Tag Archives: JR

Smart Cards (Suica VS Pasmo)

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Ticket/IC Card Gates

Coming from Vancouver, Canada, I grew up in a world with a transportation system that regularly used tickets and paper passes.  While this has been the norm for a long time in most major cities in the world, smart cards are quickly becoming commonplace.  While I believe most people in North America believe that smart cards are mainly for credit cards, in Japan, specifically Tokyo, smart cards have been common place for over a decade now.  Since 2001, Tokyo has had a smart card, or rather IC card as Japanese people tend to call it.  These cards are used for various types of payments but they are predominantly used for transportation.  They aren’t often used for the payment of items but that has changed dramatically in the last few years.  Contrary to what most people believe, Tokyo was not the first place in the world to use smart cards for transportation.  From my own research, I have found that smart cards have been in use publicly since 1997.  The most famous place for these cards is Hong Kong with their Octopus card, but I was surprised to learn that Egypt also had their own smart card in the same year.  Many countries have been able to start using smart cards before Japan started to adopt it, but Japan has recently been quick to expand the use of smart cards and we can see them everywhere these days.  Most tourists who get one tend to use it often, more so than the locals.

Suica Cards (Lower is the Old Design)

The most famous smart card in Japan has to be the Suica card.  Suica stands for Super Urban Intelligent Card.  It also shares the same pronunciation as the Japanese word for watermelon which is why the card itself is grey and green.  Every card has a picture of the Suica card mascot, a penguin.  The penguin was created by Chiharu Sakazaki based on an Adelie penguin.  The character on the card has changed slightly over the years.  The first design that I know of is a cute little penguin that is walking across the card.  Currently they are using the exact same picture but with the penguin looking at you rather than ahead.  The penguin itself is named either “Penguin” or “Suica Penguin”.  There is no real name for this mascot as either the designer or the company was a bit lazy, or they really liked the name “Penguin”.  I feel they are lazy but I do think it is a good name anyways.  The marketing engine that is running this mascot is huge.  From the humble beginnings where they had just the smart cards, they have expanded tremendously to the point where you can buy Suica Penguin items all over Tokyo.  You can go into any of the convenient stores run by JR East and find merchandise related to the Suica Penguin.  You can also go to other specialty shops and find food related products and even Louis Vuitton imitations where instead of the iconic LV logo and other standard prints, you have the Suica Penguin face.  Even in the stations the penguin is marketed heavily with their advertising for various train deals as well as when you want to purchase something within the station.  It is definitely a big bonus for the company that hasn’t been replicated by any of the other transportation smart cards even though they do have cute mascots of their own and they are trying very hard to market their mascots.

Pasmo Card Reader (On a Vending Machine)

Pasmo is the other major smart card being used in the Tokyo area that has been issued by a transportation company.  Pasmo was created as an alternative to Suica in Tokyo, but predominantly for people using the subway and bus system.  As I have mentioned in Subways of Tokyo and Trains in Tokyo, Tokyo is interlaced with 3 train systems and several bus systems.  Each one is run by its own company and each one is unique.  Pasmo took several years to develop compared to the Suica system used by JR East.  I would assume that the major reason for this is the complex payment systems required for each company to ensure every company gets the monies that are owed to them.  Pasmo is a combination of the words “pass” and “more”.  The main meaning is that you can pass through more and more means of transportation.  The card itself has three lines of images.  The top line has a picture of a train or subway with “MO” after it.  The second line has a bus with “MO” after it.  The third line just simply says PASMO.  It is read, “Densha mo; Bus mo; Pasmo” talking about all of the modes of transportation that can be used with this card.  This card also has its own mascot in the Pasmo Robot.  The robot can transform into any mode of public transportation as well as change colours.  According to the Pasmo website, the Pasmo Robot can also receive information via its antenna so that it can get to places on time.  This mascot has not been heavily used by the private companies and they tend not to promote it as much.  This could be due to each company wanted to have their own mascot and marketing campaigns but it is leading people not caring as much for the Pasmo.  It could also be the Pepto Bismol pink colour that is used for the logo.

Suica Penguin Goods

In general, anywhere you can use a Suica smart card; you can also use the Pasmo smart card and vice versa.  Within Tokyo, both cards can be used on almost all forms of transportation.  They can also be used in almost all convenience stores, many vending machines, as well as several shops.  It may seem as if there is no difference between the two cards and both would be the same.  There are a few differences in the cards.  If you use the JR lines, you are limited to using the Suica card for purchasing a monthly pass.  If you want to use the subway lines or private lines, you have to use the Pasmo card to purchase a monthly pass.  Neither card is interoperable between the two systems in this regard, although if you do have a Pasmo, it is possible to get a monthly pass that spans both the private lines and the JR Lines, but not exclusively the JR Lines.  This is the only condition within Tokyo that creates a difference between the two cards.  Outside of Tokyo, there is a huge difference at the moment.  Currently the Suica card is almost universal within Japan.  You can use it on all JR Lines in Japan that allow you to use a smart card.  There are some areas where you cannot use the Suica card such as on the subways in Osaka and Nagoya and many of the convenience stores and other shops outside of the Kanto area don’t accept Suica cards as payment.  This is set to change as most of the transportation companies are planning to expand their interoperability network by spring of next year.  By spring of 2013, most of the major smart cards will be integrated into one system so that you can use them all within the various transportation systems.  Whether you can use it in a shop is another question that remains to be answered.

