FIREWORKS (HANABI) FESTIVALS
IN TOKYO and KANAGAWA 2009

The H1N1 swine flu is our big concern today.  Here are tips
what you can do to Stay Healthy:

☆ Avoid crowed settings

☆ Wash your hands thoroughly using soap and clean water. 
Alcohol-based hands cleaners are also effective.

☆ Gargle frequently

☆ Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth to keep germs out.

☆ Wear facemask (both to protect yourself and to prevent
spreading your germs when you are infected)

☆ Stay informed
                                

If you have any symptoms of cold or flu
such as runny nose, sore throat,
high fever, headache, dullness or loss of
appetite, contact your physician before
visiting the clinic.

Below is a link to an announcement of
Japanese Bureau of Social Welfare
and Public Health Headquarters of
the Governor of Tokyo Bureau of
General Affairs.

http://www.fukushihoken.metro.tokyo.jp/iryo/kansen/sinpojiumu/presskansen090501/index.html

Q & A for the Influenza A (H1N1) by the Bureau of
Social Welfare and Public Health:

Here are some other useful links:

World Heath Organization: http://www.who.int/csr/disease/swineflu/en/index.html

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/

For information about Real Estate in Tokyo, click here.

For information about Furniture Lease & Sales in Tokyo, click here.

Tokyo Lease furniture store has a new website introducing various types of nice, clean second hand furniture.  Why not be the lucky person to find some furniture for incredibly low price by visiting the URL below.  It's up-
dated on a regular basis.
http://used-furniture-japan.livedoor.biz/

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For information about Furniture Lease & Sales in Tokyo, click here　　

Tolls for expressways and payments

Tolls for Japanese expressways are the most expensive
in the world.

For example, when you go to Nagoya from Tokyo by driving
ordinary car, you have to pay toll of 7,800 yen.
From Tokyo to Osaka, it's 11,600 yen.

Payments will be made either by cash, or by credit cards without
limitation of amount, or ETC below.
You can use the following cards for payments:
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, JCB, Nicos, and Diners Club.


ETC Process
ETC=Electronic Toll Collection






If your car is equipped with an activated ETC system, 
you can go through the blue 'ETC only' gate.  If your car
doesn't have ETC system or you wish to pay cash or
by credit card, please go to the green gate. 
Some gates have the sign like above right 
'ETC(blue) / OTHER(green)', you can go through this gate
with or without ETC system.


1. Application for ETC card to credit card companies
2. Acquire ETC card from credit card company.
3. Purchase and installation of ETC device.  It costs about
    30,000 yen - 40,000 yen.
4. You can start to use ETC on expressways.

*Late night discount, early morning discount or mileage 
 discount are available in selected areas.  Please contact
  East Nippon Expressway Company Ltd for more information. 
*Starting from the end of March, you can go all over Japan
for 1,000 yen on weekends and holidays if your car is
equipped with ETC system.  This is a part of economic
promotion which LDP party has announced, and this is
in effect for the next 2 years.

  http://www.e-nexco.co.jp/ (Japanese)

Metropolitan Expressway Company Ltd.


For information about Real Estate in Tokyo, click here.
For information about Furniture Lease & Sales in Tokyo, click here.

6th April (Mon.) - 15th of April (Sun.) 2009

Haru no Zenkoku Kotsu Anzen Shukan
(Spring's National Traffic Safety Week)
starts next Monday.  

Speed limit in most of the local streets in Tokyo
is from 30km/h - 50km/h.  Even on express ways
it's from 60km/h to 80km/h.

You will loose your points and
your license can be suspended if you don't follow the
rules such as driving over the limit, illigal parking,
or ignore signs like Stop Sign.

Drinken driving is strictly prohibited in Japan.
If you drink and drive, your license will be suspended instantly
or you could be convicted or loose your license
from the result of alcohol level in your blood.

To talk on mobile phones holding the hand-set while you are
driving is also illigal in Japan.  Even just holding a mobile phone
without talking you may get a ticket.









During this Traffic Safety Week, police will be standing in
most of the main streets and could be hiding anywhere.

It is important to drive safely EVERYDAY, ANYTIME.

All road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, should be
aware of Japan's road rules.

If you don't know the rules, please get a book called
'Rules of the Road'.

It is an easy-to-read translation of the "Rules of the ways
of the Road" prepared by the National Public Safety Commision.
Road usage diagrams and traffic signs with English translations
of meanings enable understanding of basic driving rules.
It is available in 5 languages 
(English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and Hangul)
from JAF offices from 1,000 yen per copy.


Drive safely, and enjoy Spring in Japan!!



TOMARE (Stop) sign.  You must stop at stop signs.

Sakura is the name for cherry trees and their blossoms in
Japanese.  There are over 200 varieties throughout Japan. 
The most well known kind is ‘Somei Yoshino’ with pale pink
blossoms which bloom and fall about a week before leaves
come out.  Many Japanese have gatherings under the blossoms
with their own drinks and food, even dancing and singing after
few drinks of sake.  ‘Yama-zakura’, wild cherry trees,  ‘Yaezakura’,
double-flowered cherry trees and ‘Shidare-zakura’, weeping
cherry trees, are also well known.

Japan Meteorological Agency announces a forecast of
predicted dates of cherry blossom blooming dates on the
first Wednesday in March each year.  They usually start blooming
in Kyushu in mid March but in Hokkaido they don’t bloom until
some time in May.

Cherry blossoms are used for Japanese sweets and their tea

is served especially at happy occasions. Their picked leaves
are also edible and used to wrap
sakura-mochi.  Cherry trees are
often used to make small  containers
for tea leaves and ornaments, and barks
are also used for ornaments, as
well as Chinese herbal medicine.

Sakura is often used in emblems by many schools and
institutions including Japanese Police and Self-Defense Force. 

The famous spots for viewing ‘sakura’ can be found at
http://blog.realestate-tokyo.com/archives/cat_50043305.html 

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'The Weather News' has predicted the flowering dates of cherry
blossoms.
The best time to view cherry blossoms will be late March to early April.
However, it depends on the weather and temperatures. 

As temperatures have been comparatively high this year, the trees
will begin blooming several days earlier than usual, around March 20
in Tokyo and Yokohama according to The Weather News.








Here is a list of popular locations for cherry blossoms:

TOKYO

LIST 2









TOKYO

LIST 3

TOKYO