Plaza Homes offers various information about living in Tokyo and is especially
useful for newcomers.
About Tokyo
May 24, 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:
http://www.fukushihoken.metro.tokyo.jp/iryo/kansen/sinpojiumu/SwineInfluenzafaq/index.html
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/
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January 09, 2009
50th Anniversary !
Tokyo Tower was completed in
December, 1958. The design of
the tower is based on the Eiffel Tower
in Paris, the hight of the tower is
333 meters and it's actually taller
than the Eiffel Tower (320 m).
The tower is painted in white and
orange-red according to air safety
regulations.
The main observatory is 150 meters above ground and you can enjoy
the 360-degree panoramic view.
Mt. Fuji can be seen when the weather is clear.
The Special Observatory is on the top floor, where you can go up
using a special elevator from the main observatory floor with extra
entrance fee. It's 250 meters above ground.
Fees are as follows:
Main Observatory (150m above ground)
820 yen/adult
460 yen/child (7 y.o. - 15 y.o.)
310 yen/child (4 y.o. - 6 y.o.)
Special Observatory (250m above ground; Main Observatory fee +)
600 yen/adult
400 yen/child (7 y.o. - 15 y.o.)
350 yen/child (4 y.o. - 6 y.o.)
Hours: 9:00am - 10pm (last admission 9:30pm)
50th Anniversary Special Tower Light-up 'Diamond Veil' is now on!
Look up the Tower between 8pm - 10pm during this special period.
You may find different look of the Tokyo Tower...
Plaza Homes, Ltd. is located only a couple of min. walk from the
Tokyo Tower, introducing a number of properties near by the Tower or
with magnificent Tokyo Tower view.
Tokyo Tower photos posted by Tokyo Lease Furniture Shop executive;
also located near by the Tower.
Please visit us when you are around the area...!
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October 29, 2008
in March this year.
From October 2008, new garbage collection rules applied in
all areas within Tokyo 23 wards.*
Major wards' garbage collection list: (PDF)
Minato-ku
Shibuya-ku
Chiyoda-ku (English)
Chiyoda-ku (French)
Chiyoda-ku (Korean)
Chiyoda-ku (Chinese)
Shinagawa-ku
Setagaya-ku
Edogawa-ku
Please also see our previous article for details:
http://blog.realestate-tokyo.com/archives/51159928.html
*Rules may change without any notice.
*For other areas in Tokyo, please check with your local city office.
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October 23, 2008
Rental property in Tokyo Bay Area!
Properties overlooking Tokyo Bay, Rainbow Bridge,
open ocean view, fireworks and so on.....
Along the Tokyo Bay Area such as Shibaura, Konan,
Tennozu, Shiodome, and Tsukishima; rental property
information in these specific areas now available on our web-site.
Vacant rooms of high-rise waterfront apartments
with great view and facility are easily searched.
If you are looking for a place close to the water
with beautiful view, please check our web-site :
Realestate-tokyo.com >> Rental Apartment & Houses >>
Hot Properties >> Tokyo Bay Area
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March 26, 2008
‘Thermal Recycle’ Project starts in 23 wards
in Tokyo from 2008.*
Thermal Recycle:
Plastic products (excluding plastic container and wrapping),
rubber products, and leather products used to be an
incombustible waste, landfilled solid waste.
In 2008, those products will be collected as combustible
waste and will be incinerated, recovering thermal energy
and will be used for hot water and generate electricity.
New rule as it’s called ‘Material Recycle’ is starting in
Material Recycle:
Producing polyester fiber from reclaimed
PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles
Please click here to see example for
how you separate recyclable resources and waste.
(from Chiyoda Ward Office web-site)
New rules start from April 2008:
Adachi-ku, Arakawa-ku, Itabashi-ku, Edogawa-ku,
Katsushika-ku, Kita-ku, Koto-ku, Suginami-ku, Chuo-ku
New rules start from October 2008:
Sumida-ku, Setagaya-ku, Shinagawa-ku, Toshima-ku,
Taito-ku, Nerima-ku, Bunkyo-ku, Shinjuku-ku, Shibuya-ku,
Chiyoda-ku, Nakano-ku, Minato-ku, Meguro-ku
Areas already started new rules before April 2008:
Ota-ku
You must use 'Recommended garbage bag for
Tokyo 23-ward' which you can purchase from
any supermarkets in Tokyo.
For more information, please contact your ward office.
*Please note: Some districts already following new rules as ‘Model Area’.
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February 05, 2008
Standard fares now start at 710 yen per the first 2 km (1.25 miles)
and then 90 yen per 288m additional or 105 seconds of waiting time.
A late-night 20% surcharge is applied to all fares during the
10pm - 5am period. (used to be 30% surcharge during 11pm-5am)
Also from January 2008, ALL taxis in Tokyo became
'NON-SMOKING'.
If you are a smoker (like myself...),
I recommend you to carry a pocket ashtray.
You can purchase at most convenience stores.
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July 11, 2007
After Tokugawa Ieyasu became shogun in 1603
and established the shogunate, in Edo, it flourished
and was actually the center of Japan, although the
Emperor continued to reside in Kyoto.
It was a planned city with Edo Castle in the center and the
estates of the various domainal lords located around it.
Merchants and artisans concentrated in an area
that became the center of shopping and entertainment,
and by the latter half of the 18th century, its population was
over one million, making it the world's largest city.
