Category Archives: Japan

Tokyo

Tokyo

 

Tokyo, officially Tokyo Metropolis is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, and the largest metropolitan area in the world. Tokyo metropolitan government administers 23 Special Words for Tokyo (each governed as an individual city). Tokyo metropolis was formed 1943 from the merger of the former Tokyo Prefecture and the city Tokyo. Tokyo has been described as one of the three command centers for the world economy, along with New York and London. In 2012 Tokyo was named as the worlds most expensive city, according the Mercer and the Economist Intelligence Unit cost of living survey.

 

Geography

The mainland portion of Tokyo lies northwest of Tokyo Bay and measures about 90 km east to west and 25 km north to south. The average evaluation is around 40 m. Also within the administrative boundaries of Tokyo are two island chains in the Pacific Ocean directly south. The Izu Island and the Ogasawara Islands, which stretches more than 1000 km away from the main Island.

 

Climate

The former city of Tokyo and the majority of mainland Tokyo lie in the humid subtropical climate zone, with hot humid summers and generally mild winters with cold spells. The warmest month is August with an average of 27.9 °C, and the coolest month is January averaging 6.0°C. The record low temperature is -9.2°C, and the record high is 39.5°C. Annual rainfall average nearly 1.530 mm, with a wetter summer and a drier winter. Tokyo have seen massive typhoons each year.

 

 

Shinjuku Gyoen Garden

Shinjuku Gyoen National Park is a large public park with an eminent garden in Shinjuku and Shibuya. It was original the residence of the Naito family in the Edo period. Afterwards it became a garden under the management of the Imperial household Agency of Japan. Now it is a public park for all kind of leisure and retreat of the busy city life.

 

History

The imperial garden, which were once meant for the royalty, were completed in 1906 and destroyed in 1945, during the late stage of WW2. The jurisdiction over the Imperial Palace Outer Garden and Kyoto imperial garden was transferred to the Ministry of Health and Welfare with Shinjuku Imperial Garden in 1947. The garden have a area of more than 58 hectare with a circumference of 3.5 km, blend three distinct styles; French Formal. English Landscape, and Japanese tradition. The garden has more than 20.000trees,including approximately 1.500 cherry trees which bloom from late March to early April, and late on late April.

 

Entrance and admission

The garden has three access gates, Shinjuku Gate, Okido Gate, and Sendagaya Gate. Shinjuku Gyoen is open from 9.00 until 16.30. On Mondays the gardens are closed, expect the cherry blossom and the chrysanthemum season, late March until late April and early November respectively, when the gardens are open seven days a week. The greenhouse usually is open from 11:00 until 15:00. The admission is

JPY 200 for adults, JPY 50 for children.

 

Location

The garden is a shirt walk from the Shinjuku Gyoemmae Station on the Marunouchi Line or Sendagaya Station on the Chuo Sobu Line.

The garden is on the Fukutoshin Line near Shinjuku Sanchome Station. From the station the garden is a 4 minute walk.

Shinjuku Gyoen should not get mixed up with Shinjuku Central Park, a small garden behind the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building in Nishi Shinjuku.

 

Tokyo Tower

Tokyo tower is a communication and observation tower located in Shiba Park, Minato. At 315 meters is the second tallest building in Japan. The structure of the Eiffel Tower inspired lattice tower that is painted red and white and international orange.

Build in 1958; the tower’s main sources of revenue are tourism and antenna leasing. Over 150 million people have visited the tower since his first opening. The 2 story main Observatory is located at 150 meters, while the smaller Special Observatory reaches a high of 250 meters.

 

 

Sky tree

Japan planed a digital television transition by 2011, However Tokyo Tower’s current height is not high enough to adequately support complete terrestrial digital broadcasting to the area. A taller broadcasting tower, known as the Skytree, was completed on February 29, 2012

 

Tsukiji fish market

The Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market, commonly known as the Tsukiji Market, is the biggest fish and seafood market in the world and also one of the largest market of any kind. The market is located in Tsukiji in central of Tokyo. The Market is located near the Tsukijishijo Station on the Toei Lineand Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line. There are two district sections of the market as a whole. The inner market is the licensed wholesale market, where the auctions and most of the progress of the fish take place. The outer market is a mixture of wholesale and retail shops that sell Japanese kitchen tools, restaurant supplies, groceries, and seafood. Many restaurants especially sushi restaurants are located around the fish market. The market opens most mornings (expect Sundays, holidays and some Wednesdays) at 3.00 am with the arrival of the products by ships, trucks and plane from all over the world. The auction house then estimate the value and prepare the incoming products for the auction. The buyer also inspects the fish to estimate which fish they would like to bid and at which price. The auction start around 5.20 am and finish around 7.00 am

 

External link

Shinjuku Gyoen 

Tokyo Tower

Tokyo Tower Structure base

 

 

Tsukiji Fish Market http://www.shijou.metro.tokyo.jp/english/index.html

Tsukiji Market association http://www.tsukiji-market.or.jp/tukiji_e.htm

 

Tokyo Metro http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/ENGLISH/

 

For more information I refer to:

 

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org

 

 

Narita

Narita san

Narita san is a Shingon Buddhist temple located in central Narita, Chiba. It was founded in 940 by Kanchō Daisōjō, a disciple of Kōbō Daishi. It is the lead temple in the Chisan Branch of New Shingon; it includes a large complex of buildings and grounds, and is one of the best-known temples in the Kantō region.

Founding

The Temple was first established to commemorate the victory in 940 of the forces dispatched from the Heian capital, to suppress a revolt by the powerful Kantō region samurai. The rebellion in 940 also came to an end just as Kanchō completed a three-week Goma ritual with the same image. According to legend, the image of the unmovable Wisdom King became to heavy after the victory to move back to its home base, so a new Temple of Narita san, named Shinshō-jo (New victory Temple), was build to enshrine on the spot. The Temple maintains that the original image is enshrined in the Main Hall, where it is displayed on special occasions.

 

Expansions

For over 600 years, Narita san remained a remote, humble, provincial temple, until Tokugawa Ieyasu moved his capitol to Edo in 1603. Ieyasu himself credited its about conventing him to Buddhism, and assigned the local Saka Domain daimyo to be responsible to his up keep. The military and political success associated with the temple may have appealed to him, and the location of the temple, protecting the unlucky northeast approach to his new capital, corresponded to the position of the head temple of the Tendai sect, Enyuaki-ji, relative to the old Heian capital of Kyoto. However, the shougunate did little to support the temple until Tokugawa Itsuna reconstructed the main hall in 1655. That building now serves the calligraphy classroom. Shingon founder Kōbō Daishi was famous for his Japanese calligraphy.

 

Regular events

Large crowds attend the major annual events at Narita san: Oshogatsu in January, Setsubun in February, the taiko drum festival in April, firelight performance of Noh plays in May, the Gion Festival in July, Obon in August; Shichigosan in November; and the annual burning of amulets in late December. People came to Narita san Park to view ume blossoms in the early spring and autumn leave in late fall. In addition there are chanting’s of the Sutra of Great Wisdom in January, May, and September; and Temple fairs are held on the 1st, 15th, and 28th day of each month. Several times of the day, wooden amulets are ceremonially burned in Goma rituals.

 

External link

Narita san Shinsyji Temple

Narita Airport

Narita

Narita travel guide

Narita layover page

 

 

For more information I refer to

 

Wikipedia www.wikipedia.org