good conversation. Today it is not uncommon to indulge one’s self, but spend a little less than previously, because Japan considers it to be an extension of its hospitality. The proper treatment of visitors or guest to this particular part of the world is in its nature to spend lavishly on old friends and impress business prospects.

Areas of Shinjuku, Karajuku and Shibuya all have restaurants that you will find catering to many of this area’s younger generation, both students and it’s workforce. A wide variety of food choices can be found that are French and Italian derived and their prices are found to be a little above the normal range. Gourmet meals, that are considered to be of exquisite taste, will do a lot to quell your thoughts of the meals being of poor value. You will see that the prices are more than worth it!

Where tourists are considered, it would be wise to take notice that while in Tokyo, your trip should never miss anything in regards to making the choice to have a meal in a prestigious Tokyo restaurant. When dining, one should note that there is always a five percent added amount to the final bill. Prestigious bistros and the upper end of fine dining restaurants within the city add and expect ten to fifteen percent charge for service. When ordering you have to make sure you know the restaurants stipulation regarding making your last request for food 30 minutes before they will close and in some cases make your request even an hour before closing.

In this day and time, restaurants in Tokyo are a mixture of many cultures. You can sample anything from American, Chinese or even Indian, just to name a few. As modern overtones pepper the restaurants in the city, one can still find old school restaurants specializing in native Japanese foods. The name for this is called “ryotei” which means an area that is sectioned off exclusively from the hustle and bustle of the busy streets.

Hotels in Tokyo

Tokyo is a city of the future. It is a city of energy and movement that still takes the time to smell the roses. One moment you can walk in state-of-the-art shopping centers and the next you can stroll in one of its many beautiful gardens. It is a city of almost limitless possibilities.

That Tokyo is a popular destination for tourists is not surprising. Its incredible mix of technology, interesting cuisine, and energetic nightlife draws many people. Tokyo also offers visitors fun and futuristic shopping centers, a world famous transit system, as well as some of the most luxurious hotels on the face of the earth.

Tourists on a budget need not despair. Travelers can find any kind of accommodations they want, ranging from the obscenely expensive to the affordable. Hotels in Tokyo can be found virtually anywhere in the city, so locating one should not be a chore. A good mix of the more economical hotels and the ritzy ones are available in most areas. Many of the hotels in Tokyo have someone on the staff that can speak English, so you don’t have to worry about not knowing the language. Some are the different kinds of hotels in Tokyo include:

Economical Hotels:

These hotels are found primarily in the Taito vicinity, mostly in Asakusa and Ueno. There are also hostels located in these areas. If you don’t mind being a bit outside the city, many inexpensive hotels can be found in adjacent areas like Yokohama.

The cheapest of the cheap are called capsule hotels. However, due to their strict behavioral rules and traditions, they are not very fond of hosting foreigners. These accommodations are for single people only, and most of the time just for men.

Moderately Priced Hotels:

These hotels are usually referred to as “business hotels.” The rooms are usually very small, but they are often located in sought after areas, in the heart of the city. These rooms are a good option for single people who won’t be spending much time in their rooms. Business hotels can be found throughout the city.

Expensive Hotels:

If you have the money to spend on top-of-the-line accommodations, these hotels are for you. Many five star luxury hotels can be found in the heart of Tokyo, especially in Akasaka and western Shinjuku.