Suica Bento (Limited Time Offer)

Physical smart cards themselves are slowly going out of style.  Japan has seen the introduction of NFC chips within most of their mobile phones for the last several years.  It has been possible to use your mobile phone as a smart card for purchasing train tickets, food, and drinks.  It is a good service but there are some charges that are applied for using a mobile version of the smart cards as well as a few other problems with the system.  When talking about payment systems alone, the smart card system in Japan gets more and more complicated.  Several companies have come out with their own smart cards and it is causing a little confusion as well as problems with knowing which companies use which smart card systems for payments.  Smart card readers are in almost every major chain of convenience stores, restaurants, and almost everything near a train station but as I just said, they are not all compatible.  This will hopefully get better in the future but it is unlikely to happen anytime soon.  For the average tourist, and even the average Joe, the Suica Card and the Pasmo Card are the only two you really need to know about in Tokyo.  One of the main reasons for this is that it reduces the need for paper tickets as well as the need to think about how much you need to go somewhere.  You just blindly enter the gates and exit with a touch of the card.  Just remember to have enough money to get through the gates or you might end up going over the gates as if you were a professional wrestler getting tossed over the top rope of the ring.

Smart Card Information


2012 Christmas in Shinjuku

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2012 Christmas in Shinjuku: JR East Headquarters

Shinjuku is a major urban centre and there are always Christmas displays to be seen.  This year there is little change in the displays.  There are a few displays, mainly around the Shinjuku I Land Tower, a small one at the Keio Plaza Hotel, and the main one at Shinjuku Southern Terrace.  I often enjoy the Shinjuku Southern Terrace display, but it hasn’t changed much since they first started it.  It is a great display if you have never seen it.  While I can’t completely confirm that the displays are relatively the same, from the photos I have seen, they are.  Since moving to Kinshicho, I haven’t had many opportunities to visit Shinjuku at night.  This year won’t be any different, but I do walk around Shinjuku Southern Terrace often, and this year, from what I can see during the day, nothing has really changed.  They still have a large “tree” at the south end that is mainly for couples to enter and make a wish.  Then there is the cute Suica Penguin display that is in front of the JR East headquarters.  This year, they have the new Shinkansen as part of the model.  I often enjoy seeing them and I always look forward to seeing them each year.

2012 Christmas in Shinjuku: Shinjuku Southern Terrace

Note:  There are more photos on my Facebook Page.  Please check back again around Christmas as I will add more photos of Sky Tree at night.  You can directly view the photos here:  HinoMaple @ Facebook: Shinjuku Christmas

Christmas in Tokyo 2012


Narita to Tokyo (Revisited)

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Narita Terminal 1 Lookout

Recently, my friend has been planning his wedding here in Japan and a lot of his friends from back home are heading to Tokyo in a few weeks.  With them heading here, I have been trying to direct them to this blog to read a bit about the places that I have been and what I have seen.  I had an opportunity to revisit some of my old posts to see how things have changed.  One of those posts was the Narita to Tokyo post where I talked about the various methods of getting to central Tokyo.  Today I update things a little to reflect the new methods that I have learned getting to and from Narita from central Tokyo as well as the new Skyliner and Sky Access lines from the Keisei train company.

JR Lines:

Narita Express (At Tokyo Station)

The Narita Express is still the most convenient and simplest way to get to Tokyo from Narita.  With the N’EX running roughly twice an hour all day to Tokyo Station, and roughly twice an hour to both Ikebukuro and Yokohama, the options are very good.  Buying tickets for N’EX is also very good as they have the SUICA & N’EX deal where you basically get a free SUICA card with 1500 yen on it.  The total cost varies depending on whether you get the one way or round trip tickets but it is a pretty good deal either way.  Regular fares start at 2940 yen each way to Tokyo Station for just the Narita Express and a SUICA & N’EX deal is 5500 yen for a round trip ticket and 1500 yen Suica IC Card.

Sobu Rapid Line (At Tokyo Station During the Late Evening Rush)

For those who want to save a little money, taking the JR Sobu Rapid, technically the Narita Line at Narita Airport, is not too bad.  It is a little slow and costs a little more than the cheapest way into Tokyo but it is still a simple and easy way into Tokyo.  There are only one or two connections needed depending on where you go in the city.  These trains run once an hour during the day and all trains head through Tokyo Station and on to Yokohama and beyond.  If you are heading to the west side of Tokyo, you will have to change trains at Tokyo Station but for backpackers, this is a cheap and easy way to get to and from Narita.  Fares to Tokyo Station are 1280 yen per person but you can also pay 950 yen to enjoy the Green Car.

Keisei Lines:

Keisei Skyliner and Sky Access Lines Gate

Keisei has decided to make things complicated since the introduction of the Narita Sky Access Line.  From Narita Airport, there are two lines that share the same platforms.  It is important to know which one you are going to take and to go to the correct platform.  For an old hand traveller like me who has been in and out of Narita more times that I can count, it is really easy to figure it out.  For someone visiting Tokyo for the first time, it can be a little difficult.  The first step is to figure out which line, then which train.  The simplest way to get into Tokyo is to take the Skyliner.  It takes 41 minutes to reach Ueno Station which is about 10 minutes north of Tokyo Station.  It costs 2400 yen each way on the Skyliner.  Trains run twice an hour, similar to the Narita Express but it is limited to either Nippori Station or Ueno Station.

Keisei Ticket Booth (At Narita Terminal 2)

Alternatively, you can take the Narita Sky Access Line.  It costs 1200 yen one way to Ueno but it isn’t designed to be convenient for reaching Ueno.  The Narita Sky Access Line is not the easiest way into Tokyo anymore as it usually junctions south at Aoto Station and then continues on towards Haneda Airport.  It is a bit more expensive but it does get closer to Tokyo Station.  You can get to Shinbashi Station for 1280 yen.  Not a bad deal if you are staying somewhere along the Asakusa Line.  For people going to Asakusa, the Narita Sky Access Line is your best choice for getting to and from Narita.  From Narita Airport be sure to follow the orange gates to get to the proper platform.

