Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD OCTOBER 08. 2026Capybara Cafe: The Stillness Between Squeaks by Olivia
I work at a capybara cafe in Tokyo. People always assume it’s like living in a Ghibli movie: soft lighting, gentle plushy creatures, time passing slowly, maybe a cup of matcha in hand while a capybara naps in your lap. And yes, sometimes it is. But there are things you don’t learn from books or Instagram reels.
Capybaras, unlike their relatives, guinea pigs or chinchillas, aren’t small or soft. When you touch them, it’s like brushing your hand across a broom left in the sun, dry, coarse, and wiry. In winter, they build up static electricity, so when you pet them, there’s a tiny spark. They don’t flinch. You do.
Capybaras are creatures of habit. They like their routine, their spots, their order. If breakfast is late, they don’t grumble; they chirp. High, birdlike sounds that are oddly polite and gentle. It’s like, “Excuse me, we noticed. We’re being very patient. But also, where is our cabbage?”
Capybaras love fresh grass and often bicker about it. One will steal grass (or pellets) from under another’s nose, and the offended party will squeak in protest, then chase them. But they always settle back into a warm, messy pile, as if nothing happened. As highly social animals, even when they’re annoyed, they would rather be together than alone.
They have a way of making you slow down. You can’t rush a capybara. You can only sit near them, breathe a little deeper, and wait. Sometimes, if you’re lucky, one will lean against you; not for affection, but because you’re warm and still and part of the landscape now. Or because you can pat their belly!
People often tell me that I have a dream job. I smile and nod, because it’s easier than explaining that dreams, like capybaras, are heavier than they look, a little scratchy up close, and prone to unexpected moods.
One afternoon, a very suntanned and very friendly guest from California came in. He spent almost an hour quietly observing the capybaras, barely speaking. When it was time to leave, he stood up, turned to each capybara in turn, and bowed deeply, palms pressed together like he was at a karate match. “Thank you,” he said to each one. “Thank you. Thank you.” The capybaras blinked at him, unimpressed. But I think they understood.
私は東京のカピバラカフェで働いている。みんな、ここがまるでジブリ映画の世界みたいだと思い込む。柔らかな照明、愛らしいふわふわの生き物たち、ゆっくりと流れる時間……ひょっとすると、膝の上でカピバラが昼寝をしている横で、抹茶を片手に過ごすような光景を想像するかもしれない。確かに、そういう時もあるけれど、本やインスタグラムのリールでは知ることのできない現実もある。
カピバラは、近縁種のモルモットやチンチラとは違って、小さくて柔らかいわけではない。触ると、まるで天日干しされたほうきに手を滑らせているような感じ。 乾いて、ざらざらしており、針金のように硬いのだ。冬になると静電気が溜まるので、撫でると小さな火花が飛ぶ。カピバラはぴくりともしないが、人間の方がびくっとする。
カピバラは習慣を重んじる生き物だ。彼らは決まったルーティンや居場所、秩序を好む。朝食が遅れても、不平を言うことはなく、さえずる。その声は鳥のような甲高い音で、不思議なほど礼儀正しく穏やかだ。まるで「すみません、気づいてしまいました。私たちはとても辛抱強く待っています。キャベツはどこですか？」と言っているかのようだ。
カピバラは新鮮な草が大好きで、そのことでよく口論になる。一匹が別の個体の目の前で草（あるいはペレット）を横取りすると、被害を受けた個体は抗議の鳴き声を上げ、追いかける。しかし、彼らはいつも、まるで何もなかったかのように、温かくごちゃごちゃした群れの中に再び落ち着く。非常に社会的な動物であるため、たとえイライラしていても、一人でいるよりは一緒にいることを好むのだ。
カピバラは、自然とあなたのペースを緩めてくれる存在だ。カピバラを急かすことはできない。ただ彼らのそばに座り、少し深く息を吸い込んで、待つしかない。運が良ければ、時折、一匹があなたに寄りかかってくることもある。それは愛情からではなく、あなたが温かく、じっとしていて、今や風景の一部になっているからだ。あるいは、お腹を撫でてあげるからかもしれない！
よく「夢のような仕事をしているね」と言われる。私は微笑んでうなずく。というのも、「夢」を説明するより、楽だからだ。「夢」というのは、カピバラのように、見た目より重く、近くで見ると少しチクチクして、予期せず、機嫌を損ねてしまう。
ある日の午後、カリフォルニアから来た、日焼けしたとても気さくなお客様が来店した。彼は1時間近く、ほとんど言葉を交わすことなく、静かにカピバラたちを観察していた。帰る時間になると、彼は立ち上がり、カピバラたち一人ひとりに順番に向き直り、まるで空手の試合のように両手を合わせて深くお辞儀をした。「ありがとう」と彼は一頭一頭に言った。「ありがとう。ありがとう。」カピバラたちは、特に感心した様子もなく、彼をじっと見つめていた。でも、きっと彼らは理解していたと思う。
Plain Talk
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback OCTOBER 09. 2015Pet Protocols in Japan by Gene Pelc
Autumn in Japan is beautiful. When the daylight becomes shorter and the weather gets colder, the plants are preparing for winter. Trees gradually change from green to flames of red and yellow. The autumnal changing of colors in nature is called “Ko-yo” in Japanese. It comes down from North to South and mountain to town. November is the best season to see Ko-yo in the Tama area in Tokyo. Going for a walk is fun because we can see the changing of autumn colors. Even though there aren’t many popular autumn color viewing spots, you can find signs of autumn in many places. Let’s go out!
Early November
The mountains were changing from deep green to include patches of red and yellow day by day. Many hikers were waiting for a bus to mountain areas at Musashi Itsukaichi station. Their hiking gear was really colorful. These long multicolored lines of people also remind me that the Ko-yo is coming.
