Toden Arakawa Line

Along the Shin-meiji dori road, there's the Toden Arakawa line, operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Bureau of Transportation. It's the only streetcar line remaining in Tokyo. It was originally part of a more extensive network and due to development, many had to be shut down.


The remaining line is a merge of 2 lines - line 27 (Minowabashi-Akabane) and line 32 (Arakawa-Waseda). The station which we saw was the terminal station, Waseda, near the University of Waseda.


I was surprised to see this in the middle, as a divider between the Shin-meiji Dori street. Apparently this line only runs along the less well-known places compared to Shinjuku, Shibuya, Roppongi and Omotesando. But for those who are interested in taking a leisurely ride along the more older parts of Tokyo, this would be a good choice.


If I'm not mistaken, it only charges a flat fee of Y160! That's pretty cheap. The furthest I get on that fee is 3 stops on the subway. It was a sight to see this, because the other streetcar that I've hopped on were those in Hiroshima, and Hakodate in Hokkaido island.

Kansai ben

Have you been to the Kansai area? Also known as the Kinki region, it's located in the Southern-central region on the Honshu island of Japan. Both the Kansai and Kinki names are used interchangeably in modern times, even though their uses were different in the past.

If you are learning Japanese, you will find that the dialect used in Kansai is different from what you would normally hear in Tokyo or most parts of Japan. Like how the spoken English is different between the Scots and Londoners.


Most Japanese comedy, or Owarai, originated from the Kansai region.
Hence, the large number of comedy theaters in this area, notably in Osaka.


Another famous place in the Kansai region is Kyoto, where many traditional and beautiful temples can be found.

The dialect spoken in this region is known as the Kansai-ben, and people in cities such as Kyoto, Osaka, and Kobe speak it. Even to Japanese from other parts of Japan, they can't make out some of these words, and have long been considered a sort of cryptic dialect! It is not surprising then, that foreigners trying to learn Japanese are baffled when in Kansai region or being surrounded by people speaking the Kansai dialect.

Take this example, of asking the price of an item :
How much is it? (English)
Kore oikura desuka? (Tokyo)
Kore nanbo ya? (Kansai-ben)

It is said that not only is the language slightly different in Kansai, but the culture as well. While it is almost a faux pas to ask for discount in Tokyo, or other parts of Japan, it is the opposite in Kansai. You can try to bargain for an item, but of course it depends on the store as well!

Skiing in Karuizawa

Another place which is famous for its ski resorts is Karuizawa. It is a particularly popular tourist spot especially with families from Tokyo as it is accessible by bullet train in less than 2 hours. Many richer families build their summer resorts in Karuizawa.


The other attraction is a large outlet stall shopping mall which sells branded goods for discounted prices. It is also known for its historic shopping street known as Ginza dōri.


Karuizawa played host to equestrian events for the 1964 Summer Olympics and also the curling events for the 1998 Winter Olympics. The abundance of snow makes it an excellent place to ski, therefore it's not surprising to see many ski resorts in this area. So far, it is the only city in the world that has played host to both the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics.


The snow found here is really quite different from that in Niigata. Due to its proximity to the sea, Niigata snow is more damp and moist, and is softer when you fall on it. But because Karuizawa is located near the mountain area, the humidity is lower, and the snow that falls is dryer. When the wind blows the snow to your face, it feels quite painful - Like being shot with hundred tiny bullets!

Cuttlefish are not fish but molluscs

Japanese food is not just known for its unique taste, but the methods of cooking and the ingredients used are also unique. Shown here is one of those unique but popular food.


In the northernmost island of Japan, Hokkaido, there is a large fish market area. Many people go there to get their supply of fresh seafood, in particular for sushi and sashimi. Cuttlefish is a specialty in Hakodate, which is located in the southern area of Hokkaido.


In the picture above, a live and moving cuttlefish is being shown to the people who are waiting to buy some. Usually you can just catch them from the water and cut it live.


If you're into seafood, especially if you're Japanese, you will feel hungry seeing this picture. But to some people, it looks so strange it doesn't arouse any appetite. However, this is how a cuttlefish looks like after it is cut. The skin is white in colour, and you can just pour some soy sauce and eat it fresh.

Skiing in Niigata

Winter is a good time to be enjoying the snow. For sports enthusiasts, skiing and snowboarding are great activities to occupy yourself with during this season. Even though there is no snow (the very little that falls melts away almost immediately!) in Tokyo, there are many ski resorts within a couple of hours away from the capital.

Niigata is one popular prefecture, just less than 2 hours by bullet train and about 3 hours by bus, frequented by tourists from even out of the country, such as Korea and China. Extreme sports fans from as far as Australia and New Zealand also fly here for their dose of adrenaline rush as the summer heat hits down under.

Niigata prefecture (新潟県), is located on the Honshu island on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The name Niigata literally means "New Lagoon". Due to its geographical location, heavy snowfall is characteristic of Niigata's climate. So much so that just across the range of mountains on the east side of the Honshu island, there is hardly any snowfall.

This year, there has been an abundant amount of snow, compared to last year. In fact, it has been snowing almost non-stop for the whole of last month, that on rare days when it doesn't, people go all out and take advantage of the slopes. One such day was last weekend, such glorious weather. With soft fresh snow beneath the board and a sunny sky above, it was just a perfect day to be enjoying nature.

One day trip from Tokyo

Many will wonder if there are other interesting places around the Tokyo area. For those who are interested in having some relaxing time and indulging in healthy food, you could try going to Shizuoka prefecture. It takes only about 1.5 hours from Tokyo by car.

It's a refreshing place, scenic and full of natural beauty. A place you will enjoy if you wish to take a break from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo.

You can go to the strawberry farm where you can get all-you-can-eat strawberries for about Yen1500. Prices may vary according to the farm and the variety included.


The strawberries here are pretty sweet and since they're full of vitamins, it makes a pretty good breakfast if you go there early enough.



Other than that, you can also make a trip to Numazu-kou, which is a harbour area in the Shizuoka prefecture. Other than the opportunity to taste fresh fishes, you can also get a fantastic view of the famous Mt Fuji from here.



After all the sight-seeing, you can just treat yourself with a good meal at any of the many restaurants found there.

The meal you see here is filled with various types of raw fishes, such as salmon, salmon roe, tuna, and sea urchin. Complete it with a bowl of hot steaming miso soup for a healthy meal.

Okinawa ; Most south part in Japan

Okinawa is Japan's southernmost prefecture, consisting of a few dozen, small islands in the southern half of the Nansei Shoto, the island chain which stretches over about one thousand kilometers from Kyusyu to Taiwan.
Okinawa Prefecture can be divided into three major island groups, the Okinawa islands (Okinawa Shoto) around Okinawa Islands (Okinawa Honto), the Miyako Islands (Miyako Retto) around Miyako Island and the Yaeyama Islands (Yaeyama Retto) around Ishigaki Island.



Here is one of Big main Island in Okinawa call Naha.
wonderful beach and Hotel.
This photo take from roon of hotel.






You would visit summer time from around June to October. even winter also warm here.

Night Views from Tokyo Tower

There are plenty of places in Tokyo to take in a
beautiful view. The most famous location is
Tokyo Tower, picture above. These photos were
taken from the base and top of the Tower.

In the distance is Yokohama Bay Bridge!

Makes you want to visit Tokyo, right?!