築地市場のレッスン (Tsukiji Market Lesson)

築地市場のレッスン

Tsukiji Market

Normally you wouldn’t think of going to a food market as a destination for your travels when abroad, but when in Tokyo there is one food market that stands above them all. This market is the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market (東京都中央卸売市場 Tōkyō-to Chūō Oroshiuri Shijō), or as it is more commonly known the Tsukiji Market (築地市場 Tsukiji shijō).Tsukiji is located near the TsukijishijōStation on the Toei Ōedo Line and Tsukiji Station on the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line. Tsukiji Market is the largest fish and seafood markets in the world. They handle more than 400 different kinds of seafood including 300 kg tuna.

Operations

The market is open most mornings (excluding Sundays, holidays and some Wednesdays) at 3:00am. At this time lots of new seafood in brought into the market for their auctions. This includes the famous tuna auctions. The auctions start at 5:20am and are done by 7:00am. At this time the seafood is handed over to the winners, some destined for restaurants in other locations while some is destined for local stalls within the greater market. If you are looking for an interesting time, or some of the freshest seafood then there is no better place than the Tsukiji Market.

Tuna Auctions

One of the coolest things to witness at the market is the tuna auctions where different verities of tuna are sold to the highest bidder. The most famous are the Bluefin tuna prized for their fatty meat and used in sushi and other applications. Unfortunately due to the popularity of the tuna auctions they have been forced to implement a restriction to the number of tourists allowed in to view the auction. The current limit is 140 visitors, so if you want to get in to see it then make sure to be there early. Otherwise the main market is not open to the public until 9:00am.

So if you find yourself planning a trip to Japan and you enjoy fresh seafood then take a look at the Tsukiji Market. Who knows you might find something new to try eating. So until next time...

 じゃね。

日本の交通機関のレッスン一 (Japanese Transportation Lesson 1)

日本の交通機関のレッスン一

Public transportation

One of the best things about Japan is the public transportation system. If there is a place in Japan you want to go then there is a way to get there without owning a car or taking a taxi. From the Large scale travel across the country or the daily commute to school and work, there is a way to get you there.

 

Rail Transportation

The use of rail travel is prevalent throughout Japan. The majority of the rail lines in Japan are operated by the Japan Railways Group or JR Group (JRグループ, Jeiāru Gurūpu). There are other private rail lines in Japan but for the most part the JR Group is the name to know. The two main types of rail systems in Japan are the urban light rails and the faster rails for hops between metropolitan areas.

Shinkansen

When it comes to travelling from one city to the next, especially large ones like Tokyo and Osaka, nothing beats the speed of the Shinkansen (新幹線, new trunk line) or “bullet train” as it has become known to the west. This network of high speed rails crisscrosses Japan for a total of 1,483.6 miles of track and has a top speed of 186 mph. because of these lines and other lines of the JR Group, It is simple for a person to get across the country and at a fast pace.

Subways and Light rail

When it comes to the cities the rails are not lacking. Many of the cities have light rail or subway systems for public transportation. One such system is the Tokyo Subway (東京の地下鉄, Tōkyō no chikatetsu). The two networks that make up this subway are the Tokyo Metro and the TokyoMetropolitan Bureau of Transportation (東京都交通局 Tōkyō-to Kōtsū-kyoku, also called Toei). These networks combined have 274 stations and 13 lines.

 

So if you need to get around Japan try the wonderful rail systems. So until next time…

じゃね。

日本携帯電話のレッスン一 (Japanese Mobile Phone Lesson 1)

日本携帯電話のレッスン一

Cell Phone Culture

Japan has long been a leader in mobile phone technology. This has led to a widespread adoption of the technology in Japan. As of 2008 31.3% of elementary school students and 57.6% of middle school students owned a cell phone. In Japan cell phones are called keitai denwa (携帯電話, literally portable telephone), but that word is often shortened to just keitai. Because of the widespread use of mobile phones, and the advanced technologies available, Japan has formed a subculture around cell phones.

Flip Phone

The most common type of keitai found in Japan is the flip phone or clam shell. While other types such as touch-based smart phones are becoming popular, the flip phone still reigns supreme. These phones are often decorated and will have a charm hanging from it, though this behavior is more common amongst young girls and women. Because respecting others is important to Japanese culture it is commonplace to not talk on a phone in public. Instead many will turn their phone to silent and text instead. Because of this heavy use of texting many phones in Japan have a higher character limit than those found elsewhere in the world.

1seg

One of the coolest technologies found in many Japanese mobile phones is a TV broadcasting system known as 1seg. Imagine being able to catch live news on your commute to work, or watch some TV on your phone while on break. With 1seg this is all possible and that is just the tip of the iceberg. The best part of 1seg is that there is no extra cost to the user. The TV broadcasts are being sent over the air to any 1seg enabled devices.

So if you find yourself lucky enough to be in Japan pick up a keitai and see for yourself just how nice they are. So until next time…

じゃね。