Mid November
I went for a walk near my house, and found an ivy vine hedge. When I saw it from a distance, I thought the leaves were smooth and brownish green. I drew close and reached for one. I realized it was rough and had many spots, like an elderly woman’s skin. “Can I see you again?” I asked her in my mind and gently released her from my hand.
A week later, I went there to see the ivy leaves again. On my way, I saw many ivy vines winding around the tree trunks. The leaves were dense and had some color: green, yellow and orange, as if the trees were wearing lovely coats. My hope of meeting the ivy vine hedge again increased but the leaves had disappeared. The owner must have trimmed the hedge clean. The remains of the brown vines hung from the grey body of the hedge, like thin and bony fingers.
Late November
The morning sunshine embraced my back warmly, even as the north wind struck my face. I took a deep breath in acknowledgement of the ending autumn. The cold air went through my body. It was rather a winter flavor.
日本の秋は美しい。日が短く寒い季節なると、植物は冬を迎える準備をする。木々は緑色から少しずつ燃えるような赤や黄色に変わる。秋に葉が色付くことを日本語で“紅葉”と言う。紅葉は北から南へ、山から街へと進んでいく。東京の多摩地域は、11月が紅葉を見るのに一番いい時期である。散歩に出かけると、秋の色の変化を見ることができて楽しい。特別な紅葉スポットでなくても、秋の気配を色々な所で見つけることができる。さあ、外に出よう。
11月初旬
山は深い緑色から、日ごとに赤や黄色の継ぎはぎ模様が足されていく。武蔵五日市駅では、多くの登山者が山へ向かうバスを待っている。彼らの装備はとてもカラフルだ。彼らの多彩な列もまた、私に紅葉シーズンの到来を気付せてくれる。
11月中旬
私は家の近所を散歩し、ツタの生垣を見つけた。遠くからツタを見たとき、葉は茶色がかった緑でツルツルしているように見えた。近づいて１枚の葉に触れてみた。葉にはたくさんのシミがありザラザラしていて、おばあさんの肌のようだった。“また今度会えるかな？”私は心の中で尋ね、ゆっくり彼女から手を離した。
１週間後、私は再びツタの葉を見に行った。途中、木々の幹にたくさんのツタが巻きついているのを見た。緑、黄、オレンジ色のツタの葉が密集し、木はかわいらしいコートを着ているかのようだった。生垣のツタに再会する期待が高まったが、ツタの葉は消えていた。持主が生垣をきれいに刈り込んだに違いない。ツタの残りが、塀に垂れ下がっていた。それらは、細くて骨ばった指のようだった。
11月下旬
北風が私の顔に突き刺すが、朝の陽射しが私の背中を暖かく包んでくれる。私は秋の終わりを感じるため、大きく深呼吸をした。冷たい空気が私の体を通り抜けた。どちらかというと、冬の気配がした。
Unfinished business
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MAY 17. 2019Farewell to a Japan Jazz Icon by David Gregory
The messages from all over Japan read aloud during the service helped us realize how widely Koyama-san touched lives and how many like us were feeling something newly missing from our worlds. But, although wonderful and sometimes saddening us, they did not trigger crying. That happened next.
Those first few notes of the "'Round About Midnight" Miles Davis version, the cut Koyama-san always used to open Jazz Tonight, performed by a live piano and trumpet duo up front near the coffin, did it: Instant recognition, recollections, sighs around the room, eyes closed, arms crossed, heads dropped back or down, and tears, at least for me. How many times had we heard, after Miles breathed his somber opening, Koyama-san's low, raspy voice welcoming us into the studio with, "Minna-san, gokigen ikaga desho-ka everybody, how are you feeling?"?and never thought that someday we would hear him ask about us no more?
Koyama-san's widow, whom, like him, had never known me, stood alone at the coffin head and bowed in silence to everyone in turn after they placed flowers around his body as the duo continued with another slow number, the trumpet sounding so strong and crisp and unusual in a memorial service hall. After we placed our flowers, she responded to my hand on her shoulder, a touch just meant to console her, by immediately turning and reaching for me?a total stranger?burying her head in my chest, and breaking down. She needed that hug that everybody sometimes needs. She let go after her respite when she was ready to face the coffin and everyone else again, and returned to her position. Going to Kashiwa in a snowstorm was worth it just for those few moments when I could do something for her.
So our Kashiwa day was both sad and good. But, why did I even want to go a funeral for a man whom I only knew by voice, and who, although linked to jazz, was not even a musician?
Koyama-san and his Jazz Tonight program I listened to since at least the early 2000s. For more than sixteen years, while my life in Japan has been filled with huge uncertainties, he has been here Saturday nights on the radio, reliable, keeping me connected to the world's music and opening my ears to music from Japan I would not know without him. Listening to him always made me feel good, no matter what had happened in my life during the week or what was coming up in the weeks ahead. Koyama-san and Jazz Tonight were my respite. How well can I replace that comfort?
Koyama-san, thank you for helping this foreigner feel good in Japan. Please rest well in jazz heaven.
NHK Radio, thank you for giving Koyama-san a way to connect with us. Please encourage other DJs to continue doing what he did so well.
To Koyama-san's surviving family members: Please care well for yourselves now, and thank you for supporting and sharing Kiyoshi with us.
The Smallest Box by David Gregory
She came over to my table and asked if I remembered her.
“That’s my boyfriend over there.”
Their table hugged a pillar blocking the sunny Tokyo Bay view enjoyed by the other customers that afternoon in Chiba’s AquaRink ice skating facility café.
“Maybe we will marry next year.”
On my way out, I stopped to congratulate the potential groom to be. What I later heard happened with Hiromi and Hiroshi that night at another place also close to the bay sounded so too good to be true that I visited that place to confirm it really happened. It did.
