In Tokyo public transportation system is very extensive and convenient, but there are three companies to operate – Tokyo Metro, Toei and JR- and sometime that is very complicated especially for foreign tourists.

Adding to the current “Tokyo Tour Ticket”, new ticket  ”Tokyo Transport Pass” is now available from December 1st. for a limited time only (Until the end of January).

A ticket valid for 2 days costs 2,500 yen, same that valid for 3 days costs 3,000 yen

Tickets are sold at JR East VIEW counter (1) Narita Airport no.1 terminal Basement, (2) Narita Airport no.2 terminal (3) Haneda Airport  2F.

This is available only for foreign visitors with foreign passport, so you should present your passport when you purchase it!

Today’s topic is also about snow sports…
“Snow Magic 19″ is a new campaign announced recently, 19-year-youngsters who are going to visit Japan for skiing/snowboarding this winter should not miss!! This campaign allows everyone who is 19 years old can get free of charge lift tickets without any limit at more than 80 ski mountains in Japan.

How to entry this campaign…
1. Register your name at their website through your smart phone.
2. E-mail with registration number will be returned to your e-mail a/c, so you should keep it.
3. Present your e-mail on your phone together with your ID which you can prove you are 19 years old at lift ticket counter at ski mountain.
4. Enjoy skiing / snowboard at FREE OF CHARGE!

You can check which ski mountains are listed and also register through this website. http://www.jalan.net/yukimaji19/ (Japanese Only… sorry.)

I wish I was 19 years old…

Although we are a bike tour company, we would love to promote ski business in Japan.  As you know, Japan is very mountainous island country, actually 70% of the land are mountains. And at the same time Japanese archipelago is long from north to south, so in northern Japan we have much snow during the winter (the middle of December to the end of March). It is said that we have more than 600 ski resorts (or villages), and maybe this is a bit too many…

In the ‘ 80 and  early 90′, when Japan enjoyed its bubble economy, a lot of small mountain villages were developed as ski resorts and there were a big ski boom among young people. But after bubble economy was over, the ski boom was also over, so the population of skiers and snowboarders decreased rapidly. Only huge amount of debts were remained at the local villages.

Thanks to Australians who discovered the quality of snow in Niseko in Hokkaido, now they became international to attract many skiers and snowboarders from all over the world. But as we mentioned above, we have more than 600 ski resorts (oh, some of them are too small to call “resorts”, though…), there are plenty of possibilities to bring in more visitors.

<<Five  advantages about skiing in Japan>>

1. Japanese food  - Food in ski lodge is sometime very poor, but still if you stay over night there you won’t be disappointed by food in the villages or Ryokans you are staying at.

2. Onsen hot spring   –  Skiing and Onsen are always best matching! Most of the ski mountains are very close from Onsen.

3. Reasonable lift ticket  -  Even high Japanese yen, the lift tickets are not so expensive compared to those in U.S.A. or Europa.

4. Not so crowded  -   As Japanese young people are not so interested in snow sports these days, so ski mountains are less crowded. You don’t normally need to wait in the long line for the lift except for some national holidays.

5. Quality of the snow –  Top season is in February.

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After the eathquake, Tsunami and nuclear accident in northern Japan this year, the tourism was damaged a lot and still now they don’t have enough tourists. Ski is a big industry during the winter for them and they are afraid that they will have much less customers this winter. So they recently released a amazingly cheap ski trip package, that is ONLY 980 yen per person including the transportation (bus) from Tokyo to the mountain plus one day lift pass !!

The details are…

Available on December 23 (Fri), 24 (Sat), 25 (Sun), 26 (Mon) and 27 (Tue)

Price  980 yen per person on Dec 26 or 27 / 1,980 yen on Dec 23,24 or 25

Including a bus transportation from Shinjuku or Tokyo to Inawashiro ski resort (http:www.goinawashiro.com)

Bus depart at Shinjuku 6:45 a.m. or Tokyo sta. 6:45 a.m.  or Ikebukuro 7:30 a.m. and be arrived at Inawashiro 11:15 a.m.

/  ski or snowboard one day  /

Bus depart from Inawashiro at 5:45 p.m. and be arrived at Shinjuku at 9:50 p.m.

There are some other plans to go different destination as well. Please ask us the details.

Oops! One thing, we would like to mention  ….. Don’t forget  joining our cycling tour on the next day or later when you come back to Tokyo

Hi, I’m Carlos ! Como vai voce ?

I originally planned to travel to Switzerland for my summer vacation this year, but changed my mind to go to Tohoku area where the tourism industry is way down after the earthquake and Tsunami hit those places.  I brought my folding bike as it is much easier to travel by a train, as we have to put in a bag (we call it a “Rinko Bag”.) when we take our bikes into a train.

On the first night I stayed at Togatta in Miyagi prefecture. They are famous as a hot spring town and also not very far from famous Zao hot spring town. A doll standing by me on the photo is “Kokeshi” doll which is a wooden folk art, traditionally made in the northeastern region of Japan.  (Kokeshi /wikipedia)

Besides Togatta, I also traveled to Sendai, Matsusima and Hiraizumi that was recently registered as the World Heritage Site. I found the enjoyment of cycling  every place I visited, and I wish the area’s earliest recovery from bottom of my heart!

Tohoku is a major production area of rice. Ears of rice are freshly green. So beautiful.

I have many chances to ride a bike ( of course as a guide of TGCT !), but I have never tried to ride a bike in the mountain trail. But my Aussie friend, Wayne, who is originally one of my guests from the tour, came to Japan for his business trip recently and luckily he has a free weekend, so we have decided to go to the mountain side to ride a bike.

