Alice in Wonderland 

We’ve all probably felt a bit like Alice, falling down the rabbit hole that is Tokyo and wondering where we’ve ended up. Arriving at this restaurant, you may think the same thing, as you’re greeted by waitresses dressed in short Alice dresses and thigh-high striped socks. Mismatched chairs, playing card coasters, fur tassels hanging from the ceiling, theme music and an extremely large desk lamp adorning the main dining area create a fantasy dining experience. Dishes draw upon the same theme, with an avocado sushi roll impersonating a caterpillar, a “royal crown” roast and a dessert menu that features various characters. The theme cocktails are also popular with the ladies. Expect to pay around ¥4,500 per person for dinner here. 5F Taiyo Building, 8-8-5 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Tel: 03-3574-6980. Open Mon-Thurs 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-5am, Sun and hols 5-11pm. English menu available. Reservations recommended. Nearest stn: Ginza. www.diamond-dining.com/alice

 

The Amazon Club 

The hallway is empty except for a couple of chairs, an ornately carved, floor-to-ceiling wooden shelf with a mirror, and an antique phone sitting on a small stool. Look around to make sure you weren’t followed, then pick up the phone; the voice on the other end will ask your name. If you’re on the list, the large mirror will slide open, admitting you to the Amazon Club. Based on a legend about a secret club for American soldiers in the ’50s, this intimate, dimly lit restaurant is full of tasteful antiques and secret passages. Classy and reasonably priced, The Amazon Club serves foods like tuna with tartar sauce (¥750), pork salad (¥800) and quail-meat pintxos (¥500). B1F-3-9 Kaigan Dori, Naka-ku, Yokohama. Tel: 045-664-6101. Open Mon-Thu 11:30am-2pm and 6pm-2am, Fri 11:30am-2pm and 6pm-4am, Sat 6pm-4am, Sun 6pm-2am. Nearest stn: Bashamichi (Minatomirai line). No English menu. Reservations required. www.amazon-club.com

Arabian Rock 

Rub the magic lamp and—poof—you’ll be whisked away to your table through a cloud of enchanted smoke. At Arabian Rock’s four Tokyo-area locations, the atmosphere is relaxed and the décor is straight out of a story book. Silks, pillows, veils and costumed staff waiting on your every whim makes you feel as though you're in a sultan’s palace. Wishing for some good food and drink? Try the diced meat and veggies (¥880) and the Abracadabra (¥1,480), which comes as six magically different flavored liquors that you can combine yourself. Belly dancers perform every first and third Friday, and a magician entertains every Friday and Saturday. Tables are secluded, perfect for smokers and nonsmokers alike. Ueno branch: B1-2-12-20 Ueno, Taito-ku. Tel: 03-5817-3232. Open Mon-Weds 5pm-3am, Thu-Sat 5pm-4am, Sun 5pm-midnight. Nearest stn: Ueno. See website for locations in Omiya, Shinjuku, and Kawasaki. No English menu. www. kitanokazoku.co.jp/arabian/index.html.  

Ninja 

Mind your head when entering Ninja as you wind your way through dimly lit corridors following your uniformed guide. Inside, rock-faced passageways, bubbling brooks and traditional Japanese-style rooms adorn this ninja den. The food focus here is on quality rather than quantity—set menus start at ¥7,777 and soar to ¥30,000. If you’re ordering à la carte, dishes average well above ¥1,000, and you’ll need to order a fair few. Rich flavors and seasonal ingredients are used to create traditional Japanese favorites with a modern edge. Each dish is so artistic that some of the ornate creations will leave you guessing which part of your meal is edible and which part is decoration. Ninja is suitable for all ages and occasions, and kids will enjoy the uniformed staff, who do double duty as magicians. English menu available. Reservation required. 2-14-3 Akasaka Tokyu Plaza, Chiyoda-ku. Tel: 03-5157-3936. Open Mon-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat-Sun 5-11pm. Nearest stn: Akasakamitsuke. www.ninja.tv.  

The Lockup 

Murderers, monsters and jailers, oh my! Girls, grab your guys; guys, try not to scream. The Lockup (above), with locations in Shibuya, Ikebukuro, Shinjuku, Omiya and Kawasaki, is perfect for those who want a little fright with their food. Begin your journey through the dungeon doorway into a ghostly cave full of spiders, corpses and other surprises—all of your favorite haunted house horrors. Staff are dressed as blood-drenched murderers and ghouls jump out of nowhere, causing heart rates to elevate dangerously. Policewomen bring drinks designed by mad scientists in beakers and test tubes. Menus supply colorful pictures of thrilling foods like “Russian Roulette Tako Yaki” (one of six balls is said to be spiked with Death Sauce, which is 10,000 times hotter than Tabasco). Smoking and non-smoking is no problem; customers are literally locked into an isolated dungeon cell. Expect to pay ¥2,000-¥3,000 per person. Shinjuku branch: 6-7F, 1-16-3 Kabukicho, Shinjuku-ku. Open daily 5pm-5am. Nearest stn: Shinjuku, east exit. English menu not available. www.kitanokazoku.co.jp/lockup/index.html.  

