#TOKYO - Season 3 / Year 2019

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Join us on a virtual tour of Harajuku, an area world-famous for its cutting-edge fashion and kawaii, or "cute" culture. We will take you to unique spaces, shops, and eateries as we follow the trending # keywords: #Kawaii, #Food, and #Fantasy. A visit to a popular ukiyo-e museum shows how people of the Edo period also cherished kawaii culture.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Join us on a virtual tour of Harajuku, an area world-famous for its cutting-edge fashion and kawaii, or "cute" culture. We will take you to unique spaces, shops, and eateries as we follow the trending # keywords: #Kawaii, #Food, and #Fantasy. A visit to a popular ukiyo-e museum shows how people of the Edo period also cherished kawaii culture.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Join us on a virtual tour of Tokyo Tower, a popular landmark and the 2nd tallest structure in Japan. It reopened in 2018 to celebrate its 60th anniversary with a new observation deck which stands at a height of 250m from the ground. We share its history as a symbol representing Tokyo which also serves as a communications tower. We also highlight the expert responsible for illuminating the structure.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. This episode is a special edition featuring Miyazaki Prefecture which is blessed with a temperate climate and surrounded by many historical landmarks. Join us on a virtual tour of hot spots that are sure to be popular among overseas tourists. We will take you to eateries, historical sights, and spiritual "power spots" as we follow the trending # keywords: #Food, #Museum, and #Spiritual.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Join us on a virtual tour of Ochanomizu, an area recently booming with tourists. It's known for its many educational institutions. We'll visit Yushima Seido, a sacred hall popular with youth who stop by to pray for success in school and university entrance exams. We also check out tasty dishes at a student dining hall at 75 meters above ground while taking in views of Mt. Fuji and Shinjuku skyscrapers.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. On this virtual tour, we are visiting "Yanesen." This area was spared from the war's devastation and its friendly working-class atmosphere still remains. Known for its beautiful cherry blossoms, the Yanaka Cemetery, and the 170-meter-long shopping street lined with traditional grocers and houseware shops leave the town with a lingering feel of the Edo period. We will visit the handmade puppet workshop popularly visited among tourists to introduce the unique finger puppet show held daily.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. For the second virtual tour in the special Yanesen series, you will be able to experience the lives of real people living around the Tokyo Metro Nezu and Sendagi Station area. We will experience a stay at a hotel originally built as an apartment 50 years ago and visit a few popular sightseeing places among tourists. This includes the Nezu Shrine and photogenic tourist spots such as Senbon Torii and the Azalea Garden. We will also visit restaurants and old buildings built over 80 years ago.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. On this virtual tour, we will visit the No.2 spot on TripAdvisor's "Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan," Chidorigafuchi. The 700-meter 260-cherry-blossom tree stretch is an impressive sight to see. We'll introduce some of the most social media worthy spots: cherry blossoms nearly touching the surface of the water from a boat and the limited time viewing of night cherry blossoms. We will also give tips on how to make your run more fun and productive at the increasingly popular Imperial Palace area.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. This time, we'll visit the sumo town, "Ryogoku." It's popular among tourists for its old-Japanese-town feel with the big sumo hall, "Kokugikan," sumo stables, and chanko hot pot restaurants. We'll visit "Kokugikan" where the 2019 May Grand Sumo Tournament is currently being held. You'll get tips on how to purchase tickets, enjoy the match, and information regarding backstage tours of the dressing room and bathing area for the wrestlers. You'll also learn about the annual "Ryogoku Nigiwai Festival" and other helpful tips.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Today's keyword is Takaosan. Only an hour away from the center of Tokyo, this mountain is popular among foreign tourists. The number of climbers per year exceeds 2.6 million and it has received 3 stars from the Michelin Guide. We will introduce various wild animals and plants you may encounter on the mountain, as well as stories of mountain worshipping and Japanese Tengu goblin folklores. We will also take you to the top of the mountain where you can enjoy the spectacular view.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Today, we'll explore Ikebukuro in the daytime. Ikebukuro Station has traffic of about 2.5 million people per day, and is the biggest terminal next to Shinjuku Station. From there we visit popular tourist spots such as a rooftop aquarium and a 60-story observatory with attractions. Nearby, a building designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, a 200-year-old Japanese candy shop, and a historical temple over 350 years old make this area a versatile place for various adventures.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Ikebukuro contains a mixture of old Japanese and modern pop cultures. Part 2 keyword is "#IKEBUKURO NIGHT." We'll explore this famous tourist city more deeply, visiting popular subculture spots unique to Ikebukuro such as animation street "Otome Road" and "Giant Video Arcade," located outside of a famous landmark, Sunshine 60. Then we'll explore a retro bar area where you can enjoy time at an izakaya for about 1,000 yen. At the end of the night, we'll visit one of the most legendary ramen hotspots in Tokyo.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Today on #TOKYO, we'll explore Ueno. We'll be introducing this popular Tokyo sightseeing area in 2 parts. Part 1 is the Ueno Park area. Ueno Park is a cultural area with over 15 museums and facilities including The National Museum of Western Art, a world heritage, and Japan's biggest National Museum of Science and Nature. When you purchase the UENO WELCOME PASSPORT at Ueno Station, it allows access to 13 facilities for 2,000 yen. We'll introduce a special way to experience the Ueno area with this passport.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Today is part 2 of the virtual Ueno tour. We'll begin at Shinobazu Exit and explore over 400 shops in the Ameyoko area. It used to be a black market post war that sold candies and US military surplus items. It came to be called "Ameyoko" from candy (="ame") and America. The central building carries unusual ingredients such as spices from around the world and fish/frog from tropical areas. With Tokyo's oldest Koreatown and jewelry district by Indian owners, you'll encounter people from different backgrounds and religions.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Today, we'll take a unique journey on the waterfront. "Yakatabune" is a boat ride that dates back to the Edo period. We'll show you each step from reservations to the ride. "Yakatabune" also provides delicious food. Sand borer and sea eel are popular dishes served as tempura from Edo period where they used to fish off the boat. TOKYO SKYTREE and Rainbow Bridge reflections can be seen on water. The grand finale is spectacular fireworks. You'll get a special experience of Tokyo waterfront history.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. It is JR Chuo Line's 130th anniversary year. With plenty of unique towns along the line, Chuo Line has built a culture of its own. Today, we'll take a virtual tour in "Nakano," a symbolic area along the line. This town is known to be "the source of subcultures." Anime, manga, plastic models, railway goods, stamps, fashion ... we'll explore Nakano Broadway, where many specialty shops attract tourists from around the world. We'll introduce you to a deep world that will satisfy everyone's "geeky mind."

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Today, we'll take a virtual tour in Shimokitazawa. It was ranked No.2 as the "World's Coolest Neighborhood" in the travel magazine Time Out in 2019 because of its fashionable and cultural feel and the low living cost. Theater, music, and vintage clothing are some of its fashionable attractions. We'll show you how to enjoy this leading "cultural town" in Tokyo. Odakyu Line is now underground and the station has completed its renovation. The mixture of new and old is what you'll see in this 2019 Shimokitazawa tour.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. In 1990's, Roppongi was once called "the city that never sleeps," and the city flourished as a social center for adults. But recently, art museums have been opened one after another, Roppongi has been reborn as one of the best "art cities" in Tokyo. Please join our virtual tour of the city from art appreciation to international gourmet food. You will discover new spots to enjoy the long night of autumn.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. Shibuya Station is used by 3 million people a day. With repeated redevelopments, it's like a maze. Today, we'll explore from B5 to the 3rd floor of Shibuya Station, from the farthest point at Toyoko Line platform to Hachiko and Scramble crossing. We'll introduce "East Exit Underground Plaza" opened November 1, 2019 and other improvements. You'll see a CG map of the 8 routes of Toyoko Line, Tokyo Metro, JR Line and Keio Line. "Why was Shibuya Station so complicated?" We'll uncover the mystery with before/after footages.

#TOKYO brings you travel trends based on social media posts written by experienced travelers. In this episode, we will explore the new landmarks in Shibuya. Thanks to a large-scale redevelopment project, big changes are underway in the Shibuya area. From November to December of 2019, there were many new openings. On December 5, SHIBUYA FUKURAS opened for business. With a terminal for buses from both Haneda and Narita Airports, it serves as a new gateway to Shibuya. And then there's Shibuya Scramble Square, which opened November 1. This multipurpose facility combines both commercial and office space. But the biggest attraction is its open-air rooftop observation deck, providing breathtaking views of Tokyo from a whole new angle.