The first couple of hours I got scared to ride on narrow, rocky and slippery hill. But it gradually became very exciting to ride a bike in the nature. I still am very much fond of riding a bike in the city, but my first MTB ride in the mountain was just awesome! I’ve already started to consider buying a MTB, the problem is the space to keep more than one bike in such a small apartment in Tokyo;)

Thank you, Wayne, introducing me a new “toy” !

(Can you believe there is a sign behind us saying ” Watch out for bears!” ?)

Once suspended showing the area to tourists after the earthquake on March 11 this year, Tsukiji Fish Market announced that they reopen the visitors’ area at tuna auction space. They also announced that they would change their policy as follows. Visitors’ area is re-opened on July 26, 2011.

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Tourists want to visit a tuna auction must be at Kachidoki Gate (勝どき門) at/before 5:00 am. (It was 4:30 am previously.)

60 visitors in the first group (5:25 am to 5:50 am) and 60 in the second group ( 5:50 am to 6:15 am), total only 120 visitors are allowed to enter the area.

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During summer school break, Sumo association organize a special event “Sumo healthy exercise” at Sumo stadium. You can practice Sumo exercise with young Sumo wrestlers.　　　http://www.sumo.or.jp/eng/kyokai/kenko_taiso.html

It’s free of charge and no need for a reservation. You can just show up at scheduled time. Maybe it’s very unique experience for you to practice Sumo with wrestlers!? Doing exercise before joining our bike tour is also a nice idea!?

—Schedule —

Date : August 1 (Mon.) –  5 (Fri.) , 8 (Mon.) – 12 (Fri.)  ,  22(Mon.) – 26(Fri.)

Time:  7:30 am – 8:00 am   (30 min.)

Place:  Ryogoku Kokugikan Sumo stadium  (2min. walk from JR/Toei Oedo line  Ryogoku station.)

Fee : Free of charge

Although lots of summer festivals are cancelled this year due to the tragic disaster in Tohoku area, still some of the festivals are scheduled to be held.  Some are especially for the memorial to the victims.

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July 13  - 15   7:00 pm —   Tsukuda Island Bon Dance Festival     @Tsukuda Island  (Tokyo Metro Yurakucho line  Tsukishima station  7 min.)

July 13 – 16  6:00 pm —  Yasukuni Shrine Mitama Festival  @Yasukuni Shrine (Metro Tozai line Kudanshita station 5 min.)

July 20 – 23   5:30 pm —  Kagurazaka Festival  @ Kagurazaka (JR / Metro Tozai line Iidabashi station  2 min.)

July 21 – 22  3:00 pm —   Shimbashi Koichi Festival  @ Shimbashi SL square (JR/Metro Ginza line/ Toei Asakusa line  Shimbashi station 1 min.)

July 23- 24 10:00 am- 5:00 pm  Edogawa ward Golden Fish festival @3-2-1, Kita Kasai, Edogawa-ku  ( Metro Tozai line Nishi Kasai station 10 min.)

July 26 7:20 – 8:00 pm   Katsushika Firework Festival  @ 7-17-13, Shibamata, Katsushika-ku  (Keisei Kanamachi line  Shibamata station 10 min.)

July 30  1:30 – 7:00 pm   Shinjuku Eisa (okinawa dance) Festival , Shinjuku  (JR, Metro, Keio, Odakyu line)

July 29 and 30  6:30 pm – 9:00 pm  Jizoson Bon Dance Festival @ Zojoji temple (JR Hamamatsucho station 10 min., Shiba Koen station of Toei Mita line 3 min. Daimon station of Toei Oedo line, Toei Asakusa line 5 min.)

Aug 3-6  7:00 – 9:00 pm  Tsukiji Honganji Bon Dance Festival  @Tsukiji Honganji temple (Metro Honganji station 1 min.)

Aug 6 7:30 – 8:30 pm  Jingu Gaien Firework Festival  @Jingu baseball stadium (Metro Ginza line Gaienmae station 7 min.) 　*Need to buy the ticket http://jinguhanabi.nikkansports.com/

Aug 13    6:30 – 8:00 pm   Asakusa Lantern Festival @Sensoji temple – Sumida river park (Metro Ginza line/Toei Asakusa line  Asakusa station 3 min.)

Aug 27   7:00 – 8:30 pm   Sumida River Firework Festival @Asaskusa ( same as above)

Aug 27,28  3:00 – 6:00 pm    Koenji Awa dance Festival @Koenji (JR Koenji station 1 min.)

Aug 27, 28  10:00 am- 6:00 pm  Super Yosakoi Festival  @Harajuku (JR Harajuku station 1 mim.)

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On our bike tours, we sometimes come across those local festivals. Enjoy bike tour and you’ll feel as if you are locals!

GAMBARO NIPPON!　　　がんばろう日本！！

We’ll operate the evening tour this year again. This seasonal special tour is available on weekday during July 4th until September 30th. Please join us and enjoy nice and cool evening by bike!

You can check the details here!

Tobu railway company who is an operator of Tokyo Sky Tree, a broadcasting tower and the world tallest self-supporting tower with 634 meters, announced yesterday that Tokyo Sky Tree would be completed by the end of February 2012 and would be opened on May 22, 2012.  The fee to go up to the first observation deck (350 meters) by the lift is 2,000 yen for an adult (over 18 years old) and to the second one (450 meters) is 3,000 yen. If you add 500 yen on top, you can reserve the ticket with your preferred date and time.

On the foot of the tower, they will open 7-floor-shopping complex called “Tokyo Sora Machi”.  Many restaurants, shops even an aquarium and a planetarium will be opened in this complex.

3,000 yen to go up the tower and plus shopping… Maybe it is better for us to bring a calculator to visit there not to spend too much money…  !!

Tokyo Sky Tree  …  English website