Classic Japanese Districts

Most of us like the new and modern districts of Tokyo such as Shinjuku, Shibuya and Roppongi. But some of us really want to see that classic japanese districts and the traditional Japan. The problem is that not many have survived in Tokyo.

In Japan, they refer to classic Japanese districts as "Shitamachi" (old town) while newer districts such as Shinjuku and Shibuya are referred to as "Yamanote" (Uptown). One thing classic japanese districts have in common is that they are cheaper, friendlier and quiet.

So, which are those "Shitamachi" districts ?  Look at the list below.

Yanaka (谷中)

This is the most classic and traditional it can get. This district has all the feels of a "Shitamachi" district. The houses are small and have these well known Japanese ceilings. This district is also well known for having a lot of temples, in all sizes, and a humongous amount of cats. Maybe not humongous but more cats than I have seen anywhere else. In this district, you will find classic Japanese food, clothes, items, kitchen utensils, art, sweets, etc.

Once you are there you also can't miss the Yanaka Ginza shopping street.

Photo by Maya-Anaïs Yataghène

Jinbōchō (神保町)

This is a beautiful intellectual district. It is also known as the "Book District". This is because the district has over 150 second-hand shops and another dozen of book publishers making it the largest second-hand book district of Tokyo. It is not as "Shitamachi" like Yanaka but it certainly has a strong Japanese feel. Beside books, the district has several classic Japanese cafes, restaurants and shops. It is also close to the Imperial Palace.

Photo by Doing

Tateishi (立石)

It mostly known because it is old and somewhat dirtier than other districts. The real gem here is hidden. As you walk through the streets you see a retro shopping street design and small alleys filled with workshops, markets and bars. The district may be intimidating at first because of its worn down looks but people there are nice and friendly. The individual shops have several traditional Japanese food at very low cost. It is slightly off the metropolitan area of Tokyo in between two rivers.

Photo by mrhayata

Edogawa (江戸川区)

One of the districts that is not really a "Shitamachi" district but in my opinion gives you that feeling. If you have ever read a manga or seen an Anime about School, you may have noticed that they walk along a river as the sun sets. Well, this district nails it. In fact, there is a river that separates Edogawa from the Metropolis and along the river there are several schools. What a coincidence. Overall, the district is nice, quite and normal Japanese families live there not those who live in Minato, Chiba, etc.

Photo by Guilhem Vellut

Other

Some other places where you can find this "Shitamachi" feeling is around the Shrines such as the Meiji Shrine and the Asakusa Shrine. In all the modern districts you will be able to find at least little of "Shitamachi". In Shinjuku, you can visit the Shinjuku Gyoen and the Golden Gai. In Roppongi, if you go around the German Embassy, you will find also some small homes with classical Japanese ceilings and alleys.

I hope this helps you. Enjoy <(_ _)>

In Love with Japan

Japan Society: A japanese place in your City

A Japan Society is an organization in a city that offers all sort Japan related services. Normally, they have a Japanese Library, Lessons, teacher, exchange programs, info, etc. The organization is usually funded by Japan and is somewhat larger building. They are mainly in capitals and big cities.

It is a great place to spend your evenings or free time.

The Library (Free)

The library is usually a nice place that has book shelves filled with Japanese grammar books, kanji books, culture book, translated novels, mangas, light novels and more. You can spend hours there reading about different things. If you are learning Japanese by yourself then you will find a lot of learning material there.

They have some desks and librarian that help you find the books you need. The librarian have also useful information about Japanese people in your city. They can introduce you to some of them if you ask nicely.

In the library you can also find sometimes anime and movies which you can watch there on the computers or televisions.

Japanese Lessons (Paid)

Usually, Japan societies offer Japanese Lessons for a fixed price. You can choose different programs and they can even prepare you for the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). The teachers are native Japanese and help you a lot in pronunciation.

If you ever are looking for Japanese Lessons, that is a good place to start.

Useful Information

Japan societies have help desks and a lot of flyers. These flyers have information about exchange programs you can apply to. They also have information about Japanese events in your city. These events can be concerts, theater plays, Japanese guests, etc. They also have information about Japanese restaurants and places you can visit in your city.

Sometimes at the entrance they put a box with free (second-hand) novels in Japanese.

Meet People

The great thing is that from time to time Japanese people drop by. This is a great chance to talk to them and meet more Japanese people. If want to meet them, go drink with them or just relax with them, you can do so in the Japan Society of your city.