Highways leading to Edo were build, the five main roads
converging at Nihonbashi. The 53 way stations on the Tokaido,
the highway connecting Edo and the Kamigata (Osaka-Kyoto)
region, bustled with activity.
The Edo period was characterized by the expanded influence
of the townsmen, whose core was the merchant class.
This environment saw the flourishing of townsmen's culture,
as typified by Kabuki and Ukiyoe, and the appearance of a
new aesthetics of chic(IKI).
In 1868, the year after the Restoration of Imperial Rule brought
on end to the shogunate, Edo was renamed 'Tokyo' (Eastern Capital),
the emperor moved to Tokyo, and the city became Japan's official
as well as de facto capital. The Imperial Palace in Chiyada Ward
occupies the site of Edo Castle.
EDOKKO - Edoite, Tokyoite
The term Edokko, which is still in use, reflects the strong sense of
fraternity of the townsman residents of the shopping, entertainment
and residential district. To be considered a true Edokko,
one's parents on both sides of one's family must have been in the
city for three generations. The Edokko is characteristically
open-hearted by nature, with a forthright attitude and a readiness
to fight. And his lack of attachment to money is expressed
in the saying, "The Edokko doesn't go to bed while ther's money
in his pocket."
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June 05, 2007
Tsuyu- the rainy season is just around corner.
It starts from early June to the middle of July and
it rains or is cloudy almost every day.
Id doesn't rain that hard, but near the end of the
rainy season there's concentrated heavy rain that
sometimes causes great damage.
The continental high-pressure zone located over Japan
during winter blocks the Pacific hight that's the main
air mass in summer. A front forms where the two highs
meet, and remains about Japan for a long time.
This sesonal rain called 'Baiu Zensen' drops a great deal of
rain over the entire Japanese archipelago, except for Hokkaido.
Things get moldy and food spoils easily. But if it doesn't rain
enough, there's a risk of summer water shortages, and for
rice cultivation, rain at this season is extremely important.
April 04, 2007
The Koukyo, also called the 'Gosho', is the
Emperor's place of residence.
Until the Meiji period the Imperial Palace had
long been located in Kyoto, but now it is on the
site of Edo Castle site in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
The grounds of the Imperial Palace are encircled
by a moat. The area total is about
1,150,000 square meters.
It's much bigger than the former Kyoto Palace.
Inside, there is the New Palace where the Emperor
performs state and ceremonial functions, his residence
called 'Fukiage-gosho', and the Imperial Household
Agency building (Kunai-cho-sha).
Besides that there are some buildings left from the old
Edo Castle. It's closed to the general public, but
on New Year's Day and the Emperor's Birthday
(23rd of December - Heisei Emperor's Birthday)
Congratulatory Visits are permitted. Thousands of
people file through the grounds. The Emperor
comes to the balcony of the New Palace to greet people.
You can walk around the area, you see many people
walking or jogging around Koukyo everyday.
Emperor Year
Japanese often use Emperor Year to date documents.
This year, it's 'Heisei' Year 19.
Before Heisei, it was called 'Show' Year.
If you are living in Japan, you may be asked to write
your date of birth in Emperor Year,
here is an useful link to find out your Emperor Year:
http://www.allcalendars.net/JapaneseYearConverter.php
The other easy way to find out your Emperor Year,
(it only works for the people born between 1926 to 1989)
you just minus 25 from your birth year. For example,
if you were born in 1975, minus 25 = (19)50.
So your birth year is Showa 50.
December 08, 2006
Found some interesting data about Tokyo
(from Tokyo Metropolitan Government web-site)
Average numbers per day in 2004:
* 274 babies were born
* 233 people died
* 232 couples got married
* 79 couples divorced
* 14,172 tones of garbage were disposed
* 4,550,000 CBM of water were used
* 2,852.3 '119' (fire & amburance) calles were made
* 18.4 cases of fire / killed 3.7 people / burned 115.3sqm
damaged total amount of 27,275,000 yen
* 1,852.9 ambulances were called out
* 5,066 '110' (police) calls
* 774.1 crimes (as recognized)
* 230.9 car accidents (84,513 per year)
killed 0.82 people /injured 262.6 people
* 5,347.4 reports of things were found
* 1,640.8 reports of things were lost
Population in Tokyo (from 2000 census data)
12,064,101 people: 6,028,562 male / 6,035,539 female,
5,423,551 households
Registered foreigners in major part of Japan
(as of December 2005)
Tokyo 342,437
Osaka 211,491
Aichi 167,270
Fukuoka 44,049
Hiroshima 33,814
Hokkaido 17,852
Miyagi 16,608
DIAL THREE DIGITS
(Small charges may apply except Police, Fire & Amburance)
* Police - 110 (FOC)
* Fire & Amburance - 119 (FOC)
* Check someone's phone number - 104
(Japanese only, you must know at least the name & address)
* Time tone - 117 (Japanese Only)
* Weather forecast - 177 (Japanese Only)
Disaster Message Dial / Dengon Dial (guidance in Japanese only)
This is worth memorizing when the big earthquake or
other disasters strike Japan, everybody starts calling everyone
at the same time and sometimes the phone lines go dead.
1. Dial 171 (listen to the guidance)
2. Press '1' for leaving a message.
(or press '2' to listen to the message)
3. Punch in the phone number (incl. area code) of
whom you wish to contact.
4. Listen to the guidance, then press 1#.
Listen to the guidance again and leave a message
after the beep. (message can be recorded up to 30 seconds)
5. Hang up the phone.
