All posts tagged "City Life"

  • Where were you on April 8?

    Not since Y2K have I experienced such a wave of panic around me, in preparing for what was to come. Leading up to April 8th, instead of stocking up on water and non perishables, people were clamouring...

    • Posted April 17, 2024
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  • The passing of pets

    It’s so hard to believe that it’s been a year since our beloved Siamese cat, Flurry, died. He and his sister, Flicka, came into our lives after our flame-point Siamese, Slinky, passed away 13 years ago, and...

    • Posted March 1, 2024
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  • Ride sharing services in Tokyo will be available starting April

    It was announced on Wednesday by Tokyo Hire-Taxi Association, with taxi operators as members, that ride-sharing services in the capital city will be available from April 2024. This means the current ride-sharing ban on taxi operators will...

    • Posted January 11, 2024
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  • Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower is now the tallest building in Tokyo

    A three-skyscraper complex designed by New York-based Pelli Clarke Architects consisting of Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower, Azabudai Hills Residence A and Azabudai Hills Residence (B) Mori JP Tower, is set to open Friday, Nov. 24, 2023....

    • Posted November 21, 2023
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  • First roller skating lessons offered to Tokyo kids

    Outdoor or indoor roller skating can be a fun activity for the whole family. But if you need to bring a newbie in the family up to speed, get help from the pros. Pro skaters at the...

    • Posted November 1, 2023
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  • Tokyo is at persistent risk of a disaster. Prepare your family.

    Japan predicts a 70% chance of an earthquake directly hitting Tokyo in the next 30 years. Do you ever wonder how your family would escape if an earthquake shook your building or your home was engulfed in...

    • Posted October 31, 2023
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  • The next generation folding bike that fits in a backpack will be available in Japan this month.

    As of 2020, around 737.74 thousand electric bicycles were sold in Japan. The number has steadily increased by almost 40 thousand units the following year. Despite the 200,000-yen-plus price tag of most electric bikes in Japan, it...

    • Posted July 10, 2023
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  • First ‘Children’s Smile Spot’ opens at Ueno Okachimachi station

    You could be forgiven for thinking it’s a children’s dental clinic. It’s not. It is Tokyo’s first subway station amenity set to open on July 7 at Ueno Okachimachi station, designed to make things a little better...

    • Posted July 3, 2023
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  • Living near green space makes you 2.5 years younger, suggests study

    City parks and green spaces help counter heat, boost biodiversity, and instill a sense of calm in the urban jungle. They also help slow biological aging, with people who have access to green spaces found to be...

    • Posted June 29, 2023
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  • Japan: No need for a driver’s license to use an e-kick scooter from July

    Japan is set to relax the road rules on electric kick scooters starting July 1st allowing people aged 16 or older to use them without a driver’s license. Electric scooter sharing businesses and others welcome the move,...

    • Posted June 26, 2023
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  • Cyclists beware: Bikers who don’t wear helmets 2.4 times more likely to die, Japan data says

    Japan started obliging all cyclists to make an effort to wear helmets in April this year. However, there are still many of them who hit the road without helmets. The other day in a busy street in...

    • Posted June 20, 2023
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  • The top 3 best-selling cars in Japan are all small boxy types

    The Japanese have a penchant for all things small even when it comes to cars. Affordability, decently comfortable are some of the reasons behind the increasing love for small boxy cars – not to mention the low...

    • Posted June 8, 2023
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  • Glamping and grilling in the city

    Grilling in the city, especially one as dense as Tokyo, can get a little complicated. Most (if not all) rented apartments rarely allow tenants to grill and chill on for not wanting to annoy smoke-sensitive neighbors ....

    • Posted April 20, 2023
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  • How intense do you like your matcha ice cream?

    I Scream You Scream, We All Scream For Ice Cream. We all love to go out for green tea ice cream but deciding where to go requires some arm-twisting.   We all have different flavor preferences. My...

    • Posted March 2, 2023
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  • Let the kids loose in Tokyo’s one-of-a-kind indoor play center

    If your child loves a climb, bounce, slide or need some crawl space, Play Park Eric Carle offers the ideal environment for using up excess energy. PLAY PARK ERIC CARLE is the first of its kind indoor...

