Updated May, 2008

Randy's Japan Links

Really Useful Websites for Japanophiles and Travelers

[Culture] [Events] [Travel] [Rail/Bus] [Tours] [Lodging] [Live/Work] [Language] [Media]

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Japanese Culture

Kids Web Japan, teach your kids (& yourself) all about Japan! in 10 languages!
- Including Folk Legends told to all Japanese children.
Jim Breen's Ukiyo-e Gallery ..lovely woodblock prints.
Tokyo Food Page
Plastic Sushi replicas! + sushi magnets, sushi candy, etc.
Get your Sushi T-Shirt! from Sushi Foods Co.
Articles of Traditional and Historical Japanese Clothing: order from Bokunan-Do.
Quirky Japan Stuff ... Ed Jacob's Quirky and/or useful info about Japan, from getaways and budget travel to second-hand shops and vending machines, quirky foods, people, & more... check it out!

Events in Japan!

What's Going on This Month?
...in -- and around -- Tokyo.
...and Kyoto Events and Festivals
- Plus, the monthly Kyoto Visitor's Guide is now On-line!
...Annual Events in Kobe and Osaka.
- Upcoming May Festivals...
  - Hakata Dontaku Festival and Costume Parade, Hakata (Fukuoka), May 3-4.
  - Giant Kite Festival, Yes, giant fighting kites! Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, May 3-5
  - Takigi Noh Performance Torchlight outdoor performance of traditional Noh theater. Kofuku-ji Temple and Kasuga Shrine, Nara May 11 & 12, 4-9pm
  - Takigi (torchlight) Noh Theater is performed throughout Japan at different times. Here is a List of Takigi Noh Performances Throughout Japan, various dates.
  - Mifune Boat Festival, 'Parade' of Heian Period boats and costumes. Arashiyama, Kyoto. 3rd Sunday in May
- Access the complete list of My Selected Annual Events in Japan.
- Search for Events ...for any month, in any area. This automated system from JNTO is not perfect but a good start to find lists of hundreds of festivals!
- Traditional Theater Performances -- May, 2008
  - Check monthly Performance Schedules at the National Theatre and Kabuki-za.
    The National Theater schedule covers a number of Theater Facilities, including the Main Theater locations in Tokyo and the National Bunraku (Puppet) Theater, in Osaka. Another nice Bunraku Theater Site.
  - Upcoming Theater Events:
    - NO Kabuki at the National Theater (Tokyo) in May.
    - Bunraku at the National Theatre (Tokyo, small theater); May 9 to 25, 2008.
      - Morning includes: Kamakura Sandaiki
      - Afternoon includes Shinjyu Yoigousin
      - Full Program
    - May Grand Kabuki Program, at the Kabuki-za! (Tokyo) May 2 to 26, 2008.
      - The Kabuki-za celebrates its 120th year in 2008!
      - Morning includes: Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura (again)...
      - Evening includes: Kikugoro and Danjuro star in a rare full-length performance of Shiranami Gonin Otoko ('The 5 Thieves') AKA "Aoto Zoshi Hana no Nishikie"... All 5 acts.
      - Full Program
    - NO Bunraku at the Bunraku Theatre in Osaka in May
  - Another source for Current Traditional Theater Programs at:
    - Kabuki-za
    - National Theater Kabuki, Tokyo
    - Bunraku Theater, Osaka
    - Bunraku at the National Theater, Tokyo
  - Another listing of upcoming Kabuki performances all around Japan at the 'Kabuki 21' website.
  - Learn all about Kabuki at the 'Kabuki 21' website, including Synopses of most Kabuki Plays!
- Another site for Performance Arts in Japan at the Performing Arts Network Japan website.
- Sumo Wrestling Tournament Schedule; Ticket Info. From the Official Grand Sumo English Home Page
  - Next Tournament: May 11 to 25, 2008, at the Tokyo Ryogoku Kokugikan

