A unique Tokyo city review

Over at Japanese-cities.com, they've added a Tokyo city review to their Japanese cities listings. What makes this Japanese city review unique is the fact that it's relatively brief and somewhat metaphoric, which somehow makes it a rather refreshing look at Tokyo.

Most Tokyo reviews or guides I've read tend to go on and on about every little detail, trying to be all things to all comers when in fact, Tokyo can really only be discovered and experienced in person, on the ground. Plus, as this review states, "there's a chance everything that can be written about Tokyo already has been," so how much more do we need?

Just enough, it turns out.

Read the full review here

New Japanese Shiba Inu website

If you're into dogs (specifically, the mighty Shiba Inu) and if you're also into Japan (and why wouldn't you be?) there's a new website just for you: Shiba-Puppies.com.

This Shiba website provides all kinds of information about the Shiba breed--what they're really like to own, how to train them, and how to handle their unique personality...quirks. It's not an adoption or rescue website, but more of a "are you right for a Shiba" site.

Anyway, check it out if you are in any way interested in Shibas. Oh, and all the information is in English, which is nice.

Shiba-Puppies.com

Finding Tokyo Apartments just got easier

If you've ever planned on living in Japan for a year or so, the challenge of finding a suitable apartment is one of the biggest hurdles to jump. Guest houses abound in Tokyo, but if the idea of cramming yourself into a flea infested foreigner flop-house doesn't appeal to you, there are thankfully more options for short-term gaijin housing in Tokyo now than perhaps ever before.

Japan Today has put together a review of some serviced apartments in Tokyo that are available to foreigners. A serviced apartment is one that comes with just about everything you need: furniture, hotel-like services, utilities, cable, and Internet included in the price. It can be extremely difficult for a foreigner to obtain and arrange these services on his or her own without a guarantor, so serviced apartments in Tokyo is a great alternative to the usual gaijin house.

Ranging from tiny one-room apartments to all out luxury suites, there just might be a serviced apartment in Tokyo to suit your tastes and, more importantly, your budget. But I'm betting even the cheap ones aren't all that cheap. After all this is Tokyo, and the only inexpensive thing here is rice.

Read full article on Japan Today

Shopping in Japan without leaving home

If you've ever wished you could visit or return to Japan to spend a few days (weeks?) wandering and browsing all those truly spectacular Japanese shopping malls and department stores--stocked to the rafters with goods many around the world can only dream of--despair no more.

Rakuten, one of Japan's largest online shopping destinations, has rolled out its international shipping service. Here one can browse shopping categories in English, click on items of your choice, and arrange international payment and shipping to almost anywhere in the world.

The problem? Only the category titles appear in English. If you try, as I did, to actually buy something, you'll soon discover your just how bad your kanji, hiragana, and katakana reading abilities really are. Oh well, that's why we have Japanese friends...

New Japanese Cities site launched

A new website about Japanese cities has recently been launched: Japanese-cities.com provides real world, street level information about the cities of Japan in English. The goal is to create a website that enables people from around the world to learn more about the cities of Japan.

Japanese-cities.com isn't a travel guide, but a great source of general information about Japanese cities "at a glance". With abundant links to other travel resources and websites, Japanese-cities.com is a great place to start your exploration of Japanese cities and travel.

Check it out: www.japanese-cities.com

Don't mess witrh Japanese Mamas

When a 37 year old mother in Tokyo couldn't get her 14 year old son to stop using his personal computer late at night, she did what any modestly insane mother would do: she stabbed him in the face and head. Although I have no statistical basis for the following statement, it seems to hold true: don't mess with Japanese mamas.

Woman, 37, arrested for stabbing 14-year-old son with knife after argument over PC

Hauntingly surreal video of a Japanese shantytown

This video artistically--almost too artistically--portrays a somewhat hollow view of life from inside a shantytown in Tokyo. The clip is worth watching for the soundtrack, which is lovely, and the translated subtitles, which are touching, if nothing else.

BBtv: Tokyo through the eyes of Shibuya shantytown residents (short film)

Japanese Cities Poll: What is your favourite Japanese city?

I've justed added another poll (there in the right column) asking what is your favourite Japanese city. Obviously I couldn't list all Japanese cities, so I just selected a few of the more widely known Japanese cities. If your favourite Japanese city isn't listed, add a comment to this post and let me know all about it. My favourite city? Sapporo: a seasonal climate, ample space, low cost of living, and all that snow in winter...

Pole dancing in Japan: a step forward or back?

There was a time when pole dancing was performed by one type of dancer only: strippers. Oh wait, this is still that time. But in Japan, where Western-style strip clubs are rare (the Japanese have much more sophisticated forms of adult entertainment) pole dancing has been gaining popularity, thanks to the general interest in Western trends.

While I have nothing against pole dancing in Japan or the West, it is a little disappointing to see it become so popular in Japan. The UK went through this trend already, which claimed pole dancing was a short-cut to female empowerment and confidence. When some not-so-wise entrepreneur tried to start pole dancing classes for young girls, the trend kinda went bust.

There is a place for pole dancing in Japan: in seedy Western-wannabe strip clubs. In gyms and schools? Not so much.