Embracing The Olympic Spirit With Free Tokyo 2020 Exhibits & Games-Inspired Art

Posted on August 9, 2021 by tokyofox

 

For many, many months now I have been saying, in the wake of the Covid_19 outbreak,  that a huge sense of relief will be felt when the beleaguered Tokyo 2020 Olympics games finally come to an end. I`m sure that still holds true but I reckon there`s a slight sense of disappointment for many that two and a bit weeks of action have flown by in no time, and now there is something of an empty feeling as so often happens when a big sporting tournament finishes.

After so much talk, there was a lot of curiosity regarding the opening ceremony and it seemed to sensibly and calmly reflect the times we live in nowadays. The Japanese got Continue reading →

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At The Velodrome For Two Days Of Live Track Cycling At The Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Posted on August 6, 2021 by tokyofox

When Olympic tickets went on sale to Tokyo residents in 2019 I applied for many sports but my first choice was the track cycling so I tried for all seven days over the two ballots and managed to win a single ticket on each occasion. Furthermore, they were on consecutive days which made it a lot simpler to manage. It also proved to be a very lucky masterstroke as whilst all events in and around Tokyo became spectator-less, the cycling in Shizuoka Prefecture (both road and track) continued albeit not at full capacity.

The Rugby World Cup in 2019 taught me that away days are great fun so I was more than happy to travel from Tokyo and make it a bigger occasion than just watching something locally. The fact that my Continue reading →

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What It’s Like To Be A Spectator At The Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Posted on August 3, 2021 by tokyofox

When the IOC and the Japanese government decided that spectators would not be present at all for Olympic sports in Tokyo (and surrounding prefectures Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa) it was hugely disappointing for all of those with tickets who were still keen to see live action in some form.

However, a few sports were taking place a bit further afield and I was lucky to have tickets for a couple of them. The likes of Miyagi (football) and Shizuoka Prefectures (road cycling, track cycling) didn`t totally ban spectators though so my Olympic dream was kept alive. Given that audience participation was also prevented in Sapporo and Fukushima I was half expecting Continue reading →

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Interesting Japanese Playground Structures #35 – Dinosaur Slide

Posted on July 31, 2021 by tokyofox

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: Dinosaur Slide

Location: 6-11 Continue reading →

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The Station Just Over The Border From Tokyo Which You Can`t Exit (Unless You Work For Toshiba)

Posted on July 27, 2021 by tokyofox

Little did I know when I visited the virtually abandoned Kokudō Station a few years ago that just a few stops further down the line were some other interesting stations, including one which you can only exit if you work for the company who own the station.

  

Take the Tsurumi Line bound for Umi-Shibaura and it will take just 11 minutes to be beside the sea. However, it should be noted that trains heading to this coastal station from Tsurumi are Continue reading →

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TF Flashback: The Trip To Seoul In 2006 Which Really Kickstarted Many Years Of Asian Travel

Posted on July 24, 2021 by tokyofox

Research and preparation before any overseas trip is something I have long done but it hasn’t always been that way. My first overseas trip whilst based in Japan was to South Korea in the early days of January 2006. Along with my friend and colleague Asif we headed off to Seoul for a four night trip with very little knowledge of the capital city and no plan at all.

From our previous travels (not together) we had become used to just turning up at places and booking somewhere by walking in but it seemed that was not the done deal in East Asia so the authorities were a bit suspicious of us at the airport when we were unable to enter details of where we`d be staying. Luckily, Asif had his Continue reading →

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TF Top 5……Films Set In Japan From The 1960s & 1970s

Posted on July 21, 2021 by tokyofox

 

In terms of the total number of films ‘set’ in Japan, it was fairly slim pickings for the two decades between 1960 and 1979. Hopefully, I’ve been fairly extensive and have reviewed every one of them 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…

Bonus: Continue reading →

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Strawberry Vending Machines, A Big Buddha, Micro Shrines, Unstaffed Stations & Being The Only Train Passenger In Izu

Posted on July 18, 2021 by tokyofox

The majority of my time in Izu back in early May was mostly just spent at home with the family but on about the sixth day I finally found some time to get out on my own for an afternoon. Subsequently I headed down the east coast to find a big buddha which I had found completely by accident whilst scouring Google Maps one day. Shojoji Temple is part of the Izu 88 Temple Pilgrimage which I had never heard of until I later did some research on this place.

 

As there was a lighthouse a few minutes further south I decided to check that out, and nearby to that was a shrine with Continue reading →

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Visiting The Museum In Izu Which Is Dedicated To Hina Dolls

Posted on July 15, 2021 by tokyofox

 

Japan is known for its slightly quirky festivals, and each year on March 3rd there is one dedicated to dolls which many girls take part in. These little dolls aren`t the kind that you play with though as they are just displayed in their exquisite costumes. Such dolls have often been in the family for generations, and the idea is that the dolls are used to teach girls about traditional values. In the week leading up to Hina Matusri, families put the dolls on display in their indoor entrances and living rooms with great pride.

Little did I know but Continue reading →

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Foxed In The Head: Cycling To All Inari Shrines In Tokyo’s 23 Wards – #13 Edogawa

Posted on July 12, 2021 by tokyofox

#13. Edogawa

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 →

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