Travel in Japan

Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) Go! Tons of info!
It is a very large site so here are a number of quick references:
- JNTO Info for Travelers Page, including visa requirements, climate, tours, and :
  - A very useful list of Budget Travel Tips for Japan.
  - Frequently Asked Questions about Japan from tourists -- and answers!
- A user-friendly Quick Guide to Japanese Traditional Culture: Castles, Tea Ceremony, Art, Temples, many more...
- A List of Welcome Cards. Available throughout the country only to foreign tourists, cards give discounts or free gifts at numerous locations. Many can be printed out before you leave home, or obtained at Tokyo or Kyoto Tourism offices.
- Info on Free local Goodwill Guides, including a list of Volunteer Guide Associations in almost every part of Japan! Most have e-mail and many have web sites detailing their services.
- Detailed Travel Guides (require Acrobat Reader 5 and Japapese Font Pack)
  - Including over 50 detailed destination guides to individual locations!
  - And a thorough list of Annual Events in Japan (Acrobat reader required.)
  - And 13 Interest-Specific trip guides, including: Ceramic Arts, Skiing, Museums, Animation, Architecture(1.8MB!), Camping, etc.
  - JTB's Japan Now! Traveler's Guide to experiencing Japan -- Food, Culture, Tours, Special Trains and Events. Updated often.
  - Japan Cheap Travel.com is a personal site chock full of cheap travel info from the authors' recent 3 month journey through Japan. Practical, reasonable ideas for stretching your ¥Yen in Japan!
  - Jan Dodd's excellent resources from the author of the award-winning "Rough Guide to Japan"
  - Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau ...loads of Tokyo information for visitors.
    - Including: Tokyo Transport Options: ...day passes, bus tours, walking tours, cruises, etc.
  - A list of Local Day Passes, for transport in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka. More pass info in My Japan Guide
  - Locations of CitiBank ATM Machines in Japan, where you can use your home ATM card to draw money out of your own account.
    