Hiroshi had reserved for the course menu that night at OCEAN TABLE, next to Chiba Port, on the second floor, where tables sat by the huge windows facing Chiba Port Tower and Tokyo Bay. No view-blocking pillars there. And they had a wait, even with their reservation, because it was Christmas Eve, which in Japan matters much more than the following day; the Eve is the year’s couples’ night out, and single women without dates that night can feel their whole year was wasted.
Hiroshi had changed into a suit after skating, and had urged Hiromi, against her protests about overdressing, into a plaid one-piece, raising expectations. They had never come to a place this nice, one requiring reservations. Saizeriya was more their speed: fast faux-Italian, cheap, and everywhere.
The unexpected wait made Hiroshi antsy. He relaxed and all was perfect after they were seated.
They talked. They ate the Christmas Dinner courses. They ignored the soft Christmas background music. They admired the gleaming, golden Christmas Tree rising from the first-floor buffet area through the open center space across from their table. They could see outside the sparkling flashes and half the tree in Port Tower’s Christmas Illumination, and beyond, the lights from the ships on and facilities around Tokyo Bay, appearing almost twinkling. Perfect—but not for Hiromi.
She went to the toilet. Still he had not asked. The day was done. The reservation system only allowed them two hours there. They had been together all day. He had remembered her birthday-just by coincidence, also that day-with a necklace at AquaRink. Nice, but was that all? He had pestered her since early December about what Christmas present she wanted until she had finally exploded with, “Nothing! Don’t you know I just want a proposal?!” And had added she wanted it to be a surprise. Here he had the perfect chance, and he was wasting it.
She could try enjoying what was left of the evening. Dessert was next. At least here was better than Saizeriya….She was still stuck when she returned to the table, and had no chance to do or say anything, anyway. It was his toilet turn.
Their desserts came. Hiromi sat and waited and pondered the future. Outside, the tower stood alone against the dark sky and Tokyo Bay’s inky darkness.
Their desserts waited. Maybe his tooth was bothering him again. Maybe he was just tolerating it to make the night go well. Maybe for her. Maybe she should go to check on him. Wait-maybe she just heard his voice across the room.
No, only Santa Claus, posing for photographs with diners at the far table. He then started circling the room, giving a small present from his big sack at each table. She could check after he was done.
Hiroshi still had not returned to his seat when Santa reached their table. He handed Hiromi a big, red stocking, by far the room’s largest gift, accompanied by a squeaky, “Atari! You’re a lucky one!” Yeah. She set it aside and Santa moved on. What was he still doing in the toilet?
Santa finished his round, returned to Hiromi, and pointed at her unopened stocking with squeaky, “Un! Un!” grunts. The other diners had opened their presents. She forced a smile and said she was waiting for her boyfriend to return. “Un! Un!”
When Hiromi still resisted, Santa took the stocking in his white-gloved hands and opened it himself. Out first came a big, pink box, heart shaped. He opened that and pulled out another heart-shaped box, and then, from inside that, another heart-shaped box. Another smaller, heart-shaped box followed. He removed from that an even smaller heart-shaped box, and thrust it to Hiromi with one more squeaky, “Un!”
Still gone. Well, he’d miss it. Hiromi obeyed Santa this time and opened it, the smallest box in the room …and her mind and face went blank.
After that frozen moment passed, Hiromi looked at Santa. The second shock hit, and more followed. Santa Claus had ripped off his gloves, furry hat, sunglasses, and huge, flowing beard. He took the box from her?she was still speechless?dropped onto one knee, held the open box out and up to her in both stretching hands, and said in a voice loud enough for everyone in the room to hear, “Hiromi-san, boku-to kekkon shite kudasai! Hiromi, please marry me!”
Outside, to anybody looking, Port Tower’s Christmas Illumination still flashed, and the lights on and around Tokyo Bay still appeared almost twinkling. Inside OCEAN TABLE, on the second floor, everything was happening so fast that Hiromi just did not know which was more difficult to believe: Hiroshi and the ring he first tried slipping onto the finger on her right hand, the one he had taken in his before she held out her left hand, or the following PAN! and PAN! PAN! PAN! PAN! PAN! and PAN! PAN! and PAN! explosions ripping and ribbons shooting around the room as diners at the floor’s other tables popped the party crackers they had found with the notes in their presents from Santa Claus.
Copyright © 2018 David L. Gregory All rights reserved.
I Did It! by David Gregory
She had been here before. But, those were tour-guided or hand-held visits. After living most of her life in white-bread suburban USA, driving everywhere, shopping in giant malls and supermarkets, and needing only one currency and one language, my mother ventured out on her own, within and beyond Chiba, during one trip to Japan. From her notes, here are Dorothy's...
ADVENTURES IN JAPAN
Grocery Shopping in Neighborhood―Walk five blocks...buy only one bag...walk five blocks back. Survived it!
Shopping in City Center―Walk six blocks to bus stop. Ride bus fifteen minutes. Arrive at stores. Walk around. Look. Decide: cookies.
Buying: “Ikura desu-ka how much?” Hmm. “Kakimasu kudasai write please.”
Paying options: give large bill, let clerk figure change, or open change purse, let clerk take out correct amount. Decide to just give some cash.
Clerk shakes her head (“NO! MORE!”), then counts out correct amount needed from register and shows me. I mimic her action from my change purse. Smiles! Deep bows with many, “Arigato gozaimasu thank you very much!”-es.
(My error: thought there was decimal point in Yen price....)
Open cookies, expecting pirouettes with chocolate centers. Instead, peanut butter waffle rolls, no chocolate. No wonder, now I see peanut sketch on package. “Shoganai can’t be changed,” I did it to myself. It could have been worse!
~~~
Travelling to Visit Friend’s Family on Other Side of Chiba―Walk ten blocks to train. Purchase ticket. Electronic lady on ticket machine screen says, “Arigato gozaimasu” and bows. Ride train twenty minutes, watching for correct stop, get off, walk seven blocks to house. I did it myself!
Visiting Hisae Overnight―My Japanese study partner in USA returned to Japan, now lives on other side of Tokyo Bay.
