Finding Homes in Tokyo

Posted on December 13, 2011 by admin

Japan is not just about rich culture that makes it appealing to outsiders but due to their being modern and able to provide everyone amenities, which are essentials for a modernistic way of life.  If you seek housing for expat in Tokyo then you have come to the right place. Looking for housing for expat in Tokyo is not difficult as there are many available, it all goes down to how much you want to spend and what your lifestyle is.

Therefore, the first thing to do in the house hunt is know what the budget is.  This allows you to shorten your house hunting to a few options rather than get confused in where to focus your attention when you do not know how much you are willing to spend.  After knowing your budget, check out the area where these possible houses are located.  Is the house near to places that you like to explore and part of everyday of your living?  Know what you look for not just in the house but outside of it as that will make your living a great one.  If you have selected which area, you like your house to be in then check the amenities and the offerings of that house from basic appliances, heating to modern features such as internet connection and your own cell phone antenna.

After all the research and effort, you can then decide from among the many units available or if you are not satisfied find another area that you also like to reside in.  Finding a house in Tokyo may take your time but it will be worth all the effort and the time.  If you have finally selected one, you can talk to a real estate agent near you and get ready to move in.

 

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Decorating your house for Christmas

Posted on December 12, 2011 by admin

Christmas is the holy event and everyone wants to celebrate it with friends and family. People have different ideas and plan for the Christmas as many for them love to through a party at home and other will celebrate it inside home. People have different idea for decorating their houses for the Christmas. By applying Christmas theme to your house gives you a special feeling which is out of this world. The best thing about decorating your home is it will provide time to spend together with family and everyone is helping out each other.

Many people try to decorate their home from inside on the eve of Christmas and ignore the outside look of the home. The best way to decorate your home from outside is to apply small LED with low voltage and some lighting on the walls and trees. This will give the elegant look of the home from the outside. You can use multi colors light as well. Now coming to the interior of the home, people always concerned about the interior of the home and they try to decorate home from inside before a month. Decorating home from inside you can use candles, candlesticks, and votives of gold, silver and hurricanes and so many things. You can add red ribbon to tie bows in your home. You can also use books to decorate your home as you can place them on the table and people can read and get knowledge as well.  Hanging stocking is another great idea to decorate your home.

Other than that there are many companies that provide services to decorate your home from inside and outside. You can take services of these companies as they charge few dollars. By adding crystal and blinking lights to your home is another great idea but its cost is expensive but as we know people have special feeling for Christmas and they spend a lot on Christmas. You can also add Christmas tree to your home which is a beautiful addition and gives an elegant look to your home. You can also decorate natural plants with ornaments which looks awesome.

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Understand the Renting Contract in Japan

Posted on October 15, 2011 by admin
Real estate agents
Tokyo apartments for rent in Japan, follows a more rigid procedure before the would-be tenant could avail the use of a housing unit. The tenant is required to visit real estate agents. Real Estate listings are available everywhere in Tokyo through advertisements, publications or show windows. The agent contacts the landlord to see if the apartment is still available and arrange a home visitation to the apartment. Tokyo apartments for rent in Japan requires the intervention of real estate agents, a renter cannot rent an apartment on his own, he is required to have a guarantor who will promise to pay the rent if problems arises. In regions outside of Tokyo, people are hesitant to rent their place to foreigners more particularly that most landlords in the suburbs could not speak English.

 

Tokyo apartments for rent

Payment of Rental fees
Right from the beginning of the contract, the Japanese landlord collects both a damage deposit (shikikin) and “key money” (reikin) before the renter takes occupancy of the apartment. In addition, The renter is required to pay a service fee (chukai tesuryo) payable to the real estate agent in the amount equal to one month’s rent. The key money is non-refundable which may be an additional investment for the landlord. In recent years many landlords have begun demanding smaller amounts of key money, or sometimes none at all. There are also apartments which require no deposits like the monthly mansion and weekly mansion. This is true to apartments located in major cities which generally charge higher rents than traditional leases for hotel-style amenities and services. In Tokyo, the usual rental agreement is for  one or two years and renegotiated every year thereafter.

