Planet Tokyo News
- Japanese Summer Vacation
July 15, 2008
Schools in Japan break for summer holidays at the end of July. Kids go back to school after summer vacation at the end of August. As a result, Japanese children only have four weeks of summer holidays, as opposed to the US where they have 12 weeks. Universities also follow this schedule, but with six weeks off in the summer. In addition, university students have another four to six-week holiday in the springtime. These two long holidays together give Japanese college students the same amount of holidays as American college students.
« read more » - Free Guide Services
July 1, 2008
Japan can be a difficult place to get around if you don’t speak Japanese. If you stick to the big cities, you’ll have no problems as information in English is available, but for anyone who wants to get off the beaten track a bit, you just might want a guide who can communicate in English, show you around town to some of the sights and take you to a regional restaurant known for it’s local specialty.
« read more » - Japan’s Rainy Season
June 16, 2008
From the beginning of June to mid-July is “tsuyu” Japan’s rainy season. However, it is a misnomer in some ways. Most Japanese agree that the rainy season used to be a far more significant event than it is now, mainly due to global warming. The rain isn’t as heavy or frequent as it used to be. Sometimes it hardly rains at all during the rainy season.
« read more » - Should you visit Yasukuni shrine?
June 1, 2008
A recent visitor to Japan told me that she had an uneasy feeling visiting Yasukuni shrine as a foreigner. She reported that there were very few Japanese people there, especially considering it was a public holiday, a time when most shrines and temples in Japan are overflowing with temple tourists. “Not only that, it was kind of eerie and sad,” she said.
« read more » - Favorite Haunts
May 16, 2008
Recently, there has been an increased interest in Japanese people visiting haunted places. Where are these places? Below are some of the creepiest places in Japan. What makes them so scary? Why not go find out for yourself?!
« read more » - Japan's Swimming Season
May 4, 2008
People often ask me when the swimming season is in Japan. This is difficult question because nearly every beach and pool opens at a different time.
Beaches
The swimming season officially starts when the Shinto priest holds Umi Biraki (opening of the sea) ceremony. In this ceremony, the priest purifies the sea and water, making it safe to swim. Where I live, on an island in Western Japan, Umi Biraki is always held on the first Sunday in July, which seems a little late for a public swimming beach, but the crowds start coming only after this.
« read more » - Planning for Golden Week
April 15, 2008
Golden week, from the end of April to the beginning of May, is one of the biggest travel times of the year for Japanese people. It’s called Golden Week because several national holidays line up during this period and, together with a weekend on both side, means many people can take the entire week off, if not longer.
« read more » - Arm Chair O-hanami
April 10, 2008
Pink is the only color you’re going to see for the next few weeks while it is cherry blossom season in Japan. The good news is that even if you’re not in Japan, you can still do quite a bit of arm-chair cherry blossom viewing. So put your rose-colored glasses on and let’s start some virtual cherry blossom hunting!
« read more » - Baggage Courier Services
March 17, 2008
One thing you’ll notice while you are travelling through Japan is that the Japanese never seem to have any luggage. You’ll meet Japanese people travelling all over Japan by train, but they’re not schlepping around large suitcases through train stations, up and down stairs and through train car aisles. No, the Japanese are too smart for this.
« read more » - Benefits of a falling yen
March 4, 2008
The Japanese yen and the US dollar are losing ground on the world market. The Euro and the Australian dollar are getting stronger. What does this mean to you as a traveler to Japan?
« read more » - Get a short-term job in Japan!
February 15, 2008
Many people dream of living and working in Japan for a year. It used to be that the only way to get a job in Japan was through English teaching. But these days things are different.
« read more » - Bean throwing
January 31, 2008
Go into any convenience store or supermaket in Japan now and you will see displays of devil masks and dried soybeans. Pick up a set (they’re sold together) and get ready for the annual bean throwing ceremony! Held every year on Setsubun (Feb. 3), the last day of winter according to the lunar calendar, bean-throwing ceremonies take place all over Japan in private homes, and also temples and shrines. The ceremony dates back to to the Muromachi Period (1333-1568), and the purpose is to drive evil away for the next year.
« read more » - Take the Udon Tour
January 16, 2008
It's wintertime in Japan, so why not treat yourself to an "udon tsooa" (udon tour)! Udon, the thick, chewy Japanese noodles made from wheat flour, are a favorite winter food and it is not uncommon for the Japanese people to make a day of eating udon. These self guided tours are really just hopping from restaurant to restaurant eating bowl after bowl of udon.
« read more » - Japan and the Chinese calendar
January 2, 2008
Akemashite omedetou gozaimasu! Happy New Year! And welcome to the year of the rat. If you were born in 1912, 1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, you were born in the year of the rat on the Chinese calendar. The Japanese also use the Chinese animal zodiac, so right now in Japan, people are preparing for the year of the rat. What kind of a year will it be?
« read more » - Christmas Illuminations
December 15, 2007
Christmas is celebrated in Japan with pretty decorations and sparkling lights. And lots of them. Large displays of lights, called "Illuminations" are found throughout Japan in small cities as well as the larger ones. The larger cities bring in well-known designers from around the world to create original displays. Don't pass up these displays if you are traveling Japan during the Christmas holidays.
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