Tokyo is one of the worlds most populated cities and Shibuya the busiest place in Tokyo. More than 2.4 million people use the Shibuya station on a workday but the Shibuya is more than just a mass of humanity, there’s great shopping, restaurants, cafes, bars and of course plenty of people watching. The huge crossing which is outside the station is the busiest in the world, you might remember it from films like Lost In Translation or the Fast and The Furious- Tokyo Drift.
Posts under ‘Asia’
Don’t mess with the traffic in Shanghai
It’s well known that China is one of the most populated countries on earth, but have you stopped to think how they all get around? Check out the video above of a intersection in Shanghai, there are about 2000 new cars a day sold in China and all those car have got to go somewhere and it seems like its every man for themselves when you to to an intersection without traffic lights. Traffic jams are a constant part of life in the busy cities of China so if you plan to get around over there opt for the train over the bus. Read the rest of this entry »
Honda’s ASIMO robot on display
ASIMO the amazing walking robot built by Honda is one of the feature exhibits at the Miraikan Emerging Science Museum in Odaiba the futuristic city in Tokyo Japan. ASIMO or the ‘Advanced Step in Innovative MObility” robot is an incredible humanoid robot which can even walk up stairs. It is hoped that with constant upgrades one day the robot will be able to take visitors on guided tours around the museum.
The museum has an amazing array of technological feats, many of them Japanese, including robotics, interactive displays featuring the Linimo Maglev 300km plus train, space and mining exploration and plenty of hands on interactive educational entertainment for people of all ages.
Piss Alley – bad name, ugly lane but great food!
Shomben Yokocho or Piss Alley as it is better known is a interesting collection of small huts and restaurants squeezed between train tracks and the huge Odakyo Department store in Shinjuku Tokyo. It’s not the most beautiful lane way you will come across but is still a far cry from how it looked before a tragic fire in 1999 which destroyed much of the area. But the atmosphere and the aromas still remain and it is one of Tokyo’s best hidden treasures for great food. The area was once a notorious area with illegal activities including sex, gambling and dodgy booze deals but today only about 50 metres of the strip remains. The restaurants are no larger than a standard lounge room and the food is cheap and sure is good, with some of the city’s best yakitori. The area got its lovely nickname due to the lack of sewerage in the area, but fortunately things have changed and plumbers have cleaned up the area. For those after a bit of a alcoholic treat when visiting the area try a Karai Shochu its a vodka like drink which has extremely hot chilli peppers dissolved in it… only a brave person will go back for seconds.
Celebrating Oktoberfest Japanese Style
Yebisu Garden Place is the located in the suburb now more commonly known as Ebisu which is a suburb of Tokyo not far from Shibuya and Roppongi. The Yebisu beer head quarters is situated here. The huge complex features a beer museum complete with samples of their tasty products, a large shopping mall, several restaurants and of course an indoor beer hall. The highlight of the centre is the whimsical Oktoberfest clock which celebrates every hour and delights young and old. The clock features horse drawn carriages with beer barrels, lots of German inspired characters and of course plenty of Ompha music, which for a moment makes you feel like you are in Munich.
Hong Kong’s Peak Tram
The Peak Tram is one of Hong Kong’s most popular and historic tourist attractions. Dating back to 1888 the 373 metres of steep track up The Peak offers spectacular views of this magnificent harbor city. The tram travels through the lush mountain through palms and other tropical growth. At the top of the peak there is a magnitude of things to do other than be dazzled by the glittering city below. There is are dining options and of course shopping, you cant seem to escape it in Hong Kong! Recently the world famous Madame Tussaunds has opened a display as well as a huge gaming centre where electronics company EA offer their latest computer games. Twilight is the best time to visit although it can be quiet busy but next to the Star Ferry it has got to be one of the cheapest treats in Hong Kong with one way trips costing only $20HK.
The Olympic Birdsnest
This time next year the 2008 Olympic Games will be a memory. The Olympic flame will burn brightly over the Beijing National Stadium with its amazing bird nest like architecture. Designed by Herzog & De Meuron from Switzerland the stadium is 330 metres long and 220 metres wide. The structure’s 69 metre high walls house over 36km of steel. The stadium will hold about 100000 people during each session of the Olympics including the main track and field, opening and closing ceremonies. This weeks You Tube of the week shows some fantastic computer animations of the stadium.
Shanghai’s space aged Oriental Pearl Tower
Located in Shanghai the Oriental Pearl Tower is a TV tower that is the 3rd tallest tower in the world and at 468m it’s the tallest in Asia. Looking like a building from the Jetsons the buildings observation decks, shopping mall and hotel are given names like Space Module, Space City and Space Hotel. The building itself has become a symbol of Shanghai and modern China, it’s one of the most photographed buildings in Shanghai, especially at night when the light show takes over. The building attracts around 3 million visitors a year so if you ever in shanghai make sure you check out it out, there are 3 observation decks, shops, bars and a revolving restaurant located in the building as well as a small hotel.
Airbus A380 woos Hong Kong
The Airbus A380 made a rare low flyover across Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour yesterday. The sight of a passenger jet flying this low over the city was reminiscent of the days when Kai Tak Airport was operating almost 10 years ago, so the event drew a big crowd. Airbus is wooing Chinese airlines with the A380 and is hoping the planes seating capacity of between 525 to 853 people will be just the ticket to win over the Chinese with their booming population and economy. Singapore Airlines is expect to receive the first A380 in October with other Airlines receiving 13 planes throughout 2008. When first shown to the public Airbus touted features like gym’s bars and shopping malls to be optional equipment in the planes, so far no airline has ordered these options instead packing the panes with seating.
Shibuya Crossing
New York has Times Square, London has Piccadilly Circus and Tokyo has Shibuya Crossing. This amazing multimedia crossroads is one of the busiest places in the world. Shibuya railway station at these crossroads services over 2.5 million people every day. The crossroads are alive with J-pop music, huge video walls advertising the latest gadget or fashion item. When the pedestrian lights go green people criss cross all directions across this crossing at high speed thousands and even tens of thousands can cross at one light change. Shibuya is on of Tokyo’s favorite places for fashion shopping and at night the area comes alive with its huge entertainment district with pachinko gaming centres, cafes, restaurants and bars.