Gaijin houses
Following this procedure, many foreigners find it difficult to find apartments for rents. They often face discriminations, when landlords refused to rent their apartments without the help of real estate agents. For this reason, the remedy is to live in a guest house or commonly called “Gaijin Houses” or foreign persons’ house. Guest house are designed to provide short-term accommodation at reasonable rent. A guest house consists of one room for sleeping, a shared kitchen and shared bathroom. Facilities are operated electronically and sometimes they provide free utilities like the internet and phone service. There is also another housing unit which gained popularity in key cities, called Aparto or small apartments about 175 square feet or 16 square meters, while modern buildings with larger apartments are called manshon (“mansion”). Of these housing facilities, manshons offers more facilities and more modern, hence, more comfortable but expensive.

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Interesting Places to Hangout in Tokyo

Posted on October 14, 2011 by admin
Tokyo
When you think of living in Tokyo, the first thing that comes to your mind is technology, crowded streets, food and high cost of living. Tokyo is a conglomeration of cities put together into one. The different districts have its own distinctive character and became known through their own contribution to the development and growth of Japan. Today, living in Tokyo means the opportunity to enjoy Japan’s seemingly unlimited choices of entertainment, shopping, dining and seeing beautiful places. Japan is also full of history, arts and culture which can be appreciated in the different districts like Asakusa, Chiyoda, Shibuya and the electronic hub of Akibahara .Considered the city capital of Japan, Tokyo offers a number of attractive places to visit and city centers that you can spend your time together with family and friends.

 

Roppongi at night
For people who enjoy nightlife and entertainment, Roponggi is the right place to visit. It comes alive with music, dancing, dining and the excitement of youth. You will experience good cocktail party, cold beers and if you wish to try about 600 varieties of tequila, head for the agave bar. The bauhouse is also a good place to hang-out, featuring live music from very talented houseband.  For a sip of your favorite coffee to relax and away from the bustle of laughter and dazzling lights, dine at Hard Rock Café. Roppongi is also popular for good food, Japanese restaurants and Steakhouses which offer Japanese and Western menus.

Roppongi at daytime
For a daytime tour, visit the best art museums in Tokyo, the Mori Art Musuem, the Suntory Museum of Art, and the National Art Center. The Tokyo Imperial Palace is also open to visitors, especially during the Holiday Season. During the Emperor’s birthday and New Year, the Imperial Palace inner grounds is open for visitors and anybody can enter and have a peek of the Imperial Family.

Yoyogi Park
For a family get together, come to the largest city park found in Tokyo.  Yoyogi park is famous for its wide lawns, ponds and forested areas. The place is great for outdoor activities like jogging, picnicking and other outdoor activities. Much more… experience the famous cherry blossoms in March to April, families and lovers gathered around cherry trees and enjoy the enchanting cherry blooms.

Ginza District
For your expensive shopping taste, Ginza District is exclusive to shopping centers for branded items. All designer boutiques, elegant cafes and fine restaurants make Ginza a popular spot for the rich and famous to hang out. You can come and see beautiful faces in their most fashionable clothes at Ginza shopping centers. You can also find at Ginza the famous and largest fish market in Asia. You can also visit the world’s renowned Sony building for free and check on their latest Sony gadgets, attend product demonstrations and watch free movies on screen.

