TF Top 10……Tokyo Fox Hits of 2024

 

So 2025 has only just begun and already Tokyo Fox is looking back!! There have been exactly ten new posts on here each and every month for over a decade but last year saw it reduced to eight a month for a variety of reasons. As there were 24 posts less than usual it has been decided to Continue reading

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TF Top 24……Photos For 2024 (End Of Year Filler Post!)

 

This lame and lazy half-assed compilation post idea was ushered in at the end of 2018 with an eye on permanently replacing the ‘TF Top 10……Filming Location Trips For (year)’ series which has finally run out of steam now having just about survived for the last few years. It should be noted that the focus is on the more Continue reading

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Countdown to Christmas 2024 in Tokyo

It was always going to be impossible to equal the feeling of having my eldest sister and her family with us as was the case last Christmas. From one extreme to the other as this year my wife was at work between the 23rd and 26th December meaning that it was just me and our little chihuahua in the daytime for that period this time. I’m not complaining about that by the way as it’s quite heavenly in many ways!

Which secret agents are most active at Christmas? Mince spies!!

For many years I did my best to Continue reading

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A Trio of Japanese Castles In 3 Different Prefectures In 3 Days!

It is estimated that Japan once had 5000 castles but these days there are only about 200 of them with a good proportion of that number just partially remaining. I’ve said before that I am always interested to see castles when I discover that a city has one although I don’t really know why as I do think Continue reading

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TF Top 10……Grounds I Watched Football At For The 1st Time In 2024

Even when I was a season ticket holder at Leicester City in the early-mid 1990s I doubt I went to as many football matches as I did in 2024. All league matches plus a few cup ties  and the occasional away day would still not have resulted in over 30 matches back then but this year I managed to pass that number. I visited a total of 21 grounds/stadiums to watch football matches in a wide variety of different leagues and cups in both the mens and womens game.

The ever changing poses of Tokyo Fox!!

There were 11 places where I watched football for the first time which is just crying out for a rankings compilation post! This is just about the venue only without (too much!) influence from the location, occasion, atmosphere, journey, weather, on-the-field action or anything else that makes up the match day experience. It is of course Continue reading

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My Rather Blinkered Review of the 2024 Tennis Season!

The more casual tennis fan may not realise what a long and gruelling season it is for all those involved with tournaments running continuously from very early in January till  December.

Prior to this year, I was someone who only really took note of the four Grand Slams and a few other tournaments but when the Australian Open began in Melbourne I Continue reading

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5 Nights In Hiroshima: A Local Retro Game Centre, Japan’s Newest Top Flight Football Stadium, A Great Value Meal, Live Baseball, A Splendid Waterfall, A Hidden Pop-Culture Cafe & Quality Family Time!

The number of times I’ve now visited Hiroshima is something I’ve long lost count of but I do know that this was actually our first trip in the summer time for seven years! With my wife working that day in mid-August, it was my job to take our dog on the Shinkansen (bullet train) in the daytime (my wife would arrive at night) which wasn’t actually too bad as he seems to Continue reading

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Star Wars Sparks Joy At This Christmas Event Just Outside of Tokyo

Star Wars was never really part of the Christmas season but that changed nine years ago when ‘The Force Awakens‘ (2015) was released mid-December. ‘Rogue One‘ (2016) and the other two sequel movies followed suit over the next few years, and with all the marketing and promotion that came with those films, there really was a big crossover between the festive season and Star Wars. However, without any theatrical release since then (as well as the global pandemic) the sci-fi saga has had less impact on the holiday season but that has changed this year with a themed celebration in Japan’s Continue reading

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TF Flashback: 12 Hours In Qatar – Was It Enough Time To See All That Doha Offers? (2014)

Hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2022 put the little-but-loaded Gulf state of Qatar on the map for many people, and a decade ago I had the chance to see the capital city Doha for a short time on a layover on the way back to see my family at Christmas. Travelling to Qatar took me out of my way a fair bit and only saved a tiny amount of cash compared to a direct flight but I was keen to return to that part of the world whilst I had the chance. I had 12 hours in Doha to see and do as much as I could but was it enough time and was it all worth it?

Having arrived at Doha International Airport at 4:30 am, I paid QAR100 Continue reading

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Getting In The Mood For The Oasis Reunion At The Band’s 30th Anniversary Exhibition In Tokyo

The recent announcement of Oasis reforming for a world tour has got many old and new fans of the Manchester band very excited. News in August of the Gallagher brothers reforming the band for a UK tour was followed by further dates in Ireland, Canada, the USA, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Australia, South Korea and Japan albeit not in that order.

By pure chance, the announcement of the two Japan concerts at Tokyo Dome on the weekend of October 25-26th next year, as well as the ticket lottery application commencing (22nd November), was the same day that a friend and I went to see the Oasis Live Forever exhibition on the penultumate day of its existence in Tokyo.

Aptly dressed in my Liam Gallagher-style green parka!

For some reason, news of this exhibition at Roppongi Museum (November 1st-23rd) had completely Continue reading

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