Yakuza: A coin with two faces

In Japan, the Yakuza (also gokudō) is well known as the Japanese Mafia. But the Yakuza doesn't strictly apply as Mafia. They are involved in illegal actions like extortion and prostitution but they also have many legal businesses in Japan and outside of Japan. They help some people in needs and invest millions of dollars every year in legitimate businesses.

The biggest Yakuza family has even its own website

The Yakuza has a long History, Tradition and Structure. These three things sets the Yakuza apart from other Mafias.

History

The origin dates back to the 17th Century. Back then, it all started with gambling groups (bakuto) and stealing groups (tekiya). Both groups had a very low social standing because they were illegal. Stealing groups became more influential over time thanks to the businesses they created or took over. Gambling groups grew bigger and became also loan sharks. Both groups became over time the Yakuza.

Structure

The structure of the Yakuza resembles a family. Overall there is the oyabun (parents) and the kobun (children). This is very similar to the Senpai Kohai relationship that is very common in Japanese society. The parent group is the boss family. The children are the various inferior families that serve as accountants, law advisors, administrators, etc.

The entire Yakuza is dominated by Men but there were a few Women. Yakuza women are usually called Nee-san (older sister). Overall the entire structure is based on experience. The more experience (senpai) the more authority he has over others (kohai).

The parent families are Yamaguchi-gumi, Sumiyoshi-kai and Inagawa-kai.

Photo by Eneas De Troya

Tradition

The most common tradition in Yakuza as we know them is the Yubitsume (finger shortening). This ritual or tradition is done as an apology or replacement for another life. A member may cut off his little finger to spare the life of another member or to apologize for an offense.

Back in the Edo period (17 century), Yakuza members fought with Katana and other swords. When you hold a Japanese Sword you grip it tight with you middle finger, ring finger and little finger. When a Yakuza member cuts off these fingers, he loses control and the power of his Sword. That is why a member has to cut off these fingers first after any offense.

Another tradition is Irezumi (insert ink), which refers to the full body tattoos. These tattoos are made over time by hand with sharpened bamboo sticks or steel needle. This takes sometimes years to complete. These tattoos are very painful and show that member can resist a great amount of pain (more respect).

They tattoo all the body even the genitals. The only parts they usually don't tattoo are the wrists, hands, part of the chest and neck and the ankles. The reason they don't tattoo those parts is because people would notice the tattoos on those body parts when they use a Kimono (commonly used in Edo period).

Tattooing the body so extensively and old fashioned damages the skin and its pores. That is why many yakuza members suffer from Liver problems like the Yakuza Godfather "Tadamasa Goto".

Although many families do participate in illegal actions like drugs and prostitution, there are also families that oppose illegal actions. One of the parent families (Yamaguchi-gumi) prohibits their members to participate in drug traffic.

Yakuza Help

Contrary to other Mafias, the Yakuza help also people. During the 2011 earthquake and tsunami the respective Yakuza families prepared shelter, food and other supplies for those who needed it. Some years before, during the Kobe earthquake they did the same. In both cases, they acted faster and more generous than the Japanese government.

Energy in Japan

This guide is about the extensive issue of electricity in Japan. It is meant as an introduction into Japan's green energy approach and electricity system.

Japan's electricity administration has always been the target of those who support green energy. Summing up all the recent events such as the Fukushima incident and Abe's proposal to reactivate the Power Plants things don't look much better.

Japan's Electricity Consumption

First, I think it is worth mentioning that Japan is one of the most energy efficient countries of the world. Japan has roughly 127 million inhabitants and uses every year 860,000,000 Watt/hour. The United States has roughly 310 million inhabitants and uses every year 4,600,000,000 Watt/hour. The United States consumes almost 8 times what Japan consumes with a little more than twice the population of Japan.

Japan's Power Plants

Japan has a problem with an Electricity Monopoly and relies on power plants as their energy supply. But not just Power Plants.

Power Plants: 27%
Coal: 26%
Gas: 27%
Oil: 8%
Hydro: 8%
Other: 4%

Japan uses Power Plants but they don't want to use them. The main concern is that Nuclear Plants cannot resist seismic activity. This is a major minus in a seismic country. The Fukushima incident showed exactly how problematic this is. By 2012, all nuclear power plants were shut down but in 2013 some were activated again. In 2014, even more power plants were activated.