Take large purse and large tote bag with jacket, nightie, toothbrush, cosmetics. Walk six blocks to bus stop. Ride bus to train station. Ride train eighty minutes to Yokohama. Find correct exit from station. EASY. Did not even look at note in pocket explaining route and Japanese signs. And, look! Hisae and three-year old Kei are waiting! “Hello!” they say! Many hugs!
I did it!
Then, still more travel: train together fifteen minutes, short taxi uphill to lovely apartment, sunny and bright.
Returning to Chiba, just reverse process. Next time, we can meet at a station halfway in between. I can do it.
I can do it!
Copyright (C) 2015 David Gregory. All rights reserved. Chiba, Japan
Book Review
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD MAY 11 2018Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami
by Rey Ventura Reviewed by Randy Swank video maker and scriptwriter Rey Ventura won the 2015 National Book Award for his third collection of essays, Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami, but for some strange twist of fate you will find very little information on this book. You can’t even buy it on Amazon. This is a shame because Cherry Blossoms... is a beautiful, insightful and thought-provoking book. |
Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami |
In "Miniskirts and Stilettos" we meet Ginto, a young lady who comes to Japan dreaming of making it big as a singer and entertainer but has to deal instead with a much darker reality; while "Mr. Suzuki Tries Again" and "Into the Snow Country" are tragicomic tales of arranged marriages where the dreams and expectations of bride-starved farmers from Japan's Deep North clash with those of young Filipino women who want to escape their poverty and go into marriage "as a girl goes into a convent." Ventura tells these stories with a great eye for detail and manages to find a ray of light even in the darkest corners, or poetry in the midst of a nuclear disaster. The book's first essay is called "The Slow Boat to Manila" and indeed, slowness is the first word that comes to mind when considering Ventura's approach to writing. Everything Ventura does is slow. He is no magazine reporter after all, and will spend days or even months getting to know a person he wants to write about. That's the kind of personal commitment and deep connection with his subject that one feels when reading his essays. |
Tokyo Fab
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD OCTOBER 09, 2026
Takadanobaba Yabusame
Step into feudal Japan at the Takadanobaba Yabusame, a spectacular display of horseback archery held each autumn in Shinjuku's Toyama Park. Organized by the nearby Ana-Hachimangu Shrine, the event revives a martial art once practiced by samurai, and it is a genuine thrill to witness up close.
Yabusame is no ordinary archery. Mounted archers thunder down a long, straight course at full gallop, drawing their bows and loosing arrows at a series of wooden targets as they race past, all while controlling the horse with their legs alone. Hitting even one target is difficult; striking all three in one run brings a huge roar from the crowd. The riders wear magnificent period hunting costumes, adding to the sense of history brought vividly to life.
The tradition dates back centuries and was historically performed as an offering to the gods, praying for peace and good harvests. Before the riding begins, you can enjoy solemn Shinto rituals and the colorful procession of archers and attendants to the course.
Held on Sports Day, it is a free and family-friendly spectacle, though the best viewing spots fill up early, so arrive in good time. Few events offer such a direct, pulse-quickening glimpse of samurai skill and spirit right in the middle of modern Tokyo.
October 12th (Mon, Sports Day), 2026 @ Tokyo, Shinjuku ― Toyama Park
https://www.anahachimanguu.jp/yabusame/
Tokyo Yosakoi
For sheer, foot-stamping energy, few autumn events rival Tokyo Yosakoi, held each October around Ikebukuro. Forming the lively dance half of Ikebukuro's famous Fukuro Matsuri, this explosive two-day festival brings together roughly 5,000 dancers from around a hundred teams, who fill the streets with color, rhythm, and non-stop motion. Yosakoi is a thrillingly modern style of Japanese dance, born in Kochi in 1954 and now wildly popular nationwide. Each team choreographs its own routine, blending traditional movements with everything from rock and pop to hip-hop, decked out in bold matching costumes. The one constant is the naruko, small wooden clappers held in each hand, whose bright clatter drives the beat as dancers surge forward in tight, dynamic formation. Teams compete across several stages and street courses around Ikebukuro Station's west side, performing with astonishing precision and stamina. The atmosphere is electric, with drums pounding, whistles blowing, and crowds cheering their favorites through to the grand finale and awards. Completely free to watch, it is one of the most accessible and exhilarating festivals in the city, perfect if you want spectacle without the crowds of Tokyo's very biggest matsuri. Simply follow the sound of the naruko, find a good spot along a course, and let the sheer energy sweep you up.
October 10th (Sat) - 11th (Sun), 2026 @ Ikebukuro Station West Exit
https://yosakoitokyo.gr.jp/yosakoi/
Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD OCTOBER 09, 2026
Onomichi [Onomichi, Hiroshima]
Clinging to a hillside above the Seto Inland Sea, Onomichi is a nostalgic maze of steep stone lanes, temples, literary cafes, and sleepy cats. Wander the Temple Walk, ride the fun retro ropeway for sweeping sea views, then browse the charming, time-worn shopping arcade below. It is also the gateway to the Shimanami Kaido, Japan's most beautiful island-hopping cycling route.
Kinosaki Onsen [Toyooka, Hyogo]
With its willow-lined canal, arched bridges, and clatter of wooden geta, Kinosaki Onsen is the quintessential Japanese hot-spring town. Guests stroll from bathhouse to bathhouse in yukata and wooden sandals, dipping into seven historic public baths scattered along the pretty streets. Add fresh winter crab and cozy inns, and this Hyogo gem feels like a timeless postcard of old Japan.
Yamadera [Yamagata, Yamagata]
Perched high on a forested mountainside in Yamagata, Yamadera is one of Japan's most breathtaking temple complexes. A climb of around 1,000 stone steps winds past towering cedar trees and weathered shrines to a lookout with jaw-dropping valley views. The poet Basho was moved to verse here. Go in autumn, when fiery foliage frames the temple halls, for pure magic.
