TF Flashback: The Art of Star Wars Episode 3 Exhibition in Tokyo

Posted on September 3, 2020 by tokyofox

There’s been quite a few Star Wars exhibitions in Tokyo over the years, particularly in recent times since the Disney takeover. Whilst rummaging through some old boxes during the soft lockdown a few months ago I came across the ticket and flyer for one that I had completely forgotten about going to 15 years ago.

 

2005 was a time when I was certainly a Star Wars fan but my fandom was yet to grow to the levels of later years in the wake of 2008’s ‘Star Wars Celebration Japan‘ and my filming location pilgrimage to Tunisia in 2009. The theme back then was the Art of Star Wars Episode 3 which coincided with Continue reading →

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Review: Films Set In Japan – The Bridges At Toko-Ri (1954)

Posted on August 31, 2020 by tokyofox

The Korean War (1950 – 1953) has not featured on the big screen too many times and is an unknown conflict for many outside of those who fought in it. Korea, and the seas around it, may be the main location for this 102 minute movie but a sizeable amount of time is actually spent in Japan.

  

For a film made in the fifties, it has to be said that it really does look visually impressive at times but it’s just a Continue reading →

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Dining Out: The Ice Cream That Towers Above All Others

Posted on August 28, 2020 by tokyofox

Few things taste more refreshing than ice-cream during Tokyo’s overly hot and humid summer days. Sadly it was out of bounds for me on my recent 30 day challenge (which lasted for 69 days!) but once that was over I made my return in style. The likes of ‘Ben & Jerry’s‘ and ‘Baskin Robbins‘ (known as ‘31‘ in Japan) usually only serve up two or three servings of ice-cream but this place in a shopping complex more famed for it’s geeky pop culture collectable shops has a food stall which sells the tallest ice-cream in Japan.

This place in Nakano first came to my attention a few years ago and every few months I thought that I’d like to try it one day. I always thought it’d be best to eat it in summer but it bypassed my mind a few times. Not this year though and so I finally went to try the Continue reading →

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The “Other” Olympic Museum In Tokyo

Posted on August 25, 2020 by tokyofox

The all-new Tokyo Olympic Museum opened in mid-September last year and is located across the road from the Japan National Stadium (Kokuritsu kyōgijō) which hosted it’s inaugural sporting event – the 2019 Emperor’s Cup final – on January 1st this year.

 

The stadium will may host the Olympics next year in terms of the opening and closing ceremonies, and the track and field events. If the games do actually go ahead then it’ll be the first time the country has seen Olympic action since it last hosted in 1964. Back then, Continue reading →

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Interesting Japanese Playground Structures #28 – Pig Park

Posted on August 22, 2020 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: Pig Park 

Location: 1-1 Continue reading →

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The Great Buddha Of……Ikebukuro?!! You Better Believe It (Because I Sure Didn’t At First!)

Posted on August 19, 2020 by tokyofox

Everyone knows about the Great Buddha of Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture but who knew that there was such a thing much closer to home for those of us living in Tokyo! I didn’t, that’s for sure! And I like to think I have reasonably good knowledge of such things in and around Tokyo!

Thanks to a social media comment on my recent ‘TF Top 10……alternative big Buddha statues in Japan‘ post I found out about this one on a backstreet in Continue reading →

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Foxed In The Head: Cycling To All Inari Shrines In Tokyo’s 23 Wards – #3 Kita

Posted on August 16, 2020 by tokyofox

#3. Kita

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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TF Flashback: Watching Oasis at Summer Sonic in Japan

Posted on August 13, 2020 by tokyofox

Japan’s most prestigious music festival has to be Fuji Rock but that is just too expensive for me to get to in terms of getting tickets, reaching it’s location in Naeba (Niigata), paying for a hotel (no camping at this festival!), taking time off work and so on. Thankfully Summer Sonic came along which was very much a music festival in the city.

 

For those not in the know this is quite literally an urban festival as it takes place at the Chiba Lotte Marines baseball stadium with all the other secondary stages indoors at the huge indoor exhibition centre known as Makuhari Messe (the same place where I have attended various Tokyo ComicCon events and Star Wars Celebration Japan in 2008) which is a 20 minute walk away across a very busy highway or you can even Continue reading →

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My 30 Day Challenge Comes To An End……After 69 Days!

Posted on August 10, 2020 by tokyofox

Like many, I put on a fair bit of weight during the “soft” lockdown period of April and May (known as State of Emergency in Japan) so once work resumed on June 1st it was time to get back into some sort of better shape via a diet and some daily exercise workouts at home.

It all began with the aim of just doing a week and then taking it from there. After seeing this (below) in one of our books I decided to (initially) make it a Continue reading →

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TF Top 10……Sights Along The Keio Lines In Tokyo

Posted on August 7, 2020 by tokyofox

The Keio Line principally connects Shinjuku to the western side of Tokyo with seven different lines running through to the likes of suburban city Hachiōji and the mountainous area at Takaosanguchi. All of it’s stations actually lie within the boundaries of Tokyo and Tokyo Fox has dug deep to come up with a list, in no particular order, that features some hidden gems mixed in with a few perennial favourites. Places alone such as Shinjuku, Shibuya, Kichijoji or even Shimo Kitazawa do not qualify.

1. Nakayasu Hotel @ Keiō-Hachiōji (KO34) – The origins of this building can be traced all the way back to 1950 when the owner set up a store which got developed 15-16 years later into a two storey hotel and inn. The expansion continued and was fully completed in 1972 when the Nakagin Capsule Tower was also finished. Both buildings are similar in appearance and style due to the individualistic lego block-like nature of each room. For me, the intense golden sandy colour is very Star Wars-like. More details here

2. Tokyo Racecourse (Tōkyō Keiba-jō)) @Fuchūkeiba-seimommae – The capital’s number one race track is home to the Continue reading →

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