English Located nearby Tokyo Station, Ginza and alongside the JR Yamanote Line, Yurakucho is a vibrant and busy place. Many Japanese people go there to enjoy its many restaurants, mainly izakaya and yakitori, built-up under the brick arches of the JR Yamanote Line. It is also popular for its pedestrian-friendly plaza surrounded by several shopping […]

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English Several centuries before Ginza became synonymous with luxury, it was actually a swamp. It was only after a major fire in 1872 that burnt down most of the area that the Meiji government decided to rebuild it into a model of modernization! It was only after 1923 that Ginza became an upmarket shopping district, […]

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English With around 8,000 cherry trees mostly located along the Kawazu River, the Kawazu Sakura Festival (Kawazu-zakura Matsuri) is one of Japan’s most famous places for early cherry trees blossom viewing or hanami. Located on the Izu Peninsula, Kawazu and its Sakura festival attract almost two million visitors each year from mid-February through mid-March. According […]

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English Made famous for its proximity to the Yanaka Cemetery and its many temples, Yanaka Ginza is a below- average shopping street that is really not worth spending the time to visit. This statement may be blunt for sure, but that unfortunately is the sad, cold reality. Move along tourists you are not welcome here! […]

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English Built in 1935 as Japan’s first wedding complex, Meguro Gajoen is a mini-oasis in the middle of a mostly business district. Granted, Meguro Gajoen is not the most amazing place in Japan to visit, however this complex does offer some very interesting attractions including indoor traditional restaurant/tea ceremony rooms, gardens with some gorgeous wooden […]

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English Shiodome was known as the Shimbashi railway terminal, until 1914, but since 1984 it has slowly transformed into one of Tokyo’s most modern areas, where luxury hotels and business buildings rule the roost. For the average tourist there is nothing too special about this place except maybe the presence of one of Japan’s largest […]

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English Too often compared to the Eiffel Tower of Paris, Tokyo Tower is in fact a big, fancy communication (TV and Radio) tower built in 1958. Indeed, as soon as the NHK started to broadcast TV in 1953, a large broadcasting tower needed to be built in order to cover the entire region. Tokyo Tower […]

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English Koi carp / Koi Fish or more specifically nishikigoi are a huge part of Japanese culture. Thought to be the symbol of luck, prosperity and good fortune, the Koi carp is also venerated by its natural attributes that are perseverance, strength and its tattooed-like body, which are all closely tied to the Japanese national […]

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English Located half an hour by car from the snow monkeys of Jigokudani, Suzaka is a quaint historical town featuring a few museums like the “Nobutaka Oka Collection Suzaka Classic Museum” also known as the Suzaka Classic Museum. Calling this place a “museum” is actually inaccurate and don’t expect too much, however if you always […]

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English If there is one place in Tokyo that does not need any introduction, it is undoubtedly the Akihabara district! It was after the second world war that Akihabara became Tokyo’s hottest market for electronics and other household goods. However it wasn’t until around 1980 that Akihabara started to became the place to go for […]

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English Founded in 1869 by the Emperor Meiji, the Yasukuni Shrine is unfortunately known by many outside Japan for being the center of some controversy. Nevertheless, the Yasukuni Shrine is one of Japan’s most famous shrines and dedicated to anyone, Japanese or not, soldier or not, that lost their lives while serving Japan. Modest in […]

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English Originally built in 1914, Tokyo Station, or Tokyo-Eki, is Japan busiest station in terms of number of trains per day. According to Wikipedia, over 3,000 trains pass through the station every single day. Tokyo Station also holds a special place in the hearts of Tokyo residents. Despite being over 100 years old, the main […]

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