Izumo Taisha [Izumo, Shimane]
In Shimane sits Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines. Legend says that each October, the eight million gods of Japan gather here, making it the "month without gods" everywhere else. Famed for enshrining the deity of marriage and good relationships, it draws hopeful visitors nationwide. Its colossal sacred straw ropes are an unforgettable, humbling sight.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: OCTOBER 23. 2015
A View From Tokyo tower by Jennifer Nakajima
Are you afraid of the heights? I know some people afraid of the heights known as the fear of falling ( Acrophobia) I tend to think that when you visited Tokyo Tower you'll be going to conquer your fears. The wonderful view from the Tokyo Tower was absolutely exciting as you climb higher and higher, set in the backdrop of the solid red steel construction. At the Tokyo Tower you don't use elevators to get to the observatory, the stairs are open so you can climb by yourself.
A great place to get a view of Tokyo aside from Sky Tree is "Tokyo Tower". Standing 333 meters, Tokyo Tower is 13 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. When completed in 1958 it symbolized the rebirth of Japan as a post war economic power. The tower has two observation decks, a main observatory at 150 meters and a special observatory at 250 meters. The last month of July we visited Tokyo Tower, as far away you can view the Tokyo Sky Tree and Mount Fuji on a good day, and down over the Zojoji Temple.
Tokyo Tower at night is really romantic panorama with illuminated skyscrapers, a beautiful sceneries for couple and family. That night was so perfect, you are able to feel the city and embrace that moment. Another amazing attraction is to "Meet Tawabo", a new quadrilingual tour guide robot at Tokyo Tower. This one can speak no less than four languages - Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean. Its computer monitor face appears to display a smile all the time, information about the tower and its surrounding is also shown on the screen.
We enjoyed so much at that time and we hope we will visit again Tokyo Tower by winter next time. And I hope you guys can visit the wonderful place, " Tokyo Tower".
Enjoy for adventure!
For more information about Tokyo Tower admission fees: please visit www.tokyotower.co.jp
Copyright (C) 2015 Jennifer Nakajima. All rights reserved. Ibaraki Ken, Japan.
高い所は嫌い？ 高所恐怖症なら一度東京タワーに上ってみるといい。高所への恐怖心がなくなるだろう。東京タワーからのすばらしい眺めは、赤い鉄塔を昇って行くに従って気持ちを高揚させる。東京タワーではエレベーターを使わず、階段が解放されているので自分の足で上ってみよう。
東京のバノラマな景色眺めるにはスカイツリー以外では東京タワーだ。全長３３３メートルでエッフェルタワーより１３メートル高い。１９５８年二建設された東京タワーは戦後日本の経済力を象徴する。１５０メートルにメイン展望台、２５０メートルにスペシャル展望台のふたつのの展望台がある。７月下旬東京タワーに上った。はるかかなたに東京スカイツツリー、よく晴れた日は富士山が見え、下を見下ろすと増上寺が見える。
夜の東京タワーからの景色は、高層ビル群のイルミネーションの輝きで本当にロマンティックな展望が広がる。さらに魅力的なアトラクション、東京タワー展望台ガイドロボット「タワボ」がいる。タワボは日本語・英語のほか、中国語・韓国語の４カ国語を話す。顔がコンピューターのモニターになっており、いつも笑顔をふりまきながら、タワー情報を伝えている。
私たち家族は楽しいひとときを過ごせた。今度は冬の東京タワーに上りたいと思う。あなたもすばらしい場所『東京タワー』を訪れて、楽しい時間をお過ごし下さい！
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD SEPTEMBER 04. 2026
Marie Antoinette Style
Few historical figures remain as endlessly fascinating as Marie Antoinette, France's last queen before the Revolution, forever linked with dazzling luxury, daring fashion, and a dramatic fall. This autumn, the Yokohama Museum of Art hosts Marie Antoinette Style, a lavish exhibition organized by London's Victoria and Albert Museum, and Japan's only stop on the entire international tour.
Rather than simply retelling her life, the show explores the queen as a style icon whose influence still echoes today. On display are precious objects connected to Marie Antoinette herself, from exquisite furniture, porcelain, and personal keepsakes to portraits and, remarkably, surviving pieces of her jewelry and clothing. Together they conjure the opulent world of the French court at Versailles, where fashion was a powerful form of self-expression and political theater.
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The exhibition goes further, tracing how her image has been endlessly reinvented across the centuries. Visitors will see how her legend has inspired generations of designers, filmmakers, and artists, from haute couture runways to films, illustration, and even manga, proving her enduring grip on the global imagination.
Beautifully staged in the Minato Mirai district's handsome museum, freshly renovated and reopened, it is a feast for anyone who loves fashion, history, or sheer visual spectacle. Whether you come for the glittering craftsmanship or the compelling human story behind it, this is a rare chance to encounter genuine treasures of the eighteenth century up close. Elegant, indulgent, and quietly moving, Marie Antoinette Style is one of the season's most unmissable cultural outings around Tokyo.
Period: August 1st (Sat) - November 23rd (Mon), 2026
Venue: Yokohama Museum of Art
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 / 20:00 on Nov 21 & 22 (admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Closed: Thursdays (open Nov 19)
Admission: General Adults: ￥2,500 (￥2,300 advance) / University students: ￥1,600 (￥1,400 advance) / High & junior high: ￥1,000 (￥800 advance) / Under 12: Free under may enter for free
For more information, please visit
Tada Minami: Still, Shimmering Light
For something strikingly different, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo presents Tada Minami: Still, Shimmering Light, a major retrospective of a pioneering Japanese artist who spent nearly seven decades sculpting with light itself. Bringing together around 70 works, it is a luminous, meditative journey through a remarkable and under-celebrated career.
