Blogs from Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan, Asia - page 3

Who would have thought that renting a futon was possible, or that it was so easy? Bookings are made on line (website entirely in Japanese). Delivery and pickup is made within a three hour slot in the mornings. The futon couriers walk their cargo through the streets of Chiyoda on rolling delivery boards. Futon and all bedding comes in a neat blue bag, with freshly laundered linen, plastic wrapped inside. Making up and packing up the futon takes less than five minutes for the experienced, and a little longer for rank amateurs. The apartment floor is covered entirely by two futons at night, and then tucked away during the day time. Three people can sleep comfortably in this one person apartment. A good time was had by all.... read more

Greater Tokyo has a population of 37 million people, and Tokyo City 13 million people. Tokyo is listed high in the worlds most liveable, richest and safest cities, depending on which list is consulted. Tokyo is definitely the largest city I have spent time in, beating: Istanbul 13.5 million, San Francisco 5.8 million, Zhengzhou 4.4 million and Sydney 3.7 million. Kanda (my current residence) is a district in Chiyoda, the centre of Tokyo. The Tokyo Imperial Palace (home of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko) is 5 minutes bike ride away. On 2 January I dropped by for the annual New Years Greetings (with 70 thousand others) in a well-managed and well-behaved crowd. For four flag waving, photo-snapping minutes, the Imperial Family stood and waved behind glass, and the Emperor delivered a 43 second greeting for peace. ... read more

Tokyu hands notebooks Muji - lunch and model home for $200,000 usd Imperial Palace - but could only see the outside Yasukuni Shrine - controversial shrine Italian for dinner at a place nearby the station in Ikebukuro Namja - crazy ice cream flavors (salt vinella, plumb, double mango, ramen, crab and Dracula (garlic)) Gyoza Alley After dinner Robyn and I hit the town. East of the Ikebukuro station seemed to be the happening nightlife spot, but also pretty seedy. We had trouble finding a place to drink that wasn't a strip club or "girls bar". Lots of men in suits with walkie talkies on the street approaching single men or groups of men. We thought at first they were pimps that would radio for a girl??? but in retrospect we think they were trying to get ... read more

Tokyo Blog (As always, there are more photos than show on the first page, click on photos button or double click on any photo to get a larger image and access to all the photos.) Although we have been in Hawaii for the past six days, some recording of our Tokyo experience is in order. The motivator for coming here was so that Ellen could make contact with labor scholars and activists here, hoping to nurture their interest in developing relations with their counterparts in China. Originally, there had been some expectation that they would visit Chia this past fall, but turl=http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/japan-and-china-ratchet-up-their-island-dispute/2013/01/25/940be364-658d-11e2-9e1b-07db1d2ccd5b_story.htmlhe political dispute between their respective governments made such meetings ill-advised. The silver lining in all this was that it afforded us an opportunity... read more

This is a tale of my adventure to see my favorite band ever in the entire world, TOKIO, play at the Budoukan on May 10th! ... read more