STROLLER ACCESSIBLE SUBWAYS
As child-friendly as Tokyo can be, it can also be torturous for navigating with a large stroller. Thanks to TF reader, Suzi Noetzel, here are two websites that can help! Although these are designed for travelers in wheelchairs, if a location is wheelchair accessible, a single or double stroller will also be manageable.
This one is good for museums, shopping, etc…:
http://accessible.jp.org/tokyo/en/
This one is useful for checking out subways and trains:
http://www.wakakoma.org/aj/menu-t.htm
Note: Some of the information is out of date, so beware.
RAINY DAY ACTIVITY
Here’s a well-kept secret for a rainy day. JJ Club is a membership entertainment outlet with over fifty locations in Japan. For ¥300, you can join JJ Club, and then for an amazingly low ¥100 per 15 minutes, you can select your activity - billiards, karaoke, bowling, batting cages, video games, and more! Some locations even have reading rooms and snack counters. Once you enter the club, your time is recorded on your membership card, which makes for one easy payment as you exit based on your time spent inside the club. That’s a pretty good deal for only ¥400/hour!
For more information: http://www.jjonline100.jp (Japanese only)
HINTS FOR TOKYO LIVING!
The Meguro International Friendship Association (MIFA) offers several free programs designed to assist foreigners living in Japan. The following seminars are all part of the “HINTS FOR LIVING IN MEGURO” program, and are open to the public on a space-available basis. All sessions are conducted in English, and are free of charge.
Nov. 1 (Tue） 10 -12 amTour to a TOKYU supermarket
(limited enrollment: 30 persons)
Nov. 8 (Tue) 10 -12 amWhere do we go for shopping?
Dec. 13 (Tue) 10 -12 amWhat shall we do for the New Year?
How can we secure our house when we go out?
To register: Call Meguro International Friendship Association at 03-3715-4671/Mobile 090-6185-9473 or email info@mifa.jp. Children are welcome to attend with parents, but please provide the number of children attending when registering.
For more information, see the website at http://www.mifa.jp
Family/Parent Effectiveness Training (F.E.T./P.E.T.), a six-week, 24-hour interactive course, is a method that strengthens relationships among family members by teaching important, practical communication and problem-solving skills. Classes beginning from January 20/21, 2006 are now open for registration: Fridays in Kichijoji , Saturdays in Omotesando. Tuition, 44,100 yen, includes the text and workbook. Contact Mary Tadokoro at openarmsjapan@hotmail.com for more information.