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one of the best souvenirs to Bring Home from Japan

Posted on August 30, 2011 by admin

Japan is a great place for buying gifts, souvenirs and items for your family. You must never forget to bring high quality souvenirs from Japan. Noren curtains are one of the best souvenirs for you and your family. You must never forget to bring Noren curtains from Japan if you are going back to home from abroad. There is a complete range of curtains available for you which can be easily bought with special discounted rates. You will be able to choose the curtain of your likings and it has been guaranteed that there will be no issues with the reliability of the curtains. You will get high quality and top notch curtains with exclusive designs and prints.
Doorway curtains can also be obtained which reflects the image of Japanese history and their cultures. You can buy them for business perspectives and they can easily increase the reputation of your work place. You can even bring them to your home from Japan as a gift from Japan. You can never compare the quality of these curtains with the curtains available in your countries because Noren are simply the best because of high quality textures and cotton made fabrics. They are simply the signs of traditions and cultures which can be considered as real gifts for you.

Noren

There is a unique charm and beauty in all of the curtains because of exclusive designs and textures. If you are going to choose 5 souvenirs to bring home from Japan then these curtains are considered to be on the top place. You should buy these curtains and you will never forget to buy them again when you will visit Japan. Similarly, other items, products and gifts can also be bought from Japan which can also be considered as great souvenirs. You can buy unique and high quality clocks from Japan. You can even look for Japanese apparel, tableware, dolls and stationary items because they are also very unique. You can get them in cheap rates and there will be no issues with the reliability of these products.

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An overview of Shinjuku Ni-Chome

Posted on March 31, 2011 by admin

When you visit Tokyo for sightseeing activities, Shinjuku Ni-chōme, referred to colloquially as Ni-chōme or simply Nichō, is Area 2 in the Shinjuku District of the Shinjuku Special Ward of Tōkyō, Japan. With Tōkyō home to over 8.2 million people, and Shinjuku known as the noisiest and most crowded of its 23 special wards, Ni-chōme further distinguishes itself as Tōkyō’s hub of gay subculture, housing the world’s highest concentration of gay bars. Some of the clubs in the Ni-chome area of Shinjuku, Tokyo’s entertainment area, are reminiscent of New York’s famous bath houses of the seventies and early eighties.

Many of the hotels and apartment- like buildings appear grey and uninteresting, but once inside the highly decorated lobbies of these places, one is left in no doubt as to what is on offer. The Ni-chome area is reminiscent of Bangkok’s Patpong, but only in that this dense and diverse concentration of clubs and bars are squeezed into a couple of blocks. They cater for a strange diversity of tastes in the entertainment houses, from bars for the obese and bars for transvestites, to bars for spankers.

Ni-chōme is best known as the centre of Tokyo’s gay scene. Estimates of the number of gay pubs, clubs and bars in this area alone range between 200-300. In fact, it is frequently said that Ni-chōme has more gay bars per block than any other place in the world. Nevertheless, the gaybourhood covers only a small area of a few square blocks centred around Nakadai Street. Besides the bars, the area is also home to gay restaurants and cafes, several shops, saunas, hotels, ‘host bars’ (bars where patrons can meet hustlers), cruising spots, massage parlours and brothels of varying sizes and legality. Establishments vary in size, but many are limited to ten or fewer seats. There are no gay clubs in Ni-chōme that can hold more than one hundred customers. Large gay events that attract several hundred, or several thousand people, are held monthly in clubs outside the area. The Arch is one of these places that is located on Dai-2 Hayakawaya Boulevard, Shinjuku Ni-Chome. This a Japan gay club that has underground music, theme parties and special nights with Saturdays being a men’s only night and there are parties for women only also. There are drag divas and other entertainment for their patrons.

There is also Advocates Cafe located at Dai-7 Tenka Boulevard, Shinjuku Ni-Chome and due to the location of the club it is crowded on weekends and attracts the elite, with indoor and outdoor seating. The Annex is located on Futami Boulevard, Shinjuku Ni-Chome has a bar for meeting people and Conversations. There’s dancing and DJs, which after midnight take requests the crowd is mostly it 20s to late 30s. When visiting the bar it is owned by the same people that own the Arty Farty club and on nights when there are parties that the two clubs patrons can go back and forth between the two. The Arty Farty is located on Kyutri Boulevard, Shinjuku Ni-Chome and while it is a new location, it is a longtime favorite club.