Keisei Main Line Entrance

The old Keisei Main Line is still in use and it is marginally cheaper than the Narita Sky Express Line.  You can take it all the way to Ueno without having to change trains and it costs 1000 yen each way.  It takes more time than the Narita Sky Access and can feel a little tedious to take it but it is the most economical way of getting to and from Narita to the Yamanote Line.  There really isn’t much to say about this line but for those who are seriously penny pinching, this is the best line to take.  Unless you live along this line or it makes sense to use this line, it is unlikely that you will want to take this line.  If you do choose to use this line, be sure to go through two ticket gates and follow the blue gate, not the orange gate.  The Keisei lines are a lot more confusing now that they added the new line but after you do it once or twice and know what you are doing, it is pretty easy.

Narita to Tokyo (Revisited) is an update to an original post called Narita to Tokyo.  To read more, please continue reading:

Information:

Narita Airport:  http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/
Airport Limousine:  http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/
Narita Express:  http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html
Narita & N’EX Pass:  http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/suica-nex/
Keisei Skyliner:  http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/


Tokyo Sky Tree (Opening Day)

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Tokyo Sky Tree from Asakusa

A couple months ago I wrote about Tokyo Sky Tree.  Tokyo Sky Tree is the tallest tower in the world, but not the tallest structure.  There is a lot of symbolism in Tokyo Sky Tree itself but today is the day that Sky Tree and Solamachi, the commercial complex at the base of Tokyo Sky Tree, finally opens to the public.  It has been a long time since this tower started construction till today when it finally opens to the public.  To commemorate the opening of Tokyo Sky Tree, I decided to write a little more about this tower.  Specifically, I am focusing on the neighbourhoods around Tokyo Sky Tree, how to access it, and where to get some good pictures.  Since Tokyo Sky Tree is visible from many points in Tokyo, it is easy to see it from many places but only a few places are really worthy of a visit.

 

 

 

 

Tokyo Sky Tree from Oyokogawa Park

Kinshicho is my home station in Tokyo.  I live close enough and I know all of the good places to see Tokyo Sky Tree around the station.  One of the more popular places to see Tokyo Sky Tree is from Kinshi Park.  It is a medium sized park that has just gone through a major re-landscaping project.  The entire park had been rebuilt and everything had been shifted around.  It is a very nice park now with lots of space to relax on a nice spring day.  For those who really want to visit Tokyo Sky Tree, it is just a quick 1.5km walk north of the park.  This isn’t the best way to reach Tokyo Sky Tree from Kinshicho Station.  Kinshicho Station is dominated by the JR station and inside the station there is a lot of information on how to get to Tokyo Sky Tree.  The most recommended route to Tokyo Sky Tree is to head west followed by heading north through Oyokogawa Park.  It is a little difficult to find the park, but there are maps, in Japanese, within Kinshicho Station to help you.  The route itself takes you in front of the Tobu Levant Hotel which is a popular place for taking photos of Tokyo Sky Tree.  Once you get to Oyokogawa Park, you will be in one of the best kept secrets of Kinshicho that is until Tokyo Sky Tree opens up.  The park itself goes from Kinshicho all the way to Tokyo Sky Tree.  On any given day, you will see lots of families within the park and people walking their dogs.  In fact, I often walk my dog in this very park.  There are several great places to take photos of Tokyo Sky Tree in this park.

 

Tokyo Sky Tree from Asakusa

When most people think of Tokyo Sky Tree, they think of Asakusa.  This is probably where most people in Tokyo and most tourists will think of going to reach Tokyo Sky Tree.  It is the most efficient for any tourist as you can couple a visit to Tokyo Sky Tree with a visit to Sensoji and maybe even Kappabashi.  Asakusa has many great places to see Tokyo Sky Tree and probably the most popular is at Azumabashi, the famous red bridge crossing the Sumida River from Asakusa to the Asahi buildings.  While this is a good spot for taking photos and seeing Tokyo Sky Tree, heading a little north into Sumida River Park is a lot better.  The park itself is not as busy with tourists as many people tend to skip it.  Aside from the entrance area near the Tokyo Water Bus terminal, most people don’t venture more than a few hundred metres from the bridge.  Heading north will take you to nice quiet areas of the park that has more locals than tourists.  Walking from Asakusa to Tokyo Sky Tree is a very easy way to reach Tokyo Sky Tree and probably more enjoyable than fighting all of the people at Tokyo Sky Tree Station, however, if you are lazy, you can start off at Tokyo Sky Tree Station and work your way back to Asakusa instead.

 

Tokyo Sky Tree from Kameido Tenjin

The other area that is good for photos of Tokyo Sky Tree is the rivers to the east of Tokyo Sky Tree itself.  The closest river to Tokyo Sky Tree may be the Sumida River, but I feel that the rivers to the east provide a better picture of Tokyo Sky Tree as you have a greater potential to see more of Tokyo in the background.  Looking east from the Sumida River provides a great vantage point that has many famous buildings in the foreground.  You have the Asahi buildings, the Tobu rail line, and other major buildings in Asakusa that come between you and Tokyo Sky Tree.  Moving east to the Arakawa River is a good way to get photos of Tokyo Sky Tree.  The Arakawa River is not as close as the Sumida River, but the distance helps add to the feel of the photos.  Going to Shinkoiwa or Yotsugi stations are your best bets to get to the riverside of the Arakawa River to see Tokyo Sky Tree.  There is a nice park that lines the Arakawa River and I have seen several photos from that area that shows Tokyo Sky Tree in the middle of the urban sprawl that is Tokyo.  It may not be as close but the foreground of each photo is not obscured by countless buildings.  Tokyo Sky Tree stands out among the buildings that surround it and blends in a lot better.  For wide angle shots, this area is a lot better than being close up and I’m sure it will be a popular place for photos in the future.

