Many of the parks and children’s playgrounds in Japan, particularly in Tokyo, are quite poor compared to other countries in terms of space, surroundings and a lack of grass. However, a handful of them do tend to possess extremely creative structures and they will be explored in this series.
Nickname: Mushroom Park
Location: Kasumigasekihigashi Continue reading
Japan has something of a reputation overseas as being a technologically advanced country. It’s generally not true though as it still uses fax machines, has limited ATM hours, a reliance on paperwork, hanko stamps (rather than signatures) and cash is still very much king! Coronavirus has actually helped shift things a bit as people try to eliminate risk by not touching cash. That is very apparent at this station shop.
Every now and then something comes along which seems quite advanced and that was true when Takanawa Gateway Station opened in March last year to become the first new Yamanote Line station in nearly 50 years. Within a week or two this A.I. convenience store opened.
I can’t say I was ever too bothered about Continue reading
If you think I’m writing about this museum before the Olympics get cancelled (and people consequently lose all interest in this place!) then you’re absolutely right! I’ve wanted to visit this place, located across from the New National Stadium, for a long time but only got round to going last week. I felt a little bad about Continue reading
These two decades saw the production of a few of my sentimental favourites when it comes to films “set” (but not necessarily filmed!) in Japan. Sadly, there’s no room in the list for ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles‘ (1993) or ‘Bushido Blade‘ (1981) but maybe the latter can feel it’s unfair as I have included a Japanese movie due to the fact that it featured a fairly brief appearance from a Hollywood star!
Hopefully, I’ve been fairly extensive and have reviewed every film set in Japan from that era but no doubt one or two have slipped my attention! Let me know! The tension is probably killing you so lets get started as we count down to the all-important number one at the bottom of this post…
10. The Toxic Avenger Part Continue reading
There’s nothing like a nice three-day break with your family in the Japanese countryside. However, due to negligence on my part I forgot to request the time off work until it was too late! Subsequently, I had to return to Tokyo for the Saturday in the middle of those three days which meant a lot of travel on my part as I refused to use the Shinkansen (bullet train) when it only saves a small fraction of time compared to doing it all by local trains.
My wife had gone the day before and I followed early the next morning as I had had work the night before. It was an early start and on arrival at my in-law’s house mid-morning I had little idea that I’d actually be doing work of sorts. However, my mother-in-law wanted me to Continue reading
Think of famous trees in Japan and many would probably come up with Jomonsugi on Yakushima island which possesses a giant cedar tree estimated to be 2000 to 7200 years old. That is said to be the oldest tree in Japan but getting to that subtropical island off the southern coast of Kyushu (as well as the 10 hour hiking round trip!) is not exactly easy.
A far less difficult option is this taller, thinner one which is just five minutes on foot from Kinomiya Station, one stop south of Continue reading
#8. Nerima
Cycling may be something that I love to do but I’m not really one who goes for a ride without some kind of aim whether it be to a restaurant, a sight or just my workplace. With that in mind, and desperate to get out on my new bike, I decided to cycle round ALL the Inari Shrines in Tokyo taking each of the 23 wards one at a time.
Inspired by recent interest in tiny shrines, this idea seemed like a good way of Continue reading
When it comes to ramen, there are many tastes and regional variations whether it be shio (salt), shoyu (soy sauce), tonkotsu (pork bone broth) in Kyushu or miso ramen which is served up in Hokkaido. On top of that come the crazy novelty ones which include things like cheese, coffee, ice-cream, tequila, kiwi, ham, pizza, sake, pineapple and so on. The kind of things that the true ramen masters would most definitely turn their nose up at!
A few days after it’s December 8th release I cycled on down to this restaurant in Otemachi but didn’t realise the rainbow ramen was only available Continue reading
So 2021 has only just begun and already Tokyo Fox is looking back!! For about a decade now there have been exactly ten new posts on here each and every month and these are the twenty from 2020 which got the most hits…excluding sponsored or TF Top 10 list posts! Of course those entries from earlier in the year had more time to accumulate hits so don’t read too much into it all as it’s basically just another filler post to kick start the new year!
20. What Watching Continue reading
For over a decade now Tokyo Fox has brought you a whole host of filming locations but it’s fair to say they have dwindled in recent years. I really did think a couple of years ago that the chances of being able to compile such a list for this traditional curtain closer were very slim. Thanks in large part to my trip back to the UK last Christmas/New Year I have managed it though. Here then, in no particular order, is the TF Top 10……filming location trips for 2020…
1. Hobbs & Shaw, 2019 (Click here)