Green Electricity

This almost absent energy exists but not in abundance. As you read earlier, about 8% of Japan's energy is green energy. This is good but too little.

The government introduced the feed-in-tariff system in July 2012. This system says that major power companies have to buy all the electricity generated by solar, wind, geothermal and medium-to-small-scale hydro-power sources and biomass at fixed prices. This was Japan's approach to generate 20% of its electricity by green electricity.

A few weeks ago, some companies stopped purchasing green electricity in Japan for two reasons: price and stability. The purchase cost of green electricity is added to the electricity charges (higher bills). At the same time, the companies argue that depending too much on green electricity might destabilize the stable supply of electricity.

The government is now thinking about a way to boost renewable electricity in Japan.

Kabuki: The Art of Japanese Theater

Kabuki is the popular theater in Japan. Its beginning dates back to 1600. The interesting thing about this theater is that it was made to entertain the general public (middle class). In other cultures, we can see how theaters are meant to entertain the higher society of a country. Another interesting fact is that all actors are males, even those that do female roles.

At the very beginning, it was an all female cast. The women performed on the stage and at the same time many were available for prostitution after the presentation. After some years, the shogun government banned women from Kabuki theater due to the excessive shame and temptation. From that point on, only males were allowed to perform on stage.

The pieces and dances are about the ancient heroes and villains of Japan.

The actors usually wear heavy makeup and have exaggerated expressions on their faces. The overall nature of this theater is to appeal to our deeper emotions. It tries to connect to what we feel. The show lasts for four to five pieces and none of the pieces seems to connect with the one that follows.

You don't have to understand the language or try to find a logical order in the acting. The whole thing is about the moment and the emotions it transmits. It is almost like a magic show.

The scenery has two fundamental elements: Hanamichi and Agemaku. 

Hanamichi

The Hanamichi is the overall scenario which begins at the left of the theater and extends itself over the plato over to the changing rooms. The interesting part of the Hanamichi is that it crosses the seats. It makes you feel like you are in the middle of the show.

Agemaku

The Agemaku is the front curtain of the changing room. When that curtain opens, the actors make their appearance on the scenario.

Suppon

The suppon is an elevated platform on the Hanamichi. It is mainly used for supernatural creatures.

Koyaku

Although most of the actors are adult men, some of the actors have to interpret the roles of children. These actors are usually children around eight to nine years old called Koyaku

Music

The whole acting is accompanied by traditional Japanese music. This music ranges from background music, actual music, chorus, and singing.

If you skip to minute 33 in the video, you will get to see some of Kabuki's comedy.

How to spent less in Tokyo

One of your biggest concerns in Japan will be the money. In Japan, you can spend money practically everywhere. There are so many restaurants in one district that you won't be able to visit them all.

You have to know that Japan's prices for western products are quite high. Western food such as cheese, butter but also clothing are all much more expensive than in the US and Europe.

Food

Japan has it's own food. If you want to eat everyday some warm bread with marmalade and cheese you will spend your money in no time. Japanese food items such as rice, vegetables and fish are cheaper but still a bit expensive in my opinion. From time to time the supermarkets do planned discounts in a certain time range. But if you don't fully understand japanese this might be a bit though.

Throughout my stays I have notice that eating in small restaurants is much faster and cheaper. You can fill your belly for 500 to 1000 yen or $5-$10. For that, you get a big soup of Ramen or Katsudon or Gyudon or Tamago kake gohan and more. These meals come with a small clear onion soup and free water. In the same price range, is McDonalds, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King and even Mos Burger (Japanese McDonalds).

Keep in mind as you walk through the streets that restaurants don't usually write the prices out like "200円" they usually use the kanji for hundred like this: 二百 (200) or even like this 五OO (500).

Clothing

Clothing can be a bit tricky. There a lot of department stores and places like Odakyu in Shinjuku. These places are expensive they have almost only brands. If you need clothing during your stay you should take a look at Uniqlo,  Zara and other small stores that you can find outside of Shinjuku, Roppongi and Chuo. In Ikebukuro and other districts, that are further out they have more reasonable prices. Of course, you will find a lot of fashion but it's pricy.

Personal Care Products

You can buy you personal care products at Supermarkets, Konbini (convenience store) and Drug Stores. I would say Supermarkets are the most inexpensive of the three, Konbini helps you out of a pinch and Drug Stores are more expensive but they have a bigger variety. Drug stores have the Japanese word "Kusuri(くすり)" written outside which means medicine. Konbini are easy to recognise. The biggest ones are 7/11 (Big Seven written outside), Lawson and Family Mart. Both Lawson and Family Mart are written in roman letters so you will recognise them fairly easy.

