TF Top 20……Photos For 2020 (End Of Year Filler Post!)

Posted on December 20, 2020 by tokyofox

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 long been running out of steam and will surely need replacing in a year or two if I am unable to go on an overseas trip! 2020 has been a lean year in terms of travel so a fair number of these photos were taken much closer to home than was the case in 2018 and 2019 . They say a picture paints a thousand words so rather than write a load of words about these photos, I’ll just let the pictures speak for themselves.

1. Tove Jansson Akebono Children’s Forest Park, Saitama Prefecture. More details here

2. Yokoshi Tomonokai Religious Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Travel, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tokyo’s Happiest Christmas Tree & The Corridor Of Glowing Lights

Posted on December 17, 2020 by tokyofox

To prevent the spread of Covid_19 many of Tokyo’s annual Christmas light festivals (more commonly known as illuminations in Japan) have been cancelled this year but there are still a few taking place, and this one in Bunkyo Ward may well have the happiest tree of this holiday season.

Coronavirus hasn’t prevented Tokyo Dome City from displaying winter illuminations for the 16th time. A total of two million LEDs have been used throughout the complex which features the baseball stadium, an amusement park, a sports arena, a spa, a fitness centre, a bowling centre, shops, cafes (including Moomin Bakery & Cafe), restaurants (Bubba Gump Shrimp is here and smiley-themed menus are supposedly available at some of them) and a hotel. For the record, it is completely free to wander around the area but of course the rides (including a roller-coaster that passes through both a hole in one of the buildings) have a fee.

Most of the above had closed for the day when I passed through the area a week ago on the way home from work. This year’s theme is Continue reading →

Posted in Japan Life, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

TF Top 10……Alternative Star Wars Movies & TV Shows

Posted on December 14, 2020 by tokyofox

 

In the last five years it’s become custom to spend the Autumn and early Winter working my way back through all the theatrical Star Wars releases in anticipation of new films in December. However, ‘The Rise Of Skywalker‘ (2019) was the last one for now so wanting to find some kind of replacement this year I decided to finally watch or re-watch the lesser known releases.

Warning: Contains spoilers!

10. The Star Wars Continue reading →

Posted in Films, Star Wars, TV Shows | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Super Sonic Blue Curry Which Makes Your Poo Change Colour…Or Does It?

Posted on December 11, 2020 by tokyofox

Curry and rice is basically my daily staple at work. It’s cheap, relatively low in calories (172 kcal), quick and easy to make. Back in early October my colleague Sharlotte saw me about to prepare one of these curries (I don’t think the words “cook” or even “make” can be used for just putting a package in the microwave for a couple of minutes!) and mentioned a unique coloured curry she’d seen online. Not only that but it turns your poop blue! I was keen to put it to the test.

She said she’d come across Sonic the Hedgehog blue curry but the boxes were not sold in shops or individually. Instead they had to be purchased in a pack of five boxes for ¥2700 (£19.50/$26) but I said I’d happily buy a couple of them (¥540 each) to share the cost. Sharlotte didn’t waste any time and ordered them there and then. Click on this link if you want to buy a package. 

Naturally, I had completely forgotten about it all until she whipped out Continue reading →

Posted in Food & Drink, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Foxed In The Head: Cycling To All Inari Shrines In Tokyo’s 23 Wards – #7 Shibuya

Posted on December 8, 2020 by tokyofox

#7. Shibuya

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 →

Posted in Cycling | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 22 Comments

Viewing The Iguana-Like Crane En-Route To Odaiba By Bicycle!

Posted on December 5, 2020 by tokyofox

Construction work is often a menace to tourists who have their perfect picture postcard moments ruined by the sight of some scaffolding. This structure though has become quite the spectacle though due to it’s interesting appearance! Usually the sight of a large green lizard-like structure in Tokyo means one thing only but for once this has nothing to do with Godzilla!

 

Sandwiched between the Sumida and Arakawa Rivers is this green crane which Continue reading →

Posted in Cycling, Quirky Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Review: Films Inspired By Japan – Pearl Harbor (2001)

Posted on December 3, 2020 by tokyofox

Now I have to hold my hands up and admit that when I first watched this back in the early days of Tokyo Fox (that’s 2006 by the way!) I said that “I actually quite enjoyed it despite being an overlong Hollywood film (albeit one full of amazing battle scenes) overflowing with cliches.” I gave it an incredible 7/10 rating at that time but I wasn’t exactly a regular watcher of films then not that it means I’m an expert now that I do watch more than the average person!

As a British person, one of the main gripes I have with this film is the lack of the letter U in the title’s second word! If that was the only problem I had then the film’s producers would no doubt be delighted. However, there are quite a few other flaws in this ‘Titanic‘ of the skies-style epic.

One of them (as referenced in the opening paragraph) is it’s Continue reading →

Posted in Review: Films Inspired By Japan | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Best Place In Tokyo To See A DeLorean Car (& For Free!)

Posted on November 30, 2020 by tokyofox

 

Men and motors are two words which often go hand-in-hand but that rather clichéd view of what males like doesn’t apply to me as I’ve never really had any interest in cars. That doesn’t mean I don’t watch ‘Top Gear‘ (or ‘The Grand Tour‘ in later years) but that’s more down to the travelling and adventure part of certain shows. Vehicles with a movie connection is another thing though!

My colleague James (of Mr Kanso and Mr X. fame) told me about this museum in Odaiba and, knowing that I loved all things relating to Continue reading →

Posted in Cycling, Films, Japan Travel | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

TF Top 10……Songs About Japan From The 1980s

Posted on November 27, 2020 by tokyofox

 

For many decades now, international artists have often felt the need to put pen to paper and write some lyrics about their Japanese experience, particularly visiting Tokyo. Most of the songs are far from being their greatest work but for Japanophiles they can offer an interesting insight into a culture which used to be a mystery to many people in the western world. Without further ado, here is the Tokyo Fox top ten……songs about Japan from the 1980s…

10. My Private Tokyo – Vicious Pink Phenomena (1982) – This synth-pop tune was the first single by the English new wave duo, and it manages to shoehorn all kinds of Continue reading →

Posted in Music | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

“Tails” Of A Cycling Adventure To Edogawa Ward: Lock Gates, Towers, Architecture, A Free Zoo & A Burger Vending Machine!

Posted on November 24, 2020 by tokyofox

Those who have been following my ‘Cycling to all Inari Shrines in Tokyo’s 23 wards‘ adventures this year will know that these trips are usually solely focused on the shrines but the location of the following “sights” fit in nicely with my route to and from Edogawa Ward.

Shrines and foxes were not on my mind for the start of this cycling trip but the latter is exactly what I first encountered by way of ‘Tails Ale House’ (3-16-5 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku) and it’s fox-themed signage. I will have to return one day at a more suitable time when it’s actually open!

Cycling in Japan is something I’ve moaned about on this site a fair bit in the past (‘Room 101: Japanese Cyclists Special‘ details most of my gripes!) but Continue reading →

Posted in Cycling, Japan Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments