On a satellite image of the Earth at night, there is no brighter spot. Greater Tokyo, home to an astonishing 35 million people, is by far the biggest urban area on the planet.
Just a few meters from the main Tokyo train station, the new Shangri-La Tokyo is like a welcome oasis for the weary traveler. An escape from the hustle and bustle of downtown Tokyo, it is a place where one is welcomed by warm hotel staff and surrounded by the elegant ambiance synonymous with the Shangri-La experience.
The world's tallest tower and Japan's biggest new landmark, the Tokyo Skytree, opened to the public on Tuesday. Nearly 8,000 visitors were expected to take high-speed elevators up to the observation decks of the 634-meter (2,080-foot) tower to mark its opening. Some reportedly waited in line more than a week to get the coveted tickets for a panoramic view, though Tuesday ended up being cloudy in Tokyo.
Tokyo has regained the unenviable title of the world's most expensive city for expatriates, while the eurozone crisis has made many European cities cheaper according to a survey published Tuesday.
After a Sunday afternoon at Tsutaya, one of Tokyo’s popular bookstores, my friend and I were about to part ways when he insisted I stop by at Ginza. Ginza on a Sunday is a must-see for any tourist because the roads are closed to transportation, turning the wide swath of concrete into a walking and picnic area for the residents of the city.
Before becoming the first Filipino to be accepted into Japan’s Vantan Design Institute, designer Johann Manas didn’t want to jinx the whole thing, so he kept it a secret, even from his own family.
Rabrindranath Tagore once said that each country had its inner geography where her spirit dwells. I imagine that this geography is shaped, then defined by narratives which embody a people’s views of themselves.
Oh, Tokyo. You have earned my lifelong reverence. Your warm welcome (and toilet bowl seats); your culture of respect for labor and laborers; your intricate attention to detail from subway murals to sushi. You are a most beautiful balance of yin and yang, hot and cold, timeless beauty and radical creativity.
In 2005, three months after the deadly tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people in 14 countries, I was sent to Thailand to cover its relief and recovery efforts.
Plan your summer wardrobe with looks inspired by Japanese street fashion, and it couldn’t get more legit than with Miss Japan 2008 Hiroko Mima as model