Tiki Tiki 

Hula girls dressed in coconut shells and grass skirts dance gracefully, hips and arms swaying to the music. Customers sit in palm-tree huts enjoying ornately decorated mai tais, complete with little pink umbrellas and tropical flowers. It’s not the South Pacific—it’s Tiki Tiki, a Polynesian-themed bar and restaurant in Yokohama. Tantalizing photos cover the menus, and the friendly staff seem to have as much fun as the customers. Tiki Tiki serves reasonably priced dishes like garlic chicken, butter sautéed shrimp, and fried rice heaped on freshly cut pineapple. Totem poles, alligators and monkeys give this restaurant a Disneyland-like atmosphere that’s perfect for families and casual diners alike. Tiki Tiki also has a fantastic drink menu full of creative and delicious concoctions. Budget around ¥2,000-¥3,000 per person. Shinjuku branch: 4F Saison Plaza, 3-4-8 Shinjuku. Tel: 03-3226-0996. Open daily 5-11:30pm. Nearest stn: Shinjuku, east exit or Shinjuku-Sanchome. http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g068224/ Yokohama branch: 2-17-1 Tsuruya-cho, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama. Tel: 045-312-3397. Open Sun-Thu 5-11:30pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-midnight. Nearest stn: Yokohama, west exit. No English menu. http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g068212  

Vampire Café 

Vampire Café seems strangely romantic, with its shrouded private rooms, ancient pillars and soft candle glow, but the boisterous patrons who frequent Dracula’s castle soon curtail any thoughts of love. Waitresses dressed as French maids lead customers through a blood-red hallway to the main dining area, where Dracula’s coffin rests in the corner. Plush private booths are occupied by patrons enjoying birthday parties and after-work drinks. Meals here are typically Western, with a range of salads, pizzas and pasta dishes. Vampire Café’s broad drink selection is the only part of the menu available in English, unless you count the picture menu and the range of desserts. Luckily some of the staff speak a bit of English. Crucifixes, spiders and other morbid creations appear in varying forms throughout the menu. Expect to spend around ¥4,000 per person. La Paix Building 7F, 6-7-6 Ginza, Chuo-ku. Tel: 03-3289-5360. Open Mon-Thu 5pm-Midnight, Fri-Sat 5pm-5am, Sun and hols 5-11pm. Nearest stn: Ginza. Reservations recommended. www.diamond-dining.com/vampire

Yozakura Bijin 

The backstreet world of prostitution doesn’t seem like a compelling idea for a theme restaurant, but Yozakura Bijin manages to make it work—and work well. This Edo-style eatery takes as its inspiration a love affair involving a “working girl” (although you probably wouldn’t guess that unless you speak Japanese). Yukata-clad waitresses lead patrons past simple rock gardens lining the hallways. Deep red walls contrast to the cherry blossom trees strategically placed throughout, and paper lanterns light the way past the restaurant’s very own shrine, where customers can write out love prayers. The traditional theme makes its way onto the menu, with roll-your-own sushi, shabu shabu, niku jaga, soba and other classic dishes. The food here is a good value; dinner will cost around ¥3,000 per person. 1-21-2 Minami Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku. Tel: 03-5952-5860. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-4am, Sun and hols 5-11pm. English menu not available. Reservations recommended. Nearest stn: Ikebukuro, south exit. www.diamond-dining.com/yozakura

And keep in mind…

Gonpachi 

This cavernous, rustic-themed restaurant (above) served as Quentin Tarantino’s inspiration for the “House of Blue Leaves” in Kill Bill. Soba and meat skewers make up the bulk of the menu, and the crowd is guaranteed to be lively until the wee hours.1-13-11 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku. Tel: 03-5771-0170. Open daily 11:30am-5am. Nearest stn: Hiro-o or Roppongi. www.gonpachi.jp

Christon Café 

Faith takes a twist at this Christian theme restaurant, where religious relics are combined with a gothic touch. Shinjuku Branch: 8F Oriental Wave Bldg, 5-17-13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku. Tel: 03-5287-2426. Open daily 5-11:30pm. Nearest stn: Shinjuku-San-chome. http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g465406/ Shibuya branch: 2-10-7 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-5728-2225. Open Tue-Sun 5-11pm, closed Mon. Nearest stn: Shibuya. http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g465409