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Short-term Serviced Apartments are a Prime Vacation Choice

Posted on March 27, 2011 by admin

With the advent of globalization and major cities of the world becoming global economic hubs for business and trade, there are almost huge arrays of people who arrive to such cities on a daily basis. Tokyo, being part of one of the significant trading cities, has grown a lot with the accommodation of people who come there daily for their own business purposes. There are various types of accommodation systems available for people coming to Tokyo. From high end suites to short- term serviced apartments. In Tokyo, the short- term service apartments are considered the best for people conducting daily business, and commuting the city frequently.

Short Term Apartment Tokyo

There are various types of short-term apartments present like the; capsule hotels, which have these capsule shaped spaces with small area for storage of luggage and other stuffs, plus they are available at a very cheaper rates. Then there are apartment rental services which provides for 2-3 days use. They are considered to be a good stay because of their proximities with the neighborhood market places and other public places.

There are also few hostels which fall under the category of short term service apartments, but these hostels are not the usual college hostels or the school hostels, these are privately owned and are kept for the room sharing purpose. Many tourists with a tight budget, opt for these hostels, with a outlook of mingling with fellow tourists and getting in touch with the locals and knowing the inner quantum of Tokyo. Staying in these apartments are taken on a positive point of view, especially when tourists are in the city for smaller duration or they have short term work in the city. Getting in touch with the locals and knowing the local culture, best cuisines, small escapades are always worth the experience.

Cheaper land prices also doesn’t affect their pocket too. But increasing criminal activities are some areas in which people can take precautions. Also, if one’s on a business trip, he/she needs to travel on a daily basis, to their place of work, for that staying in such areas is fruitful as one can easily find modes of transports to get to their destination, unlike sophisticated, high-end hotels and resorts, which are located mostly on the outskirts or at highly priced ecomomical locations where only certain types of means of transports are allowed like the private taxis, which themselves are quite pricey.

Therefore, if intended for a couple of days visit whether be it business or for pleasure, one should always look for short- term service apartments, which assures cheaper place, food, get together and more, alas, if one’s not a multi- millionaire.

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Yokohama Sea Paradise

Posted on March 22, 2011 by admin

If you’re visiting Japan, take the opportunity to visit Yokohama city. Finding a place to stay is easy and if you choose guesthouses, they can be just as easy on the wallet. The reason behind recommending a visit to Yokohama is to check out Yokohama Sea Paradise. Since you will be saving money by staying in a Yokohama guesthouse, you should definitely take your money saved and check out the Yokohama Sea Paradise. The Yokohama Sea Paradise is also known as the Yokohama Hakkeijima Sea Paradise. The location of Yokohama Sea Paradise is in Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, Japan. The Yokohama Sea Paradise has been open for business since May 8, 1993. The Yokohama Sea Paradise is an amusement park that features an aquarium, shopping mall, hotel, marina, and amusement rides.

The great thing about Yokohama Sea Paradise is that it is unlike any other amusement park you may have been to. There are no gates or admission fees. This definitely saves you money. The Yokohama Sea Paradise is a pay-as-you-go theme park. This is pretty attractive to your wallet to say the least. Even though there are no admission fees, the park does still offer day passes. So, you can either purchase a day pass or pay for each attraction separately as you find things you are interested in. The choice is yours.

The Yokohama Sea Paradise definitely attracts a lot of customers. Each year, the amusement park serves almost 5,000,000 people. This is an astonishing number and shows that the amusement park will not disappoint you. It would not get all of the business it does if it were a flop. The Yokohama Sea Paradise currently ranks 6th among all of the Asian amusement parks in regards to the number of patrons they have each year.

The Yokohama Sea Paradise is attractive to its visitors because of how it is definitely a new age style amusement park. It is not something you will see imitated anywhere else successfully. It is a great leisure-type attraction. With the nature that it features and is surrounded by, you really can’t go wrong. It truly is a relaxing environment. The Yokohama Sea Paradise features one of the top aquariums in all of Japan. The Yokohama Sea Paradise truly is a beauty located at the tip of Yokohama Bay.