Tada Minami worked where art meets industry, fashioning stainless steel, glass, and acrylic into sculptures that capture, bend, and scatter light. Rather than static objects, her pieces are alive to their surroundings, shifting constantly as daylight moves or viewers change position. Reflection, transmission, refraction, and gentle fluctuation become her true materials, turning cool industrial surfaces into something unexpectedly poetic and serene.
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Part of the pleasure here is the setting itself. The museum building, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, is a masterclass in modern Japanese design: all bamboo, stone, and soft natural light. Beyond the galleries lies a magnificent landscaped garden, a rare 17,000-square-meter oasis of ponds, paths, and tucked-away teahouses, perfect for an unhurried stroll after viewing.
For anyone drawn to craftsmanship, history, or simply a tranquil afternoon away from the city's rush, this is a rewarding, beautifully presented show. Whether you are a serious enthusiast or a curious newcomer, the artistry on display and the calm in which to enjoy it make for a truly memorable visit.
Period: - December 6th (Sun), 2026
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT)
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Closed Days: Mondays (open Oct 12, Nov 23), plus Oct 13, Nov 24
Admission: Adults: ￥1,600 / University students & 65+: ￥1,100 / High & junior high: ￥640 / Elementary & under: Free
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD OCTOBER 09. 2026
The 66-Year-Old Fried Chicken Oil
Would you eat fried chicken cooked in oil that is older than most of the customers? At Wakatori, a beloved restaurant in Shizuoka, the frying oil has not been fully replaced since 1960, making it an astonishing 66 years old. Far from a hygiene scandal, it is the celebrated secret behind the shop's award-winning karaage. Rather than dumping the oil, the staff filter it meticulously each night, removing scraps and impurities, then top it up with fresh oil, always preserving a little of the original "mother" oil as a flavor base. The third-generation owner credits this living, ever-evolving oil with the chicken's uniquely complex aroma, impossible to replicate with a fresh batch. The approach even won gold at the Japan Fried Chicken Grand Prix, proving sometimes older really is better.
Trade Your Trash for a Snack
Here is a recipe for a cleaner planet: swap your rubbish for a snack. In the Netherlands, an ingenious food truck called the WasteBar has been turning litter into lunch, letting people exchange collected waste, such as cigarette butts and discarded plastic, for tasty treats like traditional Dutch mini pancakes. The idea, dreamed up by university researchers, is to make the usually dull business of picking up litter instantly rewarding and even a little fun. Visitors arrive clutching bags of street waste and leave with something warm to eat, having helped tidy their neighborhood in the process. Part art project, part environmental experiment, the WasteBar cleverly demonstrates that rubbish can have real value. It is a deliciously simple reminder that keeping streets clean need not be a thankless, joyless chore.
Links
Guesthouse Tokyo
10 minutes to Ikebukuro.
Interhouse
safe and accessible solution for your accommodation needs in Tokyo.
Sakura House
1830 monthly furnished rooms at 204 locations in Tokyo.
TOKYO ROOM FINDER
Contact our international team that will assist you in finding housing
and overcoming any communication barriers in Japan!
J&F Plaza
Furnished & unfurnished guesthouses and apartments in Tokyo.
May Flower House
Tokyo furnished apartments. Ginza, Roppongi, Yotsuya and more.
TenTen Guesthouse
33,000yen/30 days for working holiday students.
GOOD ROOM TOKYO
Share room, Private room, under 50,000yen
MOVE JAPAN
Private furnished rooms in Tokyo with free internet. Call us first or call us last!
Tokyomove.com
Hassle free moving starts from 6000yen.
Tokyo Helping Hands
Very flexible working hours to effectly help you with moving, deliveries, disposal, storage and more!
AirNet Travel
We'll cut you the best air ticket deals anywhere.
Fun Travel
Discount air travel & package tours 2min from Roppongi Stn.
No.1 Travel
We go the extra mile for you. International air tickets and hotels.
JR Tokai Tours
Top-value travel to Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya from Tokyo by Shinkansen.
Matsuda Legal Office
All kinds of Visa, Immigration & Naturalization, International Marriage etc.
Futaba Visa Office
Licensed immigration lawyer & certified public tax consultant.
American Pharmacy
English speaking pharmacy since 1950.
Tokyo Skin Clinic
EU-licensed multi lingual doctors.
Tax-free AKKY
Japanese Appliance, Watch, Souvenirs
Tokyo Speed Dating
1st Sat. & 3rd Sun. at Bari n Roppongi ETC.
Tokyo Spontaneous
Picnic, Parties, Language exchange
TMA
Japanese women & Western men.
Tokyo Fab
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD OCTOBER 09, 2026Takadanobaba Yabusame
Step into feudal Japan at the Takadanobaba Yabusame, a spectacular display of horseback archery held each autumn in Shinjuku's Toyama Park. Organized by the nearby Ana-Hachimangu Shrine, the event revives a martial art once practiced by samurai, and it is a genuine thrill to witness up close.
Yabusame is no ordinary archery. Mounted archers thunder down a long, straight course at full gallop, drawing their bows and loosing arrows at a series of wooden targets as they race past, all while controlling the horse with their legs alone. Hitting even one target is difficult; striking all three in one run brings a huge roar from the crowd. The riders wear magnificent period hunting costumes, adding to the sense of history brought vividly to life.
The tradition dates back centuries and was historically performed as an offering to the gods, praying for peace and good harvests. Before the riding begins, you can enjoy solemn Shinto rituals and the colorful procession of archers and attendants to the course.
Held on Sports Day, it is a free and family-friendly spectacle, though the best viewing spots fill up early, so arrive in good time. Few events offer such a direct, pulse-quickening glimpse of samurai skill and spirit right in the middle of modern Tokyo.