 

Tokyo Sky Tree Lit Up (Warning: Blurry Picture)

Timing is an important part of seeing Tokyo Sky Tree.  Up until recently, Tokyo Sky Tree has been pretty dark.  It is a monolith of steel in the night sky that is difficult to see.  Over the past couple months, in preparation for the opening of Tokyo Sky Tree, I have had the luxury to see them light Tokyo Sky Tree.  It all started with the tower being partially lit.  There are three primary colours, purple, blue, and white.  The entire tower can be lit by a single colour or a combination of the colours.  There are three main areas for lighting, the inner column, the outer structure, and the “crowns” that are around the observation decks and antenna.  There are also small spots along the entire structure that look similar to stars on the side of the tower.  These lights are designed to twinkle and give the appearance of “gold foil”.  In my previous post about Tokyo Sky Tree, one of the pictures shows the crowns lit up along with the small spots of twinkling light.  The last aspect of Tokyo Sky Tree at night is the rotating lights at the top of each observation deck.  The tops of the observation decks have a strip of white lights.  These lights “spin” creating the symbolism that time is passing.  They look a lot better in person but unfortunately they are difficult to capture with a photo.  I am sure that once Tokyo Sky Tree opens and the lights are turned on nearly every night, you will be seeing a lot more pictures at night.  I was originally skeptical of it looking really nice, but after seeing it fully lit up, I must say that it looks great.  I look forward to enjoying Tokyo Sky Tree in the foreseeable future, but I do worry that I will get used to it, just as I had gotten used to seeing it in person.

 

Tokyo Sky Tree from Kameido Tenjin

There are so many places to see Tokyo Sky Tree and the area around it is great.  It is a very different approach than what they did with Tokyo Tower.  I like Tokyo Tower as well but I found it to be lacking in things to do.  It is difficult to find a lot to do but it does make people feel more as if they are in Japan.  Tokyo Sky Tree is definitely a modern place.  The designers had Japanese tourists in mind when they built this area.  Tokyo Sky Tree calls to the modern styles of Tokyo such as Rainbow Bridge and the destination of Solamachi is a modern tourist attraction.  Shopping malls, aquariums, planetariums, and local foods call Japanese people from all over Japan to spend a day at Tokyo Sky Tree.  While I fear that the neighbourhoods will have a little trouble competing with a big box shopping mall but I think some of the shops will be okay.  Unfortunately, I think the small mom and pop shops will probably go out of business but the really good places will remain.  Do visit Tokyo Sky Tree when you are in Tokyo, but please be patient as you won’t be able to go up to the observation decks until after July 11 when they open tickets to the public.  Until then, only those who pre-bought tickets can head up to the observation decks.

Tokyo Sky Tree (Opening Day) is part of a series of posts about Tokyo Sky Tree.  To read more, please head over to 

Information:

Tokyo Sky Tree Lighting Information:  http://www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/archive/design/lighting.html
Where you can see Tokyo Sky Tree:  http://www.1101.com/skytree/index.html


Tokyo Dome City

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Tokyo Dome

Tokyo Dome City is an amusement area around Tokyo Dome. Tokyo Dome itself was opened in 1988 and was a modern replacement to the previous open air stadium. It is only in one corner of the actual site itself but it is the focal point for all events within the area. Tokyo Dome is a 55,000 seat stadium that is home to the Yomiuri Giants. They are the perennial favourites in the Japan Series of baseball. They are akin to the NY Yankees or the Toronto Maple Leafs. They are the team everyone loves to hate if they aren’t a fan of the team themselves. They have a huge budget meaning they can have all of the top players on their team alone. They have won several championships and they are almost always favourites to win the championship. The dome itself is not exclusive to baseball. They hold various concerts as well as other sporting events. When there is a game or a concert, you can expect the entire Dome City to be busy as people will arrive a little early to relax and enjoy the facilities. If you are going to enjoy a concert, you had better arrive really early if you want to buy some of the concert souvenirs. They tend to open up an outdoor area for people to enter and do their shopping. It’s a great way to make money as people will line up from the early morning and people who don’t have tickets will also enter to do their shopping. This is very popular for Japanese singers as the fans tend to be a little overly crazed about buying related items.

LaQua

LaQua is situated next to Tokyo Dome on the north side and it’s the second major attraction of the area. It is a large shopping and entertainment complex that is famous for couples. Inside the complex they have a multi story shopping mall where you can find all of the typical Japanese fashion brands. The prices within each shop aren’t too expensive but they aren’t cheap either. I’d probably recommend the main plaza that can’t be missed if you are heading in from Tokyo Dome itself. It’s a big open area with two floors of mainly restaurants. There are various shops to eat in, ranging from cheap fast food to expensive luxury. It’s a great range of food, but if you are looking for something Japanese, you might have a little difficulty finding it. It’s definitely worth a look and trying Japan’s take on western food. It’s not quite right, but it’s not bad either. The main attraction for most western people has to be the amusement section. There are 3 rides inside LaQua itself. The first is the ferris wheel. It’s nothing more than your typical ferris wheel but the views of the park must be nice. The other popular attraction is the log ride, Wonder Drop, which is especially popular in the summer. Located within the plaza itself, you can take a 2 story slide into a pool of water while inside a boat. It’s your typical double slide water ride, but being inside the mall is interesting in itself. The main attraction has to be the rollercoaster, Thunder Dolphin. Thunder Dolphin itself winds its way around the entire building going through a small hole in a wall located at the corner of the main building. Many people say it’s scary due to the roughness of the ride itself and the sharp corners. I have seen many friends go on it and the reactions range from frightening to just jarring.