Transport

Transport in Tokyo depends from the distance you travel. If you go 3-4 stations, then you pay about 160 yen. If you go some 5-6 stations, then you pay about 240yen. It all depends where you travel to as well. I payed 160 yen from Roppongi to Akihabara (11 stations) but 240yen from Roppongi to Shinjuku(4 stations). The easiest and most convenient way of traveling in Tokyo is with an IC card. You can buy either the Suica or Pasmo Card. They are both prepaid cards. All you do is touch with the card the IC card reader at the ticket gate when you get in and out. The card calculates your fare. You can use these cards to pay at vending machines and at some stores as well.

Suica requires an initial 2000yen charge of which 500yen are kept as a deposit

Pasmo requires an initial 1500yen charge of which 500yen are kept as a deposti

※ Small Tip: The IC card reader can read the card through your wallet. All you have to do is touch the reader with your wallet.

Habits you get from Japan

In my last visit to Japan I spent two months in Tokyo. The funny thing is that I adhered some habits that I did not notice at first from the Japan Society. These habits are typical Japanese habits that you will most likely adhere once you are there.

1) You Apologies and Thank others with a Bow

After I came back from Japan, I unconsciously apologised and thanked almost anyone with a small bow. That is not surprising since in Japan I did it quite often. The funny thing tho is that people look at you as someone funny once you come back from Japan. Sometimes they will even treat you more nicely because they see you as a humble and nice person.

2) Taking a Nap in the Train

At first, I usually did not take naps in train because I felt like I was going to miss the Station. In Japan, it is quite common to see people taking small naps and then waking up making it barely out of the train at their station. I thought that must be some sort of Japanese train sensor in their brains. In fact, it is a habit. Every station is mentioned through the speakers so it is easy to take a nap and wait until your station is called up. After some rides, you can sit down, take a nap and wait for your station.

3) You become more respectful

The first time I noticed this was with my reverse culture shock. When I came back from Japan I usually said to my friends: "That doesn't happen in Japan" or "How rude how can they do that in Public" or "Why are people so loud everywhere". Japanese trains can be jam packed but the train is very silent. People barely talk on the train and even on the streets people do not shout or behave in a shameful way as in Europe and the USA.

You notice the beauty of Japan in drunken men.

I rode once a late night train from Chou to Minato. In the train, was a drunken salary man. All seats were filled and he was holding to a bar. He barely could stand and was moving from left to right. It was one of the funniest things I have seen. He was drunk but he did not yell nor molester anyone. He just closed his eyes and waited for his station. We both left on the same station. He was pushing himself against the wall so he doesn't push anyone else. All the time Japanese people were looking at him trying to say: "Why are you embarrassing us?". It was that typical dishonor look but I was surprised at how drunken Japanese men behave.

In Europe and the USA, things would have been different. You would usually have to be careful because drunken men can be very violent. They yell, sing and talk with themselves loudly.

Final Word

At the end it all boils down to being respectful and nice. You just try not to make too much noise in public and to not bother others. That is the basic nature of Japanese people in Japan Society.

I hope you enjoyed this small list. If you have your own Japanese habits please share them with us on our Google Plus Page

Cheap Flights to Japan

The reason I write about this is because many Japan lovers want to go to Japan. I know it is hard to find everything you need. You spend a lot of time looking for a place to stay, how much money to take and a cheap flights to Japan.

I usually travel about 4 times a years. For every place I go, I try to find a cheap flight ticket. Over the past years some sites have proven to be good but also turned into bad experiences. My favorite place for cheap flights is Kayak. I'm sure you have heard about it.

As for Japan, there are two great places that will get you the cheapest flights to Japan. One is Kayak and the other is H.I.S. But before I talk about these sites, there are two more things that might interest you.

What are the Prices and Times

Usually, a good price for a flight to Japan would be $1200 and below. It all depends on how much time in advanced you buy your ticket as well as the time you are looking for tickets. The best time to check some flights is usually on Wednesdays in the morning (2 a.m New York). The reason is that flight tickets become available at that time.

