Marunouchi Bright Christmas 2012

 Around the Tokyo station, it will be a more beautiful spot to visit at this year's Christmas time. Because there will be an event called "Marunouchi Bright Christmas 2012".

 Japan's own the most popular theatre company "Gekidan Shiki" celebrates its 60th anniversary with one of famous building in Tokyo "Maru-Biru(Marunouhi Building)" which also celebrates 10th anniversary. They collaborate for the celebration to hold some amusements around Marunouchi area. One of them is to set some dresses and production designs the company using up as like museum and a Christmas Tree will be at 1st floor of Maru-bill from 15th November to 25th Desember, 2012. The Christmas Tree has a theme that is "The Phantom Of The Opera". It will be mysteriously beautiful and give us a different taste on the Christmas time.

The Cristmas Tree Lighting Up : 6:00 to 24:00

The Exhibition around : Marunouchi-Building, Shin-Marunouchi Building, OAZO, TOKIA, Marunouchi BRICK SQUARE

Livable Cities in the WORLD

  I love strolling somewhere I've already known or not. 2 weeks ago, I walked around Paris, France and it remained me how fun to crawl around. And Barcelona also threw me a ball which raised my remembrance of a research on a magazine. "Economist" released its own list of the most livable cities in the world a couple month ago and following is the top 10 cities.

 


"The Economist Intelligence Unit's Global Livability Report"
1      Melbourne     Australia      97.5
2      Vienna          Austria      97.4
3      Vancouver     Canada      97.3
4      Toronto          Canada      97.2
5      Calgary          Canada      96.6
5      Adelaide     Australia      96.6
7      Sydney          Australia      96.1
8      Helsinki     Finland      96.0
9      Perth          Australia      95.9
10      Auckland     New Zealand      95.7

Then, looking at an another list of the top 10 cities by "Monocle" magazine.

"Monocle's Most Livable Cities Index 2012"
1      Zurich          Switzerland
2      Helsinki     Finland
3      Copenhagen     Denmark
4      Vienna          Austria
5      Munich          Germany
6      Melbourne     Australia
7      Tokyo          Japan
8      Sydney          Australia
9      Auckland     New Zealand
10      Stockholm     Sweden

 There isn't Japan on the Economist's list but, scarcely, on the Monocles. On the contrary, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Helsinki and Vienna are on the both lists. What is a difference between the cities on the both lists and on the one list only? Moreover what is a difference between the both top 10 cities and unlisted cities? Thinking of that, I realise there aren't any gigantic cities such as New York, Lindon, Madrid, Paris and Tokyo; it's scarcely on the Monocle's at 7 spot. Then, I think the word "livable" is actually important and effective. Those cities have astonishing infrastructures, and too many varieties of shops including restraints and kinds. However these mean it's also needed more money and too occupied.

 To target for Japan, especially Tokyo, payments for living is overwhelmingly high, accessibility for everything is just perfect though. There is everything from all over the world in Tokyo, however it's harder and tougher than any other cities to create "your own life-style". I guess that's one of the reason for unlisted.

 In Japan, there is a phrase that is "Home is where you make it.". I reckon it actually is whether your city is on the lists or not.

Broken Autumn

 It's been a long long time to BLOG... In busy days I had writen down some articles, but my PC broke and also my iPod tough which I use for writing was initialized off-guard. Almost one month struggling for no PC have been over. I just finished all set ups, And I hope I'll do better everything than recent years.
 Now, here in Japan is becoming an autumn, so the air is bit crispy, the sky is high and the night stays longer in a day. It's really good time to do some!! So, enjoy.

re:NEWed Tokyo station

  In this 1st October 2012, Tokyo station, now is an important cultural properties of Japan, gets renewed its posture as the first model.

Tokyo station, Marunouchi-side, built in 1914 as a gateway of  Tokyo. It's designed by Manji Kasai and Kingo Tatsuno who is the father of Japanese modern architectures. This first model had two dome roofs with Renaissance style, and three floors with beautiful red bricks with Victorian-Gothic style. Then, in WWII, 25th May, 1945, American bombs struck and was detonated some parts of the Tokyo station. It caused reconstruction of it as minimizing a number of the floor and wiped the dome roofs away. Because of Japan's gigantic growth, the Tokyo station had been getting bigger, connecting with the Tokyo's growth as its economy and population.

 At 2006, a project has started. The project is called "Tokyo Station City" and it's all about a redevelopment around the Tokyo station. Then Hotels, department stores, underground and the station it-self has been renewed and still are going in. And as I already mentioned, the main event of the project is ready. Before its grand opening, the beautiful classic Tokyo station has been revealed. So, now you may see the outline of the station and feel the good old days.

Hian Aoyama : Paper-Cutout Artist

 There are some persons who work well and are well known all over the world, despite their own country's people doesn't know it. When you notice the persons, you may be inspired a lot and even encouraged by them.

 "Hina Aoyama" who is one of them to give you some impressions on what she does. She, is a paper-cutout artist, gets well deserved reputation in France and also EU but not in Japan. The pieces are so sensitive, feminine, technical, and of-course marvellous figures. Once you give a glimpse on them, you simply are captured. Therefore you would understand that she's been awarded over the EU. However now Japanese gets an opportunity to know how she is good. In October, she will be held her exposition at Tokyo and Kyoto. Yes, the opportunity is around the corner, so check the world class art-works.