Pirate Ship in the east (temporary for Christmas)

If you go east of Tokyo Dome, you will come to a relatively open area. This is mainly an amusement area. There are a few baseball themed restaurants but the major attraction has to be the theme park rides. There are several “areas” for the theme park. The first is Tower Land. There are various rides that focus on heights and dropping from those heights. The main focus is the Tower Hacker which is an 80 metre tall tower where you fall from the sky. There is a children’s version as well. Splash Garden is a summer time area that focuses on children. For the teens and adults, this will be somewhat boring, but the light and easy rides make it a great adventure for kids of all ages. Parachute Land is a small area with only two rides. The easiest to see is the Skyflower where you ascend to have nice views of the area before gently floating back to the ground. Personally it looks boring to me. Geopolis is the last area with only two attractions as well. This is an indoor themed area where you play interactive games. Unfortunately, I haven’t had a chance to actually enjoy this area as I have been too busy to take a good look around, but it is fun walk around the area.

Tokyo Dome Hotel

The southern area has a high mix of buildings. In the south west corner, you have the JRA building where you can enjoy the horse races and bet on who you think will win. There is no actual racing done at Tokyo Dome, but races are televised live and it’s not uncommon to see dozens of old men lining up to buy betting tickets and reading the various odds on each horse. Within that same area are a few large buildings that are multi-purpose amusement centres. They offer entertainment such as bowling and other various sporting activities that can be accomplished indoors. Golfing and a batting cage are available, but I personally don’t see a huge point in doing that. This is a fairly typical “family amusement” area. In the central south area is the Tokyo Dome Hotel. This is just a standard hotel with various restaurants and bars inside. In reality, unless you are staying there yourself, there isn’t much to see inside. I recommend a short walk around the outside as there is a fountain on the north side that is very picturesque. On the south east corner is a small building called Meets Port. This is where you will find the most reasonable food and drinks in the entire area. If you are headed to a game or going to enjoy a concert, stopping by for something to eat and drink isn’t a bad idea. However, I’d probably stick to the JR Suidobashi Station to get cheap eats.

Christmas Lights at Tokyo Dome (2010)

Tokyo Dome City is not a one time affair. You can visit during the various seasons and get a different experience each time. I can only account for the summer and winter seasons as I have never been there during the autumn and spring seasons. In the summer, the area isn’t that different but they do have a nice beer garden located outside Tokyo Dome. It’s one of the few places where you can enjoy a nice cold beer outside. When there are games going on inside the Dome, you can usually get a nice seat for several people and just relax. Once the game ends, you can watch everyone file out of the dome. The winter time is another good time. The entire area is decorated with Christmas lights. There are a few shows as well, but depending on the year, you might be surprised with fireworks. Unfortunately, I only know that they had fireworks in 2009, but in 2010 they decided not to do it again. Being a “theme park” inside Tokyo, they do their best to change with the seasons.

 

 

Art @ Tokyo Dome City

For those who are looking to save a little money, I highly recommend going to the JR Suidobashi Station. This is located across the river from Tokyo Dome City and has a lot of cheap eats. It’s more famous for its Chinese restaurants along with other small shops. It can look a little intimidating to enter a small shop with only a few people inside, but some of them are delicious. It could be difficult to choose but just do your best.

Tokyo Dome City Information:

Tokyo Dome City Official Site (English): http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/
Tokyo Dome City Official Site (Japanese): http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/

Tokyo Dome Hotel Official Site (English): http://www.tokyodome-hotels.co.jp/e/index.html
Tokyo Dome Hotel Official Site (Japanese): http://www.tokyodome-hotels.co.jp/home/index.html

Tokyo Dome Official Site: http://www.tokyo-dome.co.jp/e/dome/
Tokyo Dome (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Dome

Yomiuri Giants Official Site (Japanese): http://www.giants.jp/top.html
Yomiuri Giants (Wikipedia): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yomiuri_Giants

このblogは英語のblog。もし私の英語は難しい、日本語のquestionは大丈夫。


Trains in Tokyo (Redux)

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Keihin Tohoku Line Troubles

Recently, I have been participating in a travel forum giving advice to various travellers who want to visit Japan. This is the Virtual Tourist forums. There are lots of people who need help with information on various locations around Japan and I do my best to provide them with as much information as needed. I don’t have all of the information, but being a resident, I have a different viewpoint compared to those who have just visited Japan. While I may have some knowledge in some things, I’m surprised by how much information travellers have, and can remember after a trip. In the last few months, I have seen people ask about transportation in Japan, and sometimes specifically about Tokyo. I have written that the Yamanote Line is one of the easiest ways to get around Tokyo, and I suggested methods to get information on how to get around Tokyo by subway. There was a major reason as to why I wrote about the subway system itself rather than the Yamanote Line. Many tourists seem to pride themselves that they can easily get around Tokyo using just the Yamanote Line, and that the JR lines are better than the subway lines. This, I think is not true and actually, the opposite is true.