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Find Gay Friendly Tours in Japan

Posted on February 21, 2011 by admin

Going on an international holiday is an experience that everyone should have. There is no experience like it; seeing the culture, eating the food, visiting the memorials, even shopping for groceries in a foreign land can be an exciting and new experience. Going on holiday with likeminded people is the way to go. There are many different types of tour groups out there; ones for single mothers, senior citizens, people with disabilities, and for gay people.

Japan is one of the most popular destinations in the world. People from western countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

There are many ways how you can find gay friendly tours in Japan. A simple online search for ‘gay friendly tours Japan’ will result in hundreds of results just waiting for your mouse click. Gay friendly tours Japan websites will give you a list of cities that you will visit, as well as prices, tour group sizes, and destinations like restaurants that you will visit. Websites are the easiest choice, because you can compare all of the organisations and their tours at the same time from the comfort and privacy of your own home.

You can also find gay friendly tours Japan by asking gay people that you know. Word of mouth will tell you more than a website, because people who have been there before will know the ups and downs that only someone who has been there, done that can know. The only down side to this is that people you ask might only have their experience of one or two travel agencies, so you won’t be able to get a good judgement of a lot of different gay friend tours of Japan.

Of course, travel agents will have some inside scoop of gay friendly tours in Japan, but if you are anxious about telling people that you are gay, then coming out to a travel agent could cause you some trepidation.

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Tokyo’s Gay and Lesbian Culture

Posted on November 15, 2010 by admin

Ask anyone who has lived in Tokyo for at least a short while what they know about Ni-chome. Answers will no doubt vary from “That’s that place with all the gays, right?”, to “Oh yeah, I know a cool bar there” to “It has to be seen to be believed”. In some ways all of these statements are true no matter how ridiculous they may be, but I have found the best way to experience a place is just to go there and check it out. I myself am not gay, but a great deal of my friends are and some of them are very well known faces and performers in the Tokyo gay scene. It’s just as easy to have a fun night out in Ni-chome as a straight guy as a gay one….well perhaps not entirely equal, but fairly close.

Ni-chome is packed with tiny bars and clubs, many of which cater to a very particular sub-culture of the gay and lesbian community, and because of the small size of the clubs if you happen to wander into a bar that the ‘master-san’ deems you inappropriate for, you may very well be asked to leave. So, it’s probably best to stick to the beaten path until you get a better feel for what is what. Advocates is a lively hole-in-the-wall bar on the main Ni-chome drag. Its a common place to start a night out, when the weather is warm enough people spill out onto the street allowing for a free flowing movement of people between other bars. I greatly enjoy people watching and Advocates is a prime location for doing just that.

If you are more in the mood for some dancing then Arty Farty might be what you are looking for. Regardless of whether the streets are quiet or not, chances are Arty Farty will be packed. The entrance to the Club is free, which is quite rare, however you will have to buy a drink and get your hand stamped before you are allowed to hit the dance floor. Finding a spot to shake your stuff might be an issue as it is not at all unusual for almost three-quarters of the crowd to be on the dance floor. If you want to get to see the rather wacky decor then you should arrive a little early, as its difficult to see once things get busy.

Advocates (1F, Dai-7 Tenka Building, Shinjuku 2-18-1, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022. Tel. 03 3358 3988). On block J, facing block R. Open 6pm to 5am, Mon-Sat; 6pm – 1am Sun.

Arty Farty (2F, No.33 Kyutei Bldg, Shinjuku 2-11-7, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-0022. Tel. 03 5362 9720) On block E, facing block D.


Sources:

http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=362&pID=1074

http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=362&pID=977#gaymap

Picture Sources:

http://www.japanvisitor.com/index.php?cID=362&pID=977#gaymap

http://www.flickr.com/photos/tigermilk_clic/3177310672/sizes/z/

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