Exposition Information

17th October to 23rd October, 2012 @ Isetan Shinjuku, Tokyo

19th October to 10th December, 2012 @ Kodaiji (Temple), Kyoto

Hina Aoyama Official WEB-site (Japanese or French) : http://www.hinaaoyama.com/

Hina Aoyama Official BLOG (Japanese) : http://ameblo.jp/hinaaoyama/

Summer Event at TV stations

 Fire-works is one of huge summer event in Japan as its tradition. On a contrary,  there is a new tradition here, especially at Tokyo. 

 Tokyo has all "key" TV stations which provide basic TV programs. Other areas have "local" TV stations which have contracts with the key stations; usually 1 local station has a network contract with 1 key TV station except some super suburbs have 2 keys sometimes. That's the Japan's TV network system as a terrestrial television; of-course there are satellites, cables and web but it's not main streem. The system put more importance to Tokyo, because TV still controlls people in here anyway. And it's easy to understand why the Keys have such huge constructions their own in Tokyo. So, around their vast properties they can  provide huge events over 6 week straight. Such as inviting famouse musicians, restaurants, shops and to sell their own products. That's fun for someone who loves TV, because you may see some TV stars or musicians and buy your favourite TV program's goods. Moreover you may have enjoyable memories in summer. Sounds good, doesn't it?

 And following links are the Key TV station's event WEB-site(Japanese only).

NHK: http://www.nhk.or.jp/studiopark/
Nippon TV : http://www.ntv.co.jp/shiodome/event/2012shiohaku/
TV Asahi : http://www.tv-asahi.co.jp/hq/
TBS : http://sacas.net/
Fiji TYV : http://www.fujitv.co.jp/uso2012/index.html

Fire-Works

 Rainy season is past already, and now every day gets around 35 degree Celsius. Yes, summer has come!!
 Every summer, lots of summer events are held in Tokyo; of-course all over Japan too, some are music evens, others are for kids or multiple for all age. What remains us a summer is "Natsu-Matsuri festival" and "Fire-works festival", because those give us enjoyable memories and also some sentiments that why we Japanese love them. "Fire-works festival" in Tokyo is quite special. The speciality is based on a situation. Tokyo has plenty of skyscrapers. FLOWERs between skyscrapers are actually illegible sometimes, but that defectiveness with sentiment is beautiful so to speak.


 

And followings is a list of famous fire-works event around Tokyo. Enjoy the summer!!

 1st Augst, 2012, at Yokohama city, Kanagawa "Kanagawa-Shinbun fire-works festival" : 10,000
 4th Augst, 2012, at Edogawa-ku, Tokyo "Edogawa-ku fire-works festival" : 14,000
10th Augst, 2012, at Meijijingu Gaien, Tokyo "Meijijingu Gaien fire-works festival" : 10,000
11th Augst, 2012, at Harumi, Tokyo "Tokyo-bay fire-works festival" : 12,000

Free Paper in Tokyo

 Tokyo has some free papers or magazines. Those are usually collaborated with sort of retailing companies, and published by huge publishers sometimes. It means there are not so much free papers for communities by communities. That's really sad sometime, but thinking of other way, there are well  qualitiy free papers because of publishers.

 "Metro min." is one of distinguished free papers in Tokyo which is distributed by a company owning Tokyo Metro and published by a publisher. It contains a lot of trends based on the metro stations. However their articles aren't  all about metro. And what so impressive is usually main articles are edgy, stylish and one step ahead of trends. It sounds so cool, doesn't it? However if I might complain, it would be that the paper dessapire so fast as like a lightning. 2 days later its distribution, it's all gone. So, now I'm thinking of a derively order, it means the paper isn't free anymore, but I really want to check it every month inspire of the payment.

 If you are interested in it, check it at Metro stations 20th every month.

Metro min. Official WEB-Site(Japanese) : http://www.metromin.net/

1st Year Ends

 This day, 1st July; is also Canada Day, 2012 is the celebration for a birthday of this BLOG. I supposed to post much more, but ... actually it's really tough. However at least I'm still doing this that better. To continue doing things is usually difficult, so.

 This second year, I will try to post more numbers and moreover that, I will try put more quality on the BLOG, I mean my writing, as the title of the BLOG "WORDAWORKS".

 Thank you for my 1st year of the BLOG and Happy birthday Canada!!

Gyoko Underground Gallery

 In between Marunouchi-building and Shin-Marunouchi-building which  are the centre of the Tokyo-Marunouchi area there is a gallery for free. It's located exactly between the both, and under the Gyoko street which the empire place to the special gate for Emperor of Tokyo station. Actually it's an isle connecting between Marunouchi metro station and Nijuubashi metro station. How practical it is. You may see some art-works when you just pass through the isle for the train.  The permanent exhibition is about photography of the past at Marunouchi called "Marunouchi in Pictures". You may enjoy the past and present of Marunouchi by the photos. That's the permanent one, but in many occasion there is exhibition collaborated with event around the area. And sometime's different like on 22nd  June, 2012. There will be a market called "Marunouchi Gyoko Marche". So you may buy veggies and anything good at the centre of a business district. It's quite interesting. So, just check it out when you pass through.

Gyoko Underground Gallery Official WEB-Site(Japanese) : http://www.gyokochika.com/