Elephant Café 

This Southeast Asia-inspired restaurant is aptly named for its Buddha and elephant statue, which towers over diners. Enjoy a broad range of well-priced oriental cuisine. Harajuku branch: 4-30-4 Jingumae, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-3478-2233. Open daily 11:30am-11:30pm. Nearest stn: Harajuku. http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g465405/ Shibuya branch: 2-29-5 Dogenzaka, Shibuya-ku. Tel: 03-3463-0220. Open daily 5pm-4am. Nearest stn: Shibuya. http://r.gnavi.co.jp/g465404/

Video

http://www.japan-in-motion.com/vt/vt_003_01.html

It's a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Central Tokyo. Asakusa is best known for its incredible festivals including the renowned Sanja Festival based around it's Sensoji Temple, fireworks festival on the Sumida River and Mardi Grasesque carnival Samba Festival as well as it's many temples and preserved attractions.  

Kaminarimon

Asakusa's main attraction is Sensoji, a very popular Buddhist temple, built in the 7th century. The temple is approached via the Nakamise, a shopping street that has been providing temple visitors with a variety of traditional, local snacks and tourist souvenirs for centuries.

Asakusa can be easily explored on foot. Alternatively, you can consider a guided tour on a rickshaw (jinrikisha, "man powered vehicle"). A 30 minute tour for two persons costs around 8000 Yen. Shorter and longer courses are also available.

Sensoji temple grounds and Dempoin Dori (Dempoin Street)

For many centuries, Asakusa used to be Tokyo's leading entertainment district. During the Edo Period, when the district was still located outside the city limits, Asakusa was the site of kabuki theaters and a large red light district. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, modern types of entertainment, including movies, set foot in Asakusa.

Large parts of Asakusa were destroyed in the air raids of World War II. While the area around the rebuilt Sensoji has regained its former popularity after the war, the same cannot be said for Asakusa's entertainment district.

Sensoji

Tokyo’s Premier Temple





In the year AD 628, two fishermen working on the Sumida River found a small golden statue of Kannon, the bodhisattva of compassion, in their nets. The master of their little village recognized the importance of the find, and promptly enshrined the statue in his own home. Some years later, Senso-ji was built, and in following centuries the temple grew in reputation, wealth and size. When Tokugawa Ieyasu made Edo (old Tokyo) the center of his new government, he granted extensive lands to Senso-ji, and the temple became the most important in the new de-facto capital of the country.

The surrounding neighborhood of Asakusa is one of the great old centers of Shitamachi, the lower city spread along the banks of the Sumida. In the mid-17th century the Yoshiwara red light district moved to the area, and for the next 300 years Asakusa was one of Tokyo’s most important entertainment quarters, only relinquishing this position since World War II. Paradoxically perhaps, this only made the Senso-ji more popular than ever, and it drew pilgrims in large numbers.

Today, the temple continues to thrive both as a center for religious activity and an obvious stop for many tourists to Tokyo. Countless visitors have had their photograph taken in front of the impressive Kaminarimon, or Thunder Gate, that marks the entrance to the temple. Having passed the tiny shops in Nakamise-dori, visitors arrive at the Hozo-mon gate, a two story structure housing 14th century Chinese sutras in its second floor treasury. Originally a Tendai-sect temple, Senso-ji became independent following World War II. There are a number of buildings on the grounds, and though most are post-war reconstructions, a small hexagonal temple northwest of the main hall and the Niten-mon gate to the east date to the 15th and early 17th centuries respectively. The large incense burner in front of the main hall is always surrounded by people fanning themselves with the smoke, which is thought to preserve health. The main hall itself is very impressive, conveying a great sense of space and activity as people enter and leave, a constant clatter of coins being thrown into the offertories and, three times daily, a group of priests chanting sutras to the accompaniment of drums. The legendary statue itself is kept hidden in a gold-plated shrine inside the hall, too holy to be on public display.

East of the hall, a Shinto shrine commemorates the two fishermen and their lord. This is Asakusa Jinja. During the third weekend of each May, the shrine hosts Tokyo’s biggest festival, the Sanja Matsuri. The surrounding streets are closed to traffic from dawn to late evening, and vast crowds pour into the neighborhood to greet over 100 mikoshi (portable shrines) that travel through the streets. The three mikoshi which enshrine the fishermen and their lord each weigh about 1,000 kilograms, and are carried by teams of at least seventy men. Its one of Tokyo’s most amazing spectacles, and definitely something to take into consideration if you’re planning to travel to Japan in the spring.

Access
2-3-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
JR Ueno station (Ginza line)>No.1 Exit of Asakusa station>(On foot, 7min.)>Sensoji Temple

Hanayashiki

Japan’s Oldest Amusement Park



Just west of the grounds of Asakusa’s Sensoji, visitors will come across Hanayashiki, a small and slightly run down amusement park. Don’t just shrug it off, though, especially if you have kids with you who might like a break from shrines and shopping.