Yamanote Line

The debate on which is better, Subway or JR, is something that people sometimes talk about, and people tend to have a unified voice. Of the various co-workers and students that I have talked to, the consensus is that the JR lines are worse than the subway lines. I’m not too sure why this is true, but this is just how it is. At the time of writing my post about Tokyo’s Subways, I hadn’t ridden the JR lines too often, so I didn’t have any real experience with them. Now that I have moved and lived in my current apartment for nearly a year, I can easily say which is better, and I completely agree that the subway system is much better. When we look at the morning trains, it doesn’t matter which train you take, it will be full. There really isn’t much of a difference on which company is better. However, during the day, and at night, this difference is very apparent.

 

 

 

Narita Express

The first thing you will notice is that the people are generally more courteous on the subway. When you are getting on and off the subway, it’s more common for people to get out of the way, or get off the train. People don’t tend to crowd the platforms, or crowd the doors when they get on or off. Of course, this is not always true, but this is generally true. When the trains are really full, people don’t push to get off. More often than not, they just wait till the person in front moves and then they get off. I can’t tell you how many times my heel was stepped on while exiting a JR train that wasn’t full, while in a full subway, it’s less common to get stepped on. In a worst case scenario, people push, and this has happened a lot to me. I feel that people just don’t have any patience when exiting a JR train. In the daytime, the trains are not as busy so people don’t try to push you out of the way to get out, but the subways also get better in the day as well.  It’s hard to truly explain the differences in words but if you ever get the chance to try it you will notice the difference.

 

 

Chuo Line

The crowding inside the trains is the other problem. In any train, people tend to “hang out” around the doors. On the subway, this is true, but if there are a lot of people, they tend to move into the train rather than insist that they stand at the door. It seems that people who take the JR trains need to be near the door or they won’t get out first. They NEED to get out first or else the whole world will end. At least that’s my impression. My only plausible explanation is that they need to get out and run as fast as possible to make a train connection, but at the same time, if the train is late, they won’t make it anyways.  Sometimes, there can be a lot of space around the benches and the door area will be packed, yet no one in the door area will move as they feel they won’t get out. It’s unbelievable that people would do that, but that’s life on the JR lines.

Chuo Sobu Line

The best part of riding the JR lines is the fact that it can get you to almost any location in Tokyo. There are only a few locations that can’t be accessed by the Yamanote and Chuo lines. I do recommend the JR lines when travelling in Tokyo for their ease of use. It’s a great tool, but I still prefer the subway. It’s more complicated, and you can’t use your phone as often, but at least it isn’t as busy and you will keep your sanity longer than on the JR lines.

Trains in Tokyo – Redux are my updated thoughts about the train system in Tokyo.  To read more about trains, continue to Subways of Tokyo.

このblogは英語のblog。もし私の英語は難しい、日本語のquestionは大丈夫。


Tokyo (Shiodome)

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Shiodome City Centre

Shiodome is one of the most modern looking areas of Tokyo.  It was once an old train terminal that has been redeveloped into a modern city within Tokyo.  There is no real way to describe this area, other than to say that it is awe inspiring.  There are many ways to enter the Shiodome area.  The easiest is to use the JR lines and use Shinbashi Station.  The station is located on the corner of the Shiodome area.  The station is also served by the Ginza and Asakusa lines if those are more convenient for you.  The best way to enter the area is to use the Oedo line.  The main reason to use the Oedo line is because you will start off under Shiodome.  The Oedo line’s station is located in the centre of the area and as you head up into the area, you will slowly get an idea of what Shiodome really is.  The Oedo line itself was built deep underground.  Regardless of which exit you take, you will start off with nothing more than a few hallways before you slowly make your way to the surface.  Each set of escalators will take you to the next level.  Think of it like peeling leaves off an artichoke.  You reveal more and more until you can see the entire place for all its glory.

 

Plaza in front of Nittele (This is a temporary special event)

The first layer that you will happen upon is an underground shopping complex.  Do beware that if you head in the wrong direction, you will be heading towards the residential district.  This area is not as interesting, but still worth a quick look.  You will be amazed by the vast area that you can wander that is completely underground.  Each building in the area has its own set of artwork, or something interesting to see.  Most of the buildings have their own restaurants within the basement area, and there are various shops located in the basement concourse.  Heading in the direction of “Shinbashi Station” is the easiest way to see everything, but if you do reach Shinbashi Station, you will have gone too far.  The underground area also has a few interesting plazas to see.  One of those plazas has an interesting dome object that doubles as a waterfountain.  Beware as the signs are written in Japanese with minimal English warning you of when the fountain show will begin.  The underground plazas are especially pretty in the Christmas season.  The Dentsu building, located on the north-east corner is home to an annual light display that is popular among couples during the Christmas season.  It’s common to see couples enter a small teepee shaped metal tent and press a button.  This will randomly make a set of lights turn a specific colour that coincides with their fortune.  Some couples will press it together to see if their fortune is good as a couple or not.  Obviously this is not a real indicator of luck, and everyone just enjoys it for the fun.  Generally, the lines for this attraction can be extremely long during the Christmas season.

Nittele Building

One of the more interesting things to do is to visit the Nittele Building.  This is the headquarters of Nippon Television.  They do all of their broadcasting from this building, and film various shows as well.  It’s very common to see newscasters, weathergirls, and various celebrities filming live segments for the news or morning programs.  They also hold various concerts at times with musicians of all calibers performing.  The largest concert that I have seen was one for Arashi during their annual 24 hour telethon.  They also included a 3D segment of the concert.  Like the FujiTV studios in Odaiba, the Nittele studio also has various activities throughout the year in a concourse near the station.  It’s a great way to check out some of the television culture while you are there.  If you want to get on TV, it’s best to arrive in the morning as they always have segments being filmed throughout the complex.  If you aren’t interested in the Nittele building, it’s still a great place to visit for the building and architecture around it.