Days to Avoid

Some days and weeks you should avoid are obviously Christmas, New Year, Golden Week and Tanabata and pretty much any other festive day in Japan (there a lot)

H.I.S

HIS is a great page for those who fly from the USA. Unfortunately, they do not offer flights from anywhere else. The main page is completely in Japanese and customer service is in Japanese as well but the site has an English button at the upper right corner.

HIS Home Page

If you want to look for flight directly click on the link below. There you can find also cheaper hotels.

HIS Flights

Kayak

I guess everyone heard about Kayak. I can just recommend Kayak. They have excellent flight options and prices. You can customize your search very well and you can even create price alerts for a destinations you want to go to so you get notified when prices drop.

Kayak

I hope this helps you find those cheap flights to Japan you are looking for.

Tsukiji Market: The world's largest fish market

One of the saddest things that happened to me is that I couldn't make it to the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo. Unfortunately there were a few things I didn't know and checked before going. That is why I made this guide so that you can make it.


Time & Competition

First off, you have to know that only two groups of 60 people are allowed to enter. In other words, you will have to be early and get your ticket or you won't be in any of the two groups. Visitors start lining up at 4 am. Entrance is free but you have to claim a Green Shirt (ticket) early.

Group 1 is let in between 5:20 - 5:40

Group 2 is let in between 5:40 - 6:10

Keep in mind that the amount of people that are let in are decided at around 5 am. You can't arrive at 5:30 or 5:50 and expect to enter with Group 2.

Transport

This is very important because depending on where you are you will have to arrive at 4 - 4:30 am. There is just one problem. The subway doesn't operate until about 5 am. To this you have to add your traveling time. My advice here is this, take a long nap the day before, catch the latest subway at midnight maybe even 2 am and pull an all nighter. The great thing about this is that the market is in GINZA. Ginza is the most famous dining and entertainment district. Jam packed with restaurants and bars. Most of the stores will be closed but you can still explore all this while you wait for the market to open.

Transport Option 2

Your second option is a capsule hotel. Capsule hotels let you stay for one night for about 20 to 30 dollars. You will have to look for one that is either in Chuo or in Ginza. Both would be at a walking distance from the Tsukiji Market.

Tsukiji Public Market Japan

You can jump a few steps here and go visit the public Tsukiji market which has several small fish shops and restaurants.

To close it all up, here is a little video to inspire you ... enjoy :)

January in Japan from Scott Gold on Vimeo.

Winter in Japan - 5 things to keep in mind

At my first visit to Japan, I decided to go in January. As a Japan lover, I already knew how winter in Japan would be like but sometimes reality is still a little different.

First, there a few things that makes the winter in Japan a bit uncomfortable. It is mainly the lack of a central heating system and the thin windows that can make things very nasty. Don't ruin your stay and instead prepare yourself.

Pack Adequately

This is the first step and the most important. You should be prepared for little rain, strong snow, and windy cold weather. In Japan, especially Tokyo you will feel a little colder than it seems because of the ocean breeze. You should have a Windbreaker Coat, Scarf, gloves and warm underwear. Specially important are socks. With this you are all set.

Make use of the Bathing Tub

All Japanese homes and hotels have bathtubs. Relaxing in the bathtub for 30 minutes can completely revitalize you. If you want to experiment something new and more Japanese like, you can grab your stuff and go to the closest Onsen or Sento.

Get a Kotatsu

This is a classic way of spending those cold days at home. The Kotatsu is a small table that has a sort of coverlet and a heater build in. You can get simple ones for $150. All you do is switch the Kotatsu on, sit down and enjoy the gentle warmness. Just be careful to not touch the heater or you will burn yourself.

By DryPot - Own work, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12441049

Discover all Warm soups

A great option for the home is Nabe or hot pot. If you are in a hotel or just don't want to cook, you can go out and discover the vast array of soups Japanese restaurants have to offer. Be careful because most soups are so delicious the moment it touches your tongue,  you become addicted. The soups are not expensive and they will fill you. My favorite soup is Ramen but you don't have to eat soups. These restaurants offer all sort of other Japanese foods like Katsudon, Gyudon,Tamago kake gohan for $5 to $10.

Learn how to use you AirCon

The Air Conditioner (エアコン) will be your best friend. Air Conditioners which are called "Ea Kon (エアコン)" in Japanese don't just cool you down they can also heat your home. Look closely at the remote and search for this Kanji "暖房". The kanji reads "danbou" or heating.

I hope this helps and enjoy your time in Japan. If you have your own experiences and tips about winter in Japan, please share them with us on our Google Plus page