If for no other reason, Hanayashiki deserves some respect for its staying power. It opened in 1853, making it Japan’s oldest amusement park. In its earliest incarnation, the Edo era attraction included a flower park, animal exhibits, tea shops and entertainment. It was only after the war that the park began to put in western style rides, including the roller coaster in 1953.

For decades the park was in decline, but having survived long enough to become “retro” and a real piece of Tokyo history, Hanayashiki has enjoyed a modest revival in recent years.

Most of the rides are a little slow for adults, but the park is a great place to bring kids, who’ll enjoy the swan ride, bee tower and other attractions suitable for little ones. Adults will enjoy the rollercoaster, which is scary just because it’s so old, and the haunted house, which includes a dark room where stereo sound carried through headphones creates a very interesting effect. The Space Shot ride is also good for adults and older kids, and the park has just introduced a new spinning ride called Disk-o that looks like fun.

Access
Asakusa Hanayashiki
2-28-1 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
JR Ueno station (Ginza line)>No.1 Exit of Asakusa station>(On foot, 5 min.)>Hanayashiki

Open Hours
10:00 - 18:00 (Depending on the season or weather, hours may change.)

Holiday
Tuesday (If Tuesday is a national holiday or during school vacation, the park is open.)

Fees
Entrance fee: 900yen
(100 yen to 500 yen for each attraction) 

Video 

http://www.japan-in-motion.com/jl/jl_006.html

Check it out!

Miyajima (literally "shrine island") has been celebrated as a sacred island and one of Japan's three most scenic views. It is most famous for Itsukushima Shrine, which, together with its large wooden torii (gate), stands in the ocean during high tide. A World Heritage treasure, the island of Miyajima is a must-see in Japan... 

Deer move around the island freely, and so do monkeys on top of Misen, the island's highest mountain.

The island becomes very romantic in the evening when the tourist crowds return to the mainland and only the visitors who stay overnight stroll the calm streets in their yukata and geta, enjoying the sight of the illuminated shrine.  

How to get to Miyajima

Miyajima can be reached from Hiroshima in less than an hour by train and ferry or by high speed boat.

By train and ferry

From JR Hiroshima Station, take the JR Sanyo Line to Miyajimaguchi Station. The trip takes about 25 minutes and costs 400 Yen. Alternatively, you can take the tram line number 2 bound for Miyajimaguchi. The tram is slower, but costs only 270 Yen and stops on the way in Hiroshima's city center.

From Miyajimaguchi Station, it is just a few steps to the ferry pier. Frequently departing ferries take 10 minutes and cost 170 Yen for the crossing to Miyajima. There are two companies operating the ferries, JR and Matsudai. The Japan Rail Pass is valid on JR ferries.

By direct boat

Boats also connect Miyajima directly with Hiroshima Peace Park (55 minutes, 1900 Yen one way, 3-9 round trips per day) and Hiroshima Port (30 minutes, 1460 Yen one way, 6-8 round trips per day). 

Orientation

Most of Miyajima's attractions are clustered around Itsukushima Shrine, which itself is a 5-10 minute walk from the ferry pier.  

Video 

http://www.japan-in-motion.com/jf/jf_001.html

"He told us directly that it was impossible for him to work, so he has been placed on indefinite leave. Someone else has taken over his job," says a spokesman for the hospital where Ichihashi's father worked.

The women's weekly notes that the parents are now holed up in the Gifu palace with a tap on their phone that allows phone calls to be tracked, in hopes that their son will ring them.

Of course, they wouldn't need to be there were it not for the bumbling Chiba Prefectural Police, who allowed Ichihashi to literally slip out of their hands the night Hawker's body was discovered, according to Weekly Playboy (5/7-14).

A junior high schoolboy from Ichikawa tells a tale of incompetent crime-fighting that would be comical were the consequences not so tragic.

"This group of about five or six cops carrying flashlights came running up the road, shouting 'Stop, wait.' One of the cops came over to me. 'We're after a crook on the run. Give us that bike for a minute,' he said and snatched my bicycle away from me," the boy tells Weekly Playboy.

The boy says he was terrified, so stayed by a police officer's side. "But the officer flashed his light into a parking lot and then, all of a sudden, this shadow came flying out of the darkness. It was like a huge ape. The cop grabbed it and had pinned his arms, but the guy twisted him around and elbowed him. As the cop bent over, the man ran away," the boy says.

What they boy has to say so far has been pretty widely reported. But what he says next must be a condemnation of police handling of the case.

"While he was grappling with Ichihashi, the cop was screaming out at me, 'Call the cops! Call the cops!' What was I supposed to do? 'You are the cops,' I shouted back," the boy says. "The cop was pathetic. You couldn't rely on him for anything."

Chiba Prefectural Police still have 150 officers searching for Ichihashi, but he has vanished without a trace.