Miyazaki's Clock

If you make your way up to the Yurikamome Station from the Nittele Building, you will be taken to a sky walkway.  The route to access this walkway, next to the Nittele Building, is a set of long escalators which provide a view of the central complex.  It is also a lot of fun to ride up and down the escalators due to their length.  If it’s busy, it isn’t as much fun as you can’t really play on it and take fun pictures.  At the top of the escalators, you will be able to see one of Hayao Miyazaki’s works.  He designed a large clock that performs every hour.  If you have ever seen one of his films, you will easily recognize his style of art within this clock itself.  It can be a little busy during the performance, so get there a few minutes before to get the best viewing locations.  Do note that it’s best to go during office hours as there are less people watching the show.  Once you reach the sky walkway area, you will be presented with a maze of walkways.  All of the walkways connect the various buildings high above the street.  Glass walls were built into the walkways to protect you from falling, or prevent you from jumping onto the street below.  There aren’t many support beams to block your view, so you’ll be able to see everything that’s around you.  The best time to visit the walkway is at night.  Once the sun goes down, fluorescent lights turn on giving the area a futuristic feel.  You cannot imagine the different tone the area takes up when things are dark.

JRA (Horse Racing) building. You can bet and watch races here on TV screens.

Shiodome is a very interesting and futuristic looking area.  The buildings may look normal at times, but they also have a certain aesthetic that can’t be explained.  The area is very stale due to the lack of greenery, but the dynamism of the area is unique and intriguing.  Like any other area of Tokyo, the area has two different sides, if not three.  There’s the daytime, the nighttime, and the overnight side.  In the day, things are bustling with people moving from A to B.  The TV studio is running at full blast producing morning shows, and the shops are open.  At night, people rush home or head to the bars.  The atmosphere is a little quieter, and things look extremely different.  Overnight, the area is deserted.  You can walk around and not see anyone, although this is rare.  It can almost feel like a ghost town.  I wouldn’t recommend staying overnight in the area as there aren’t many people around.  Enjoy it during the day and at night, but return home by your last train.  If you did get stuck, get out and head over to Shinbashi.  They have a lot more happening all night.

Shiodome Information:

Wikitravel:  http://wikitravel.org/en/Tokyo/Shiodome
Shiodome’s Official Site:  http://www.sio-site.or.jp/index2.html

このblogは英語のblog。もし私の英語は難しい、日本語のquestionは大丈夫。


Tokyo (Akihabara – For the Civilized)

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Electric Town

Akihabara Electric Town is a well known tourist spot in Tokyo.  Its claim to fame would have to be the electronics shops, comic book shops, and video game shops.  The area is best understood when you look at the station itself.  There are two major train lines that form a cross.  This is the starting point for almost every visitor to Akihabara.  Looking at the map, you can see that most of the shops are located to the north-west of the station.  The south-west corner is still a good place to visit, and the east has recently grown in popularity.  The main street, Chuo-dori, is sometimes closed to allow people to walk freely, and to reduce crowding, but due to an attack that killed several people, this may not be happening anymore.  Thankfully, this area is still relatively safe.  There is no need to really worry about getting injured or having your money stolen, but as with any place in the world, just be careful.

Yodobashi Camera

The east side of the station has only one point of interest, Yodobashi Camera.  This is a large electronics retailer that opened in 2005.  It is their largest single building shop with 7 floors of electronics goodness.  There is also a restaurant floor and a golf centre with its own driving range on top of the main electronics floors.  It is very easy to spend a full day in this shop, hence the caveat to be aware of time.  The main floor comprises mostly of mobile goods, such as mobile phones and netbooks.  For most people, heading up is your best bet.  If there is anything you ever wanted, this is the place to go.  They can do duty free for many items, but be aware, that as with most shops, you usually have to spend over 10,000 Yen in order to get a reduction in taxes.  People must also be aware that almost all products sold will be geared towards Japanese people.  Finding goods with English menus will be difficult, if not impossible for many items.  Warranties are also limited to Japan, but this shouldn’t discourage you from purchasing something.  You can always find good things here.  For those looking for a great deal on a new camera, or PC parts, you may be in for a sad surprise.  Prices are not cheaper here.  Yodobashi is a major electronics retailer, so they do not always provide the cheapest prices, and you can always visit one of the other branches or even the other shops to get a comparable price.

Side streets of Akihabara

On the west side of the station, you will find the true heart of Akihabara.  This is where the original Electric Town was located.  Unfortunately, due to the arrival of Yodobashi Camera, things have changed.  Many, if not all, of the small shops that used to occupy the central Electric Town has left.  Under the railway tracks, the ones that head east and west have almost all left.  The area is also undergoing renovations to “modernize” the area and bring about a cleaner feel.  When I first arrived in Japan, I was able to walk through the tight cramped corridors under the station and buy almost any piece of electronic hardware I wanted.  Switches, lights, cables, batteries and anything that used a battery was sold.  The prices weren’t extremely cheap, but very reasonable.  You could walk into the area, spend 20 minutes shopping, and have everything you needed to build your own radio or more if you had the talent.  Today, we can only see shops such as Laox and Ishimaru.  They are the last famous electronics shops in the area.  If you do go to Akihabara, you can usually skip both Laox and Ishimaru as they generally have the same electronics.  However, if you enjoy manga and anime, these shops do have various character goods for sale.  You can also head to Radio Kaikan which is the main centre for anime goods.  All of these shops are located between the station and Chuo-dori.

