Living Tokyo

MONTH

2010年11月

All Blog Entries
  • 11/20/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Japanese Architecture in Daikanyama

Walking a few minutes from Daikanyama station, you will see a beautiful Japanese garden.? The path in the garden will lead you to an old Japanese house, Former Asakura House (??ф?????絎銀?鎘?). This house was built by Asakura Torajiro (?????????羃脂??), chairman of the metropolitan assembly, in 1919.? It is one of the representitives of the houses built in the modern ages of Japan. Floors of all rooms are Tatami mats, and there is a tea ceremony room too. The details of the rooms are very beautiful, from the floor, windows, to the ceiling.? If you are savvy about Japanese architecture, it may be interesting looking for differences between?architectures of the Edo period and the modern years. Former Asakura House (??ф?????絎銀?鎘?) Location: Daikanyama, Tokyo Open Hours: 10:00-18:00 (-16:30 from Nov. to Feb.) Website: http://www.city.shibuya.tokyo.jp/est/asakura.html (Jap) — Higherground Co.,Ltd. 2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan TEL:03-6459-2230 HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/ TOP PAGE:?https://livingtokyo.net/

All Blog Entries
  • 11/19/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Furnished Apartment in Shibuya

Palestudio Shibuya Station Front #1002??????Finished/腟?篋???? Agent commission FREE! No Key Money! Bed Rooms: 1 Floor Area: 36.86 sqm / 396.77 sqft Address:? 6-4,?Sakuraoka-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Access:?5 minutes walk?to?Shibuya Station /?JR Lines, Ginza Line, Hanzomon Line, Toyoko Line 9 minutes walk?to?Daikanyama?Station /?Toyoko Line 13 minutes walk?to?Ebisu?Station /?Hibiya Line, Yamanote Line Completion: Aug. 2007 Structure: Steel-reinforced Concrete Rent: JPY216,000/month Management?Fee: JPY5,000/month Key Money:?JPY0 Deposit:?2 month Parking: Available Pets:?Not Allowed Le Ciel Akasaka is a furnished apartment in Shibuya.? It is located very close to the railways, so there may be some noise. Right next door is a sushi bar, Tatsumoto (蘊????). Furnished with TV, DVD player, washing machine, refrigerator, microwave oven, bed, desk, chairs, curtains, etc. Entrance. Living dining room. Kitchen,?with?3 cooking stoves. Powder Room. Bath room is equipped with bath room dryer. ???散???鐚????????鴻????ャ????ｃ????莪激?鴻????若?激?с?潟??????潟?? 莖????鐚?216,000 ??件?霚若??鐚?2/0 篁俄???????井????≧??鐚? Thank you for checking Palestudio Shibuya Station Front. For more furnished apartments, click here! — Higherground Co.,Ltd. 2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan TEL:03-6459-2230 HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/ TOP PAGE:?https://livingtokyo.net/

All Blog Entries
  • 11/18/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Golden Gai – Bars in Shinjuku

In?the busy city of Shinjuku, there are many bustling restaurants and Izakaya (絮????絮?, Japanese style pubs), but?once in a while, how about drinking at quiet bars? Shinjuku Golden Gai (??医???眼?若??????活??) is a cluster of moody bars.???It is composed of a network of six narrow alleys, connected by even narrower passageways which are just about wide enough for a single person to pass through. Many regulars gather up every night, but of course, new comers are welcomed too. This street is a little similar to Shinjuku Omoide Yokocho (??医?????????堺┴???), another?cluster of bars in Shinjuku.? However, there are big differences.? Omoide Yokocho is typically Japanese, full of Yakitori bars, but Golden Gai is more international.? There are bars whose consepts are Jazz, Russian, flamenco, etc. Also, there are bars concentrating on music and drama.? In the old days, many cultural figures, such as writers and acters, used to assemble here. Golden Gai is a pretty quiet area, but not so far from Shinjuku station.? With more than 200 bars, you will surely find your favorite. Shinjuku Golden Gai (??医???眼?若??????活??) Location: Eastern Shinjuku Website: http://www.goldengai.net/ (Jap) — Higherground Co.,Ltd. 2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan TEL:03-6459-2230 HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/ TOP PAGE:?https://livingtokyo.net/

All Blog Entries
  • 11/17/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Furnished Apartment in Akasaka

