Roppongi Hills New Year 2012
For the past 9 years, this taiko group (didn’t catch their name) has performed every new year at the Roppongi Hills Arena.
Watch their performance in the YouTube video below.
After the taiko performance, a ceremony was held to break open a sake barrel to be served to those who attended.
You can either get your head hit by a hammer or eaten by a dragon for good luck!
National Post: See how Japan has rebuilt in the 11 months since the earthquake and tsunami
Last week on February 9, National Post (one of Canada’s national newspapers) published an article to show how Japan has rebuilt the devastated area 11 months after the earthquake and tsunami.
The cover photo is by photographer Yukio Sugimoto who came back to the same place and this time to take a photo of the same woman smiling with her five year old son. There are many incredible “then and now” photos on the National Post website, as well as the following stats:
- 245 — Cost in billions of dollars of the post disaster reconstruction package.
- 15,846 — Number of dead.
- 3,320 — People still missing.
- 2 — Number of missing people found dead this year.
- 240 — Number of orphans in the three most severely affected prefectures, Miyagi, Iwate and Fukushima.
- 16 — Million tons of disaster waste in Miyagi Prefecture, one of the hardest hit areas of Japan.
- 2.4 — Drop in millions of tourists to Japan in 2011 from a year previously.
- 6 — Approximate months lost in the average life expectancy for a Japanese woman following the disasters, down from 86.4 years in 2010 to 85.9 in 2011.
- 3 — Approximate months lost in the average life expectancy for a Japanese man, down from 79.5 years in 2010 to 79.27 in 2011.
Photo of the Day: Ebisu Skywalk
The Ebisu Skywalk is a covered moving walkway which connects the East Exit of JR Ebisu Station and the Yebisu Garden Place.
Shinjuku Winter Illuminations 2011
Every year, the area around the busy Shinjuku station are decorated with lights. On the west side you can find the area called Shinjuku Terrace City.
There are some interesting illuminations as well on the area south of Shinjuku station.
Roppongi Hills Winter Illumination 2011
Keyakisaka-dori in Roppongi Hills is the main attraction every year during its Winter Illumination.
Mohri Garden also attracts crowds with its special floating lights.
There are a number of performances held at the Roppongi Hills Arena during this time.
The sponsor this year is the Korean electronics giant Samsung.
There are many Christmas decorations during this time as well, including the European styled Christmas Market.
Inside the shopping mall, you will find several Christmas trees.
There is also a Christmas tree outside in Plaza 66, pictured below during the day and at night.
Marunouchi Illumination Lightopia 2011
One of the more popular 2011 winter illuminations in Tokyo can be found in the business district of Marunouchi, near the Tokyo subway station.
As with previous years, the tree lined main street was illuminated.
Gambatte … for Japan!
One area was called Flower Fantasia with colorful flowers and balled shaped lights.
Nearby, there was another area full of candles called the Ambient Candle Park.
1Q84
1Q84 is a novel written by famous Japanese author named Haruki Murakami. This book has been translated from Japanese into English (and other languages) and is currently in most fiction bestseller lists in North America.
The events of 1Q84 take place in Tokyo, an alternate world of the year 1984 (I assume a tribute to George Orwell’s novel). 1Q84 has two moons. The narrative is composed of two storylines based on the two main characters of the book, Aomame and Tengo, who were schoolmates 20 years ago and have not seen each other since. Will they eventually meet again in 1Q84?
The book is very long (over 1,000 pages) and is at times slow paced. Since I love long books, I enjoyed the book. It is the first Murakami novel I have read and plan to read his other books.
Aqua City Healing Illumination Fantasy
Aqua City Odaiba is a large scale, modern shopping complex located right next to Odaiba Kaihin Park in Odaiba, Tokyo.
Since the theme is water, you will find a small aquarium inside near the Information booth on the 3rd floor.
The highlight of the Aqua City illumination is the Healing Illumination Fantasy Tree which runs every half hour.
The series of pictures below show the tree illuminated in different colors.
A video is probably the best way to experience this.
On the top floor of Aqua City …
… you can find the Aqua City Shrine, the only shrine at which people can go and worship within Odaiba and Ariake Areas.
You can also see a good view of the Rainbow Bridge …
… and the nearby Fuji TV building.
For the romantic types, there are illuminated heart chairs to sit on and view the Tokyo skyline.
Venusfort Illumination Snow Wish
Venus Fort is an indoor European style shopping mall in Odaiba, Tokyo.
One of the main attractions is the largest fountain near the center of the mall.
During the winter illumination in 2011, the fountain transformed into magical light show (every 2 hours) called Snow Wish.
The other parts of the mall also had similar illumination.
There was also a hanging lighted crystal tree.
Empty Subway Station
The Roppongi station on the Toei Oedo line is the deepest Tokyo subway station.
You have to take several long escalators to get to the subway platform.
It was eerily empty on New Years Day – these pictures were taken on January 1, 2012.
The Oedo line has recently installed these safety barriers.
Finally, the train arrives … only one passenger is ready to board!