October 12th (Mon, Sports Day), 2026 @ Tokyo, Shinjuku ― Toyama Park
https://www.anahachimanguu.jp/yabusame/
Tokyo Yosakoi
For sheer, foot-stamping energy, few autumn events rival Tokyo Yosakoi, held each October around Ikebukuro. Forming the lively dance half of Ikebukuro's famous Fukuro Matsuri, this explosive two-day festival brings together roughly 5,000 dancers from around a hundred teams, who fill the streets with color, rhythm, and non-stop motion. Yosakoi is a thrillingly modern style of Japanese dance, born in Kochi in 1954 and now wildly popular nationwide. Each team choreographs its own routine, blending traditional movements with everything from rock and pop to hip-hop, decked out in bold matching costumes. The one constant is the naruko, small wooden clappers held in each hand, whose bright clatter drives the beat as dancers surge forward in tight, dynamic formation. Teams compete across several stages and street courses around Ikebukuro Station's west side, performing with astonishing precision and stamina. The atmosphere is electric, with drums pounding, whistles blowing, and crowds cheering their favorites through to the grand finale and awards. Completely free to watch, it is one of the most accessible and exhilarating festivals in the city, perfect if you want spectacle without the crowds of Tokyo's very biggest matsuri. Simply follow the sound of the naruko, find a good spot along a course, and let the sheer energy sweep you up.
October 10th (Sat) - 11th (Sun), 2026 @ Ikebukuro Station West Exit
https://yosakoitokyo.gr.jp/yosakoi/
Have You Been To...
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD OCTOBER 09, 2026Onomichi [Onomichi, Hiroshima]
Clinging to a hillside above the Seto Inland Sea, Onomichi is a nostalgic maze of steep stone lanes, temples, literary cafes, and sleepy cats. Wander the Temple Walk, ride the fun retro ropeway for sweeping sea views, then browse the charming, time-worn shopping arcade below. It is also the gateway to the Shimanami Kaido, Japan's most beautiful island-hopping cycling route.
Kinosaki Onsen [Toyooka, Hyogo]
With its willow-lined canal, arched bridges, and clatter of wooden geta, Kinosaki Onsen is the quintessential Japanese hot-spring town. Guests stroll from bathhouse to bathhouse in yukata and wooden sandals, dipping into seven historic public baths scattered along the pretty streets. Add fresh winter crab and cozy inns, and this Hyogo gem feels like a timeless postcard of old Japan.
Yamadera [Yamagata, Yamagata]
Perched high on a forested mountainside in Yamagata, Yamadera is one of Japan's most breathtaking temple complexes. A climb of around 1,000 stone steps winds past towering cedar trees and weathered shrines to a lookout with jaw-dropping valley views. The poet Basho was moved to verse here. Go in autumn, when fiery foliage frames the temple halls, for pure magic.
Izumo Taisha [Izumo, Shimane]
In Shimane sits Izumo Taisha, one of Japan's oldest and most revered Shinto shrines. Legend says that each October, the eight million gods of Japan gather here, making it the "month without gods" everywhere else. Famed for enshrining the deity of marriage and good relationships, it draws hopeful visitors nationwide. Its colossal sacred straw ropes are an unforgettable, humbling sight.
Tokyo Voice Column
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD TNB Throwback: OCTOBER 23. 2015A View From Tokyo tower by Jennifer Nakajima
Are you afraid of the heights? I know some people afraid of the heights known as the fear of falling ( Acrophobia) I tend to think that when you visited Tokyo Tower you'll be going to conquer your fears. The wonderful view from the Tokyo Tower was absolutely exciting as you climb higher and higher, set in the backdrop of the solid red steel construction. At the Tokyo Tower you don't use elevators to get to the observatory, the stairs are open so you can climb by yourself.
A great place to get a view of Tokyo aside from Sky Tree is "Tokyo Tower". Standing 333 meters, Tokyo Tower is 13 meters taller than the Eiffel Tower. When completed in 1958 it symbolized the rebirth of Japan as a post war economic power. The tower has two observation decks, a main observatory at 150 meters and a special observatory at 250 meters. The last month of July we visited Tokyo Tower, as far away you can view the Tokyo Sky Tree and Mount Fuji on a good day, and down over the Zojoji Temple.
Tokyo Tower at night is really romantic panorama with illuminated skyscrapers, a beautiful sceneries for couple and family. That night was so perfect, you are able to feel the city and embrace that moment. Another amazing attraction is to "Meet Tawabo", a new quadrilingual tour guide robot at Tokyo Tower. This one can speak no less than four languages - Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean. Its computer monitor face appears to display a smile all the time, information about the tower and its surrounding is also shown on the screen.
We enjoyed so much at that time and we hope we will visit again Tokyo Tower by winter next time. And I hope you guys can visit the wonderful place, " Tokyo Tower".
Enjoy for adventure!
For more information about Tokyo Tower admission fees: please visit www.tokyotower.co.jp
Copyright (C) 2015 Jennifer Nakajima. All rights reserved. Ibaraki Ken, Japan.