Le?Ciel?Akasaka?#404??????Finished/腟?篋???? Agent commission FREE! No Key Money! Bed Rooms: 1 Floor Area: 31.43 sqm / 338.32 sqft Address:? 12-12-6,?Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo Access:?4 minutes walk?to?Akasaka Station /?Chiyoda Line 8 minutes walk?to?Nogizaka?Station /?Chiyoda Line 10 minutes walk?to?Roppongi?Station /?Hibiya Line, Oedo Completion: Nov. 1997 Structure: Steel-reinforced Concrete Rent: JPY165,000/month Management?Fee: JPY5,000/month Key Money:?JPY0 Deposit:?2 month Parking: None Pets:?Not Allowed Le Ciel Akasaka is a furnished apartment located near Suntory Hall, and Tokyo Midtown.? It is also close to Hikawa Jinja Shinto Shrine (羂桁??腑?腓?). Furnished with TV, DVD player, washing machine, refrigerator, microwave oven, bed, desk, chairs, curtains, etc. Entrance. Living dining room. Kitchen, with?2 cooking stoves. Powder Room. Bath room is equipped with bath room dryer. Bed room. ???散???鐚?????激?с?若??気??? 莖????鐚?165,000 ??件?霚若??鐚?2/0 篁俄???????井????≧??鐚? Thank you for checking Le?Ciel?Akasaka. For more furnished apartments, click here! — Higherground Co.,Ltd. 2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan TEL:03-6459-2230 HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/ TOP PAGE:?https://livingtokyo.net/

All Blog Entries
  • 11/16/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Shichi-go-san, Children’s Celebration in Japan

If you have recently walking around Tokyo, you may have seen little boys and girls (and sometimes their?parents) dressed up in beautiful Kimono.? This is for a celebration for children, Shichi-go-san (筝?篋?筝?), held around November 15th. Shichi-go-san means ‘seven-five-three’.? It is called this way because it is a ceremony for 3 and?5 year old girls, and 3 and 7 year old boys, to celebrate their growth and health.? The ages 3,?5 and?7 are consistent with Japanese numerology, which dictates that odd numbers are lucky. Shichi-go-san is said to have originated in the Heian period (794-1185)?among court nobles,?to celebrate the passage of their children into middle childhood. Over time, this tradition passed to the?Samurai class.? They added some rite to this celebration.? The rites are: Kamioki (蕭?舟) – Children?were allowed to grow their hair from the age of 3 (up until, children?were required by custom to have shaven heads). Hakamagi (茴雁??) – Boys of age?5 could wear?Hakama (茴?, Japanese formal male skirt) for the first time. Obitoki (絽?В) -?Girls of age?7 replaced the simple cords they used to tie their?Kimono with the traditional Obi (sash). By the Meiji period (1868-1915), the practice was adopted amongst commoners as well, and included the […]

All Blog Entries
  • 11/15/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Hiroo Garden Hills – Tower K #801

Hiroo Garden Hills? Tower K #801??????Finished/腟?篋???? Agent commission 50% OFF! No Key Money! Free Rent 1 Month! Bed Rooms: 3 Floor Area: 97.18 sqm / 1046.07 sqft Address:? 13-1-4, Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Access:?5 minutes walk?to?Hiroo Station /?Hibiya?Line Completion: Sep. 1986 Structure: Steel-reinforced Concrete Rent: JPY390,000/month Management?Fee: JPY20,000/month Key Money:?JPY0 Deposit:?2 month Parking: Available Pets: Negotiable Hiroo Garden Hills is one of the most luxurious vintage mansions in Tokyo, surrounded by a forest. It has a good access to the station, and also, stands in a quiet atmosphere.??A?park, and a supermarket is in the site, and nearby is an international school. Click here for more information about Hiroo Garden Hills. Around?Hiroo, the nearest railway station, is an antique store of Buddhist objects. Entrance of Tower K. Room entrance, with shoes closets. Closet on the corridor. Powder room. Inside the mirrors are chests. Bath room. Equipped with bath room dryer. Rest room. The toilet seat cover opens automanically when you open the door 🙂 Kitchen, with 3 cooking stoves, and a dish washer. The cooking stoves can be cleaned easily, for the spiders are removable. Living dining room. There is a small bay window. Balcony. Most of the view is covered with […]

All Blog Entries
  • 11/14/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Japanese Calligraphy School in Tokyo

