2010年3月

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• 03/14/2010
• 02/28/2021

Ueno Park – Zoo, and more!

Ueno Koen (筝?????????) is a spacious public park located in the Ueno section of Taito, Tokyo. It occupies the site of the former Kan’ei-ji (絲?羂後?), a temple closely associated with the Tokugawa shoguns, who had built the temple to guard Edo Castle against the north-east, then considered an unlucky direction. The temple was destroyed during the Boshin War (???莨井????, 1868-1869). Ueno Park was established via an imperial land grant to the city of Tokyo from Emperor Taish?? in 1924. The official name of the park is Ueno Onshi K??en, when translated means “Ueno Imperial Gift Park (筝??????????????)”. Ueno Koen in the?Taisho era. The park is built on the remains of the Kaneiji Temple burned down when the Meiji Government formed a new regime. Now it is a nice park and the remains of the temple can barely seen. Ueno Park is surrounded by a number of popular museums, which includes the?Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum (??延根??順??茵?蕕?)?and the National Science Museum (??順??腱?絖??????え). Museum hopping is one of the most popular pastimes for locals. A very famous statue of Saig?? Takamori (茱翠?潔?????)?walking his dog stands in the park. Between the three museums (Tokyo National Museum, The National Science Museum and The National Museum […]

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• 03/10/2010
• 02/27/2021

Inokashira Park in Kichijoji, Tokyo

Inokashira Koen (篋??????????) straddles between Musashino (罩??級??) and Mitaka (筝?薹?)?in western Tokyo. Inokashira Pond (篋????????)?and the Kanda River (腑???医??) water source established during the Edo period, are the primary sources of the Kanda River. The Inokashira Lake was once the source of the Kanda district water supply, the first water supply irrigated into the Edo area. Drawing of Inokashira Pond by Utagawa Hiroshige, a famous painter in the Edo period). Until the water supply reformation in 1898, the lake played an important part in providing water to the residents. The lake rumoured to have been named by the third Tokugawa Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (緇喝??絎九嵯).?And the meaning of the name theorized to either mean “the source of the water supply” or “a well that provides delicious water.” Portrait of Tokugawa. The land was originally given to Tokyo in 1913. Then on May 1, 1918, then opening under the name of Inokashira Onshi K??en (篋???????????????), which can be roughly translated as, “Inokashira Imperial Gift Park”. Hence the park was considered to be a gift from the then Emperor Taish?? (紊ф?紊???)?to the general public. This being the first time in Tokyo, that a park was ever founded in such a manner. The park […]

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• 03/08/2010
• 02/27/2021

Roppongi Hills

Roppongi Hills, also known as the ‘Artelligent City,’ is one of Japan’s largest integrated property developments, located in the Roppongi district of Minato, Tokyo. Seventeen years after the design’s initial conception and construction by building tycoon Minoru Mori (罍???), the complex opened to the public on April 23, 2003. The mega-complex incorporates apartments, a hotel, a major TV studio, a museum, caf辿s, movie theatres, office space, restaurants, shops, an outdoor amphitheatre and a few parks. The centrepiece of the development is the 54-story Mori Tower. Mori’s stated vision was to build an integrated development where high-rise inner-urban communities allow people to live, work, play and shop in proximity to eliminate commuting time. The largest building, the Mori Tower serves as a landmark in the area and presents an awe-inspiring 360?? night view over Tokyo on the Sky Deck, an open air viewing area, which is a famed visit for lovers. Then what better way to end an evening off on the 52nd floor (same level as the Tokyo City View, as the observation deck it is called), sipping on a glass of wine, whilst watching the traffic wind their way around the foundations of the building. Catering for the prospective […]

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• 03/03/2010
• 02/27/2021

Shinagawa Inter City

Shinagawa Inter City (???綏???ゃ?潟?帥?若?激?????), which opened in December 1998 on the east side of Shinagawa Station, is Japan’s largest super high-rise complex. The complex consists of various shops, restaurants and offices, and also plays host to an events hall, a gallery, a clinic, a bank and a post office. Shinagawa is fast becoming one of the major commercial districts in Japan. The striking Shinagawa Inter city Tower A, gives spectacular views over the city, Tokyo Bay and the Rainbow Bridge. The building has convenient undercover access to Shinagawa Station, which provides direct access to Narita and Haneda Airports. The second floors of the buildings are connected to one another by semi-roofed aerial walkways called skyways. The buildings themselves were designed with the environment in mind, using natural ventilation and a cheap night electrical system for heating and low voltage lighting. Infra red reflecting glass was also used during the construction, providing shelter from harmful sunlight, whilst providing plenty of natural light. Every Sunday from 11 am ? 4 pm there is a flea market inside the Shinagawa Inter city building. It???s completely free to enter and there are lots of stalls. Selling lots of kids clothes, toys, women???s and men???s […]

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• 03/01/2010
• 02/27/2021

Gal Fashion at Shibuya109

???Where are you???? ???Ok, ok. See you soon then, in front of Marukyu (09)!??? While I was stuck in a hectic crowd in Shibuya, always listening to the conversations between the trendy girls around me. ???Marukyu???? What does it mean? I used to wonder what Marukyu was, now that I do; it???s quite embarrassing that I once didn???t??? The Shibuya 109 (ichimaruky笛) building is a famous fashion shopping centre targeted at young women from teens to twenties, located just across the street from Shibuya Station, first opened in April 1979. As the building stands proud, 109 is also famous meeting point in Shibuya. The building is owned by Tokyu and as such is where the building derives its name from as 109 in Japanese is pronounced “to, kyu” (10, 9), thus “Shibuya to kyu???. The interior of the building is designed to move shoppers in a loop on each floor from the elevators past the various shops. Although originally targeted at women in their 30s, the building then later became more known as a mecca for young women from the Gal (????ｃ??, girl) subculture. Shibuya 109 Building shopping centre filled with many very trendy clothing boutiques. It is very popular […]