Chuo-dori in Akihabara

The area located between Chuo-dori and Akihabara Station is a very safe place for tourists.  You don’t have to worry too much about speaking Japanese, and the staff is generally friendly.  As you head farther away from the station, further east and further north, you will find the shops will speak less and less English.  The area bounded by Chuo-dori, the JR tracks, and Suehirocho Station in the north, is a very interesting area where you can somewhat experience the old style of Akihabara.  The area near the JR tracks still has a foreigner friendly feel, but one block north will present you with shops that can sell almost anything.  If you are looking for PC parts, this is the area for you.  You can see all of the various peripherals that you could imagine, but do be aware that many of them can also be found around the world.  Then, you have Mandrake.  This is a big black building that can be easy to find if you know where to look.  It’s the only big black building in the area.  This is similar to the same shop that is located in Nakano.  They specialize in the second hand trade of anime and game goods.  You can find various old video games, anime characters, videos, and costumes.  It can be a little scary if you venture into the wrong floor.

With all of this information, you could spend an entire day shopping in Akihabara.  It’s a nice place, but everything mentioned so far is quite tame.  In my next post, I will talk about the eccentricities of Akihabara and a little about the changes that have been happening over the last few years.

The Akihabara series continues with Akihabara – For the Eccentric and Akihabara – Redux.

Akihabara Information:

Wikipedia:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akihabara
Wikitravel:  http://wikitravel.org/en/Tokyo/Akihabara
Japan Guide:  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3003.html
Official Site (English): http://www.e-akihabara.jp/en/index.htm
Official Site (Japanese):  http://www.e-akihabara.jp/ja/index.htm
Free Akihabara Tours:  http://akihabara-tour.com/en/
Akihabara Map:  http://www.e-akihabara.jp/en/map.htm
Commercial Site:  http://www.akiba.or.jp/english/index.html

このblogは英語のblog。もし私の英語は難しい、日本語のquestionは大丈夫。


Narita to Tokyo

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Nippori Station

Arriving at Narita Airport can be a daunting challenge.  Not only will you probably be tired, if you don’t speak Japanese, it can be a small challenge to find out how to get into the city itself.  Unless you are rich, taxis are not an option.  There are three main routes into Tokyo.  The first is the Airport Limousine.  The second is to take a train, which has two options.  The simplest has to be the Airport Limousine.  When you exit the arrivals gate, you can usually find the Airport Limousine counter on the main floor.  There are several locations in both terminals.  It’s as simple as saying which hotel you want to go to, or what station.  The Airport Limousine goes to many destinations throughout Tokyo and Yokohama.  It’s also the most convenient way to get to Haneda Airport.  Do note that due to traffic, all times are estimates.  You can be severely delayed if traffic is horrible.

The safest way to get into the city is to use one of two rail companies.  The most popular for tourists is to use the JR Lines.  Using the regular lines is not popular for JR.  It is expensive and slow.  You will more than likely have to change trains at least once, maybe up to three times depending on your destination.  The easiest route is to take the Narita Express.  In fact, they have recently released a new train that makes things more comfortable.  They offer secure locks for your luggage and plugs for your laptop in each row.  Unfortunately, these are not available at all times.  The main advantage of the Narita Express is the number of destinations.  You can go as far as Ofuna, Takao, and Omiya without getting out.  However, most trains will only run from Narita Airport to Yokohama or Ikebukuro.  These trains usually de-couple at Tokyo Station.  Don’t be too afraid of connecting trains if you are headed to Ikebukuro.  If the train only goes to Shinjuku, it’s very simple to change platforms and get to Ikebukuro faster than if you wait.  The Narita Express doesn’t run too often, so it’s best to take the first one you can get, unless you have too many bags.

Narita Express @ Tokyo Station

The cheapest route to Tokyo is to take the Keisei lines.  Their rapid service takes roughly 71 minutes to get to Tokyo, and their Skyliner service takes about 51 minutes.  The Rapid service costs roughly 1000 yen, which makes this a budget travellers dream.  If you want a good balance between cost and comfort, the Skyliner is one of your best bets.  The biggest problem with the Keisei service is choice.  You have your choice of Nippori and Ueno as destinations.  If you are headed to a hostel in Asakusa, this line is perfect.  If you are headed to Shinjuku, this route may not be your ideal choice, but it is a cheaper alternative at relatively the same time.  It’s just not as convenient.  However, as of July 2010, the service will be upgraded and the time will be cut by 15 minutes making this a more popular route in the near future.  The new service will be called the “Sky Access”.  It will feature brand new trains with a new local service being introduced as well.

Regarding what to take and how to get there, that’s your choice.  By far, the cheapest is the Keisei lines.  The most convenient would be the Airport Limousine, if they offer service to your hotel.  The Narita Express offers a very competitive service, but it is a little expensive overall.  In terms of locals, unless your company is paying for it, most people will take the Keisei lines.

Narita to Tokyo has been updated with Narita to Tokyo (Revisited).  To read more and get all of the details on how to get from Narita Airport to Central Tokyo as of 2012, please continue reading:

Information:

Narita Airport:  http://www.narita-airport.jp/en/
Airport Limousine:  http://www.limousinebus.co.jp/en/
Narita Express:  http://www.jreast.co.jp/e/nex/index.html
Keisei Skyliner:  http://www.keisei.co.jp/keisei/tetudou/skyliner/us/

このblogは英語のblog。もし私の英語は難しい、日本語のquestionは大丈夫。