Many people are fascinated by the beauty of Japanese calligraphy.? There are many museums exhibiting Japanese calligraphy, and some of the works are purchasable,?but instead of just viewing them, why not challenge writing yourself? There are many Japanese calligraphy schools in Tokyo, and some of the classes are for foreigners.? These classes will teach you from how to hold the brush to artistic writing of Kanji and Hiragana.? This will help you developing your vocabulary too! Below is one of the Calligraphy Schools for foreigners. Japanese Calligraphy School KOKU (??檎?????絎よ??腥?) Location: Setagaya, Tokyo Website: http://www.tokyoworklife.com/off-time/learn/learn-a-silent-time-to-cleanse.html (Eng) — Higherground Co.,Ltd. 2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan TEL:03-6459-2230 HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/ TOP PAGE:?https://livingtokyo.net/

All Blog Entries
  • 11/13/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Shimbashi and the Japanese Railways

Have you seen the steam train in front of Shimbashi station?? The steam train and the square around it is often shown on TV. Of course it is not active today, but this steam train shows the history of Shimbashi station. Shimbashi was the first railway station in Japan, which opened in 1872.? The first travel of freight trains was in 1873, between Shimbashi and Yokohama. Shimbashi was the terminal station of Tokyo, until the function was moved to Tokyo station in 1914. The first post-house was located?near the present Shiodome station.? After the building collapsed by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923, it was moved to the present location. Today, a reproduction of the first post-house is built where it used to stand.? This replication is used as a museum.? Here, we can know the modernizaion of Japan through and the role of railways. Former Shimbashi Station (??ф?井?????荵????) Open Hours: 11:00-18:00 Website: http://www.ejrcf.or.jp/shinbashi/index.html (Jap) — Higherground Co.,Ltd. 2-8-3 Minami-Aoyama, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan TEL:03-6459-2230 HP:http://www.higherground.co.jp/ TOP PAGE:?https://livingtokyo.net/

All Blog Entries
  • 11/12/2010
  • 02/27/2021

Apartment in Omotesando

Omotesando?Court?#204W??????Finished/腟?篋???? Agent commission 50% OFF Bed Rooms: 4 Floor Area: 204.75 sqm / 2203.98 sqft Address:? 5-5-5, Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo Access:?4 minutes walk?to?Omotesando Station /??Ginza Line,?Chiyoda?Line, Hanzomon Line 7 minutes walk?to?Meijijingu-mae Station /??Chiyoda?Line Completion: Oct. 2000 Structure: Steel-reinforced Concrete Rent: JPY1,400,000/month Management?Fee: JPY0 Key Money:?2 month Deposit:?3 month Parking: Available Pets: Negotiable Omotesando Court is located?just a few steps?away from the main street connecting Omotesando and Harajuku. Turn left at the corner of Tokyo Union Church and Armani, and you are almost there 🙂 Where Omotesando Court?is located?today,?stood Oyama Laboratory of Prehistory (紊у臼?兂??絖???腥倶??) until 1945.? Oyama Kashiwa (紊у臼???), the owner,?and his team discovered many ruins all over Japan. The building was burnt down in WW2, but there are signs showing the historical background of this place. Entrance. Lobby, and a bamboo garden 🙂 Room Entrance. Rest room. Walk-in closet. The corridor is very wide! Rest room. Bath room. Kitchen, with 4 cooking stoves, and a dish washer. Washing room in the back of the kitchen. This room can be hidden with a slide door. Living dining room. Balcony, connected to the living dining room and 2 bed rooms. Omotesando Court is surrounded by other apartments, so there isn’t much to […]

All Blog Entries
  • 11/11/2010
  • 02/28/2021

Technique of Price Reduction Negotiation – Renting in Tokyo

The easiest target for price reduction negotiation is key money.? It is the money paid only right after the contract, and there will be no further trouble in the future. On the contrary, if the landlord reduces the rent, the difference of rent between the new tenant and the existing tenants may cause troubles.? Therefore, it is not very comfortable for the landlord to reduce the rent.? Reducing the rent is not impossible, but it depends on the landlord. Reducing the every-month payment is difficult but there are some ways to reduce your initial cost. One is the key money, which I have already mentioned.? Another is delaying the start of paying the rent.? If the rent is JPY1,500,000, and the rent occurs from 2 weeks after your move in, you will save JPY750,000. Negotiating price reduction of deposit is not recommendable. ?For the landlord, deposit is more like insurance than profit.? It is a mortgage for rent in arrears or bill for repairs. ?Therefore, it is unlikely that the landlord takes in the negotiation, and what is worse, it might awake ill feelings to the landlord, and lead to soaring of relations.? It is better to negotiate on other […]