    • Posted January 19, 2023
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  • My 3-year old’s favorite bread comes in a can.

    In Tokyo where people love their bread fresh and fluffy, you’re not likely to see canned bread in your local bread store, much less at a convenience store. But, as odd as it sounds, a number of...

    • Posted January 2, 2023
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  • Tokyo has a frozen food vending machine

    You may be surprised by what you will find in Japan’s next-generation vending machines. These vending machines are no longer exclusive to drinks and snacks. How about a serving of your favorite Tonkotsu ramen from Ippudo or...

    • Posted December 10, 2022
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  • E-kickscooter users return to the streets of Tokyo

    We will start to see the return of electric kick-scooters around Japan. Thanks to the deregulation on the use of the two-wheeler in April, anyone aged 16 or above can freely enjoy a ride without a license...

    • Posted September 5, 2022
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  • Getting a bicycle insurance from 7-eleven even if you don’t read Japanese.

    In April 2020, Liability insurance became mandatory for all bicycle owners of any age in Japan. The Japanese law requires bike owners to register both new and second-hand bicycles with the Crime Prevention Registration Office under the...

    • Posted August 26, 2022
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  • Registering a Bicycle in Tokyo

    Urban commuting has never been easier – thanks to the mighty bicycle that has been around for over 200 years. Over fifty percent of Tokyo moms rely every single day on a ‘mama chari’ (the Japanese term...

    • Posted August 26, 2022
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  • Japan makes one terrific electric bike for you and your pet

    When it comes to having a fun activity with pets, nothing beats exercise, sunshine and fresh air. In general, most pet owners walk their dogs an average of 3,000 kms a year for many years. However, while...

    • Posted November 13, 2021
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  • Pykes Peak releases its X20 foldable ebike

    On November 18, the electrically assisted Pykes Peak bicycle X20 will be on sale. It’s one of the fanciest and lightest folding designs on the market that’s tough on hard roads with a maximum cruising range of...

    • Posted November 9, 2021
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  • The important life skills children learn in a Karate class.

    Karate is in itself both an art form and sport. Though the styles taught to students vary with philosophical, traditional, and technical aspects, karate remains Japan’s staple martial arts. Today, there are about twenty three million people...

    • Posted July 26, 2021
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  • A new large-scale multi-purpose complex to open in Haneda airport

    On July 3, Haneda Innovation City (or HI City), a large-scale multi-purpose complex adjacent to the Haneda airport, will be open to the public on staggered basis. The first to open will be stores and the rest...

    • Posted June 17, 2020
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  • Avoiding infection risk on packed trains? Rent a bike.

    Although there are precautions taken by taxi companies to minimize infection risk such as vinyl partitioning, the 2-meter distance is not an option. Being directly coughed on or sneezed on by someone with the virus inside packed...

    • Posted May 28, 2020
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  • Mandatory Liability insurance for Tokyo cyclists starts April 1st, 2020.

    Up until now, people can ride a bicycle around the city without having a liability insurance. But that’s all going to change from April 1st, 2020. Tokyo’s new ordinance requires all bicycle owners in Tokyo to take...

    • Posted March 30, 2020
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  • Book-themed lounging room for rent by the hour

    Inspired by Book and Bed hotel that opened last year in Tokyo, Tsutaya Book Apartment launches a similar  book-themed relaxation space in Shinjuku Dec. 6 (Wed). Tsutaya Book Apartment is a book-themed lounging room located on the...

    • Posted December 6, 2017
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  • Kagurazaka, a charming mix of French and Japanese culture

    Head for the slopes and alleys of Kagurazaka for a French-flavoured outing. The little enclave of narrow streets and bistros nestled on the slope might not quite be Montmartre but with its narrow alleyways from old Edo...

    • Posted October 26, 2017
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  • What to look out for when buying a mom bike in Tokyo

    When it comes to Tokyo living, the most important purchase for most families is a bicycle. Buying a bicycle requires knowing what to look out for says Liz, a 28-year old Tokyo mom who was disappointed when...

    • Posted October 4, 2017
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  • Gearing up for the Natsu Matsuri

    Gearing up for the natsu matsuri.

    • Posted June 2, 2017
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