    [Culture] [Events] [Travel] [Rail/Bus] [Tours] [Lodging] [Live/Work] [Language] [Media]
  - A quick look at Bullet Train Routes!
  - From the official Japan Railways Group
    - Japan Rail Pass info! Official web site.
    - Kansai Airport Shuttle Train Schedules!
      - Alternative private railway Nankai Line Info to/from Osaka & the airport.
    - Narita Airport Shuttle Train Schedules! follow links to the schedules.
      - Other Trains to/from Narita Airport including the cheaper Keisei Skyliner from Ueno (Tokyo).
  - Kansai (KIX) and Narita (NRT) International Airports' English pages... Flight info, maps, local transport.
  - Instant train routing, schedule, & fare calculations for any trip! A very useful site:
    - Hyperdia Timetable Just input departure & destination: it gives you multiple routes, times, prices; + access to complete timetables for each route.
  - Long Distance Highway Buses!... now run frequently in the daytime (as well as overnight), and can be a significantly cheaper alternative on major routes from Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Sendai, Takayama, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka.
    - Here's a link to Highway Bus Info and Prices on various routes at japan-guide.com; for the actual schedules you'd have to follow the bus company links to their Japanese language sites and navigate.
    - Several different companies now compete on many of these highway bus routes, including the JR Bus; but note that only a few of the JR Highway Buses are covered with the Japan Rail Pass. -- See This link for details.
  - My own Guide to Riding the Trains in Japan, in my on-line Japan Travel Guide.
  - Relax on the Ferry instead! My on-line travel pages on:
    - Domestic Japanese Ferry Routes and
    - International Ferries To/From Japan
  - Japan Travel Bureau, JTB.
    - Japan Travel Bureau, USA Air Fares, Lodging, Rental Cars, Tours...
    - JTB Sunrise Tours Package Tours in Japan...
      - Request a catalog of Sunrise Tours (mailed to US/Canada only)
    - List of JTB Offices in the USA and Around the World ...addresses & phone numbers.
  - Other Package Tours To or In Japan
    - Inside Japan Tours Lower-budget tours within Japan
    - First class escorted special interest tours within Japan by Destination Management Toursgallery
    - Kintetsu (RR) Tours short tours within Japan.
    - JNTO's new: Search for a Tour Package! to suit your interests and itenerary!
  - Find your own lodgings in Japan and make reservations by e-mail:
    - Japanese Guest Houses.com On-line reservations, info, photos of 170 Japanese Inns!
    - JNTO Accommodation Links to Japanese lodging websites.
    - Japanese Inn Group Lists of reasonable inns in Japan.
    - The Welcome Inn center of the International Tourism Center of Japan. Makes Reservations for Budget Lodgings only, and is not available to travel agents.
    - Stay cheap in Kyoto? Try Tour Club ... cheap, clean, friendly, dorms and rooms; central locale
    - Check out these chain hotels in Japan for "budget" western-style rooms in many cities:
      - Tokyu Inn, SunRoute Hotels, Comfort Inn Japan, Holiday Inn, Various Hotels in Japan
  - Homestay in Japan? Very little is available, (and I don't know these places myself...) but try these links for Homestay services in Chiba, & Nara. Plus the Japanese branch of the Experiment in International Living.
  [Culture] [Events] [Travel] [Rail/Bus] [Tours] [Lodging] [Live/Work] [Language] [Media]
  Living and Working in Japan
  - Japan File - Kansai Time Out magazine's on-line Japan guide
  - Zone81 Info-zine for foreigners living in Japan.
  - Life in Japan Newsgroup ..(newsreader required)
  - Tokyo Flat-Share Bulletin Board! ...updated daily. Follow the links on the right; some postings in English.
  - GaijinPot Has classified listings for everything in Japan: Jobs, Housing, Services
  - Jobs In Japan Listings of all kinds...
  - New resident? Visit Tokyu Hands, the father of all Japanese do-it-yourself stores, 7 floors in Shibuya, Tokyo.
    - Japanese Site and links to stores in Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Futagotamagawa, Machida, Fujisawa, Nagoya, Osaka (Esaka, Shinsaibashi), Kobe (Sannomiya), Hiroshima, Sapporo.
  - International Outdoors Clubs for Residents of Japan
    - International Adventure Club (IAC) of Tokyo, and its sister group,
    - International Outdoor Club (IOC) in Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe) [Trip Articles]
    Members organize exciting outdoor activities that explore the Japanese mountains and countryside; hiking, biking, skiing, etc. Membership is about half Japanese and half ex-pats, living in Japan.
  - Outdoor Japan - Travel and activity guides, message boards, gear and services, events...
  - Want to Teach English in Japan?
    - Start on Susan Crowell's Teaching English in Japan page.
    - Or get O-Hayo Sensei, a free newsletter of actual jobs available
    - GaijinPot has job listings in Japan...
    - JET, The Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme, for those who are really serious...
  - Want to Do Business in Japan? The American Chamber of Commerce in Japan publishes several good books including: "A Guide to Doing Business in Japan", "A Guide to Exporting to Japan", and "Living In Japan"
  - US Embassy List of Translation and other Office Services in Japan.
  - JETRO, Japan External Trade Org., is the Japanese Government's liason for both export and import.
    - Links to JETRO Offices in U.S. and Canada, Europe -- and more -- are a good source of info for doing business in, or exporting to Japan. Lists 80 offices worldwide in 59 countries, many with websites listing local Trade Shows, Seminars, Resources, etc.
  Japanese Language
  - Dowload MS Windows Japanese Fonts "IME 5, Japanese" ...to read many Japanese web pages and e-mails.
  - Look-up Japanese Words ...and get the Kanji!
    - Alternate Version ...looks more complex but is much quicker and more reliable.
  Japanese Media On-Line
  - English-language Magazines in Japan on-line:
    - Kansai Time Out, Tokyo Journal, Tokyo Weekender,
    - Tokyo 'Q', Metropolis (Tokyo),
    - Kyushu News, Fukuoka, Kyushu, City Guide, Okinawa Times, Japan Update (Okinawa)
    - Xene, Sapporo/Hokkaido E-Zine & bulletin board is back!
  - English-language Newspapers in Japan on-line:
    - Asahi Evening News, Japan Times, Mainichi Daily
    - Nikkei (business), Yomiuri.
  [Culture] [Events] [Travel] [Rail/Bus] [Tours] [Lodging] [Live/Work] [Language] [Media]
- World Travel Links on Randy's Travel Page.
- Other Links on Randy's Home Page.
  
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Randy's Japan Links

Really Useful Websites for Japanophiles and Travelers

Japanese Culture

Events in Japan!

Travel in Japan

Living and Working in Japan

Japanese Language

Japanese Media On-Line