高い所は嫌い？ 高所恐怖症なら一度東京タワーに上ってみるといい。高所への恐怖心がなくなるだろう。東京タワーからのすばらしい眺めは、赤い鉄塔を昇って行くに従って気持ちを高揚させる。東京タワーではエレベーターを使わず、階段が解放されているので自分の足で上ってみよう。
東京のバノラマな景色眺めるにはスカイツリー以外では東京タワーだ。全長３３３メートルでエッフェルタワーより１３メートル高い。１９５８年二建設された東京タワーは戦後日本の経済力を象徴する。１５０メートルにメイン展望台、２５０メートルにスペシャル展望台のふたつのの展望台がある。７月下旬東京タワーに上った。はるかかなたに東京スカイツツリー、よく晴れた日は富士山が見え、下を見下ろすと増上寺が見える。
夜の東京タワーからの景色は、高層ビル群のイルミネーションの輝きで本当にロマンティックな展望が広がる。さらに魅力的なアトラクション、東京タワー展望台ガイドロボット「タワボ」がいる。タワボは日本語・英語のほか、中国語・韓国語の４カ国語を話す。顔がコンピューターのモニターになっており、いつも笑顔をふりまきながら、タワー情報を伝えている。
私たち家族は楽しいひとときを過ごせた。今度は冬の東京タワーに上りたいと思う。あなたもすばらしい場所『東京タワー』を訪れて、楽しい時間をお過ごし下さい！
MUSEUM -What's Going on?-
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD SEPTEMBER 04. 2026Marie Antoinette Style Few historical figures remain as endlessly fascinating as Marie Antoinette, France's last queen before the Revolution, forever linked with dazzling luxury, daring fashion, and a dramatic fall. This autumn, the Yokohama Museum of Art hosts Marie Antoinette Style, a lavish exhibition organized by London's Victoria and Albert Museum, and Japan's only stop on the entire international tour. |
* |
The exhibition goes further, tracing how her image has been endlessly reinvented across the centuries. Visitors will see how her legend has inspired generations of designers, filmmakers, and artists, from haute couture runways to films, illustration, and even manga, proving her enduring grip on the global imagination. |
Venue: Yokohama Museum of Art
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 / 20:00 on Nov 21 & 22 (admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Closed: Thursdays (open Nov 19)
Admission: General Adults: ￥2,500 (￥2,300 advance) / University students: ￥1,600 (￥1,400 advance) / High & junior high: ￥1,000 (￥800 advance) / Under 12: Free under may enter for free
For more information, please visit
Tada Minami: Still, Shimmering Light For something strikingly different, the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo presents Tada Minami: Still, Shimmering Light, a major retrospective of a pioneering Japanese artist who spent nearly seven decades sculpting with light itself. Bringing together around 70 works, it is a luminous, meditative journey through a remarkable and under-celebrated career. |
* |
Part of the pleasure here is the setting itself. The museum building, designed by architect Kengo Kuma, is a masterclass in modern Japanese design: all bamboo, stone, and soft natural light. Beyond the galleries lies a magnificent landscaped garden, a rare 17,000-square-meter oasis of ponds, paths, and tucked-away teahouses, perfect for an unhurried stroll after viewing. |
Period: - December 6th (Sun), 2026
Venue: Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (MOT)
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (admission 30 minutes before? closing)
Closed Days: Mondays (open Oct 12, Nov 23), plus Oct 13, Nov 24
Admission: Adults: ￥1,600 / University students & 65+: ￥1,100 / High & junior high: ￥640 / Elementary & under: Free
Strange but True
TOKYO NOTICE BOARD OCTOBER 09. 2026The 66-Year-Old Fried Chicken Oil
Would you eat fried chicken cooked in oil that is older than most of the customers? At Wakatori, a beloved restaurant in Shizuoka, the frying oil has not been fully replaced since 1960, making it an astonishing 66 years old. Far from a hygiene scandal, it is the celebrated secret behind the shop's award-winning karaage. Rather than dumping the oil, the staff filter it meticulously each night, removing scraps and impurities, then top it up with fresh oil, always preserving a little of the original "mother" oil as a flavor base. The third-generation owner credits this living, ever-evolving oil with the chicken's uniquely complex aroma, impossible to replicate with a fresh batch. The approach even won gold at the Japan Fried Chicken Grand Prix, proving sometimes older really is better.
Trade Your Trash for a Snack
Here is a recipe for a cleaner planet: swap your rubbish for a snack. In the Netherlands, an ingenious food truck called the WasteBar has been turning litter into lunch, letting people exchange collected waste, such as cigarette butts and discarded plastic, for tasty treats like traditional Dutch mini pancakes. The idea, dreamed up by university researchers, is to make the usually dull business of picking up litter instantly rewarding and even a little fun. Visitors arrive clutching bags of street waste and leave with something warm to eat, having helped tidy their neighborhood in the process. Part art project, part environmental experiment, the WasteBar cleverly demonstrates that rubbish can have real value. It is a deliciously simple reminder that keeping streets clean need not be a thankless, joyless chore.
Links
Guesthouse Tokyo10 minutes to Ikebukuro. Interhousesafe and accessible solution for your accommodation needs in Tokyo. Sakura House1830 monthly furnished rooms at 204 locations in Tokyo. TOKYO ROOM FINDERContact our international team that will assist you in finding housing and overcoming any communication barriers in Japan! |
J&F PlazaFurnished & unfurnished guesthouses and apartments in Tokyo. May Flower HouseTokyo furnished apartments. Ginza, Roppongi, Yotsuya and more. TenTen Guesthouse33,000yen/30 days for working holiday students. GOOD ROOM TOKYOShare room, Private room, under 50,000yen |
MOVE JAPANPrivate furnished rooms in Tokyo with free internet. Call us first or call us last! Tokyomove.comHassle free moving starts from 6000yen. |
Tokyo Helping HandsVery flexible working hours to effectly help you with moving, deliveries, disposal, storage and more! |
AirNet TravelWe'll cut you the best air ticket deals anywhere. Fun TravelDiscount air travel & package tours 2min from Roppongi Stn. |
No.1 TravelWe go the extra mile for you. International air tickets and hotels. JR Tokai ToursTop-value travel to Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya from Tokyo by Shinkansen. |
Matsuda Legal OfficeAll kinds of Visa, Immigration & Naturalization, International Marriage etc. |
Futaba Visa OfficeLicensed immigration lawyer & certified public tax consultant. |
|
American PharmacyEnglish speaking pharmacy since 1950. |
Tokyo Skin ClinicEU-licensed multi lingual doctors. |
|
Tax-free AKKYJapanese Appliance, Watch, Souvenirs |
Tokyo Speed Dating1st Sat. & 3rd Sun. at Bari n Roppongi ETC. Tokyo SpontaneousPicnic, Parties, Language exchange |
|
TMAJapanese women & Western men. |
|
50 Shades of Yikess
