tokyo – Page 2 – StickyMangoRice

Sketch of a Boss coffee vending machine in Japan

Japanese Vending Machines – A Closer Look at Japan’s Love of Convenience

March 9, 2019

Anyone who’s been to Japan has surely noticed the incredible number of vending machines on offer. They’re found everywhere, from neon-lit city intersections to shady forest walks, and even on trains. Vending machine culture is everywhere! Japan is the perfect home for so many vending machines. Vandalism and crime is low, and the demand for … More Japanese Vending Machines – A Closer Look at Japan’s Love of Convenience

Sketch of a girl dressed in a yukata eating abalone

What Can I Expect In A Traditional Japanese Ryokan?

September 11, 2018

Staying in a ryokan, a traditional Japanese inn, is one of the quintessential cultural activities that everybody should enjoy in Japan. More than just a simple place to sleep, a stay in a ryokan is an experience unto itself. With particular room styles, dress codes and meal sets, it can be difficult to know what … More What Can I Expect In A Traditional Japanese Ryokan?

Which Is The Best Okonomiyaki? Tokyo Monjayaki vs. Hiroshimayaki

May 7, 2018

Okonomiyaki is the ultimate winter comfort food in Japan. A heavy savoury dish, it might be described as a fried cabbage pancake with additional meats, vegetables, or noodles. When translated, it means ‘cooked/fried how you like it’, giving away okonomiyaki’s status as the classic meal of many variations. Okonomiyaki is one of my favourite things … More Which Is The Best Okonomiyaki? Tokyo Monjayaki vs. Hiroshimayaki

Sketch of a Japanese Shinkansen at a train platform

Is It Worth Getting The Japan JR Rail Pass?

September 29, 2017

Day 1 in Japan – It was time to use the most valuable weapon in our Japanese travel arsenal – our JR Japan Rail Passes! We ordered them online in Australia (they cannot be bought in Japan), and picked them up at Shinjuku station with all the required stamps and stickers. We found them to … More Is It Worth Getting The Japan JR Rail Pass?

Sketch of Japanese commuters riding the subway

Fun Facts About Tokyo’s Subway

September 23, 2017

The Tokyo subway system is the busiest underground network in the world. 3.1 billion people rode around the city in 2013. But it’s not all about massive numbers of people – this amazing network is full of charming quirks. Whether it’s special employees that push commuters into a packed train, incredible punctuality, or the cute … More Fun Facts About Tokyo’s Subway

Urban sketch of light displays in the trees above Nakameguro canal

The Nakameguro Winter Illuminations

September 15, 2017

Tokyo has a suburb with long lazy canals, rows of cherry blossoms, quiet streets and old buildings? Could this be a mini Amsterdam in Tokyo? Hmm…not exactly. This was still the mighty concrete jungle of Tokyo, so what Nakameguro canals actually looks like are high-walled, concrete stormwater channels stained green from algae. In the summer, … More The Nakameguro Winter Illuminations

Sketch of a father and daughter playing a plush toy game

Exploring the Quirky Side of Tokyo – Akihabara and Harajuku

September 4, 2017

Two of Tokyo’s hubs of pop culture, Akihabara and Harajuku, are fun microcosms to explore the culture of modern Japan. Akihabara for electronics, anime and video game toilets; Harajuku for fashion, sweet treats and cat costumes! Akihabara Akihabara earned its nickname ‘electric town’ several decades ago when this was the place the buy all kinds … More Exploring the Quirky Side of Tokyo – Akihabara and Harajuku

Urban sketch of Tokyo's imperial palace gardens

An Illustrated Visit to the Tokyo Imperial Palace

August 25, 2017

The sky was a pale blue, with airplane contrails criss-crossing the frozen winter air high above, and a bright, shining sun. It was a great day to visit one of Tokyo’s most peaceful places, the huge gardens of the imperial palace, and residence of Emperor Akihito of Japan. The first important thing to know – … More An Illustrated Visit to the Tokyo Imperial Palace

Walking Ueno Park in the Winter

August 19, 2017

The Ueno area is known or its large, beautiful park. It has some of the most beautiful green areas and temples in Tokyo city (better, I thought, than the Imperial Palace). But outside of cherry blossom, and in the cold days of winter, what is there to do? Toshogu shrine and Kiyomuzi Kannon are year … More Walking Ueno Park in the Winter

Sketch of crowds of people in Shibuya Tokyo

The Amazing Shibuya Scramble: Tokyo’s Heart of Entertainment

August 11, 2017

One of Tokyo’s most iconic sights is the famous Shibuya crossing. This spectacular neon-lit intersection transforms when the pedestrian lights turn green, and up to 3000 people swarm across the road at the same time! But, as one of Tokyo’s most celebrated (and crowded) nightlife spots, there’s plenty more to see nearby! Let’s have a … More The Amazing Shibuya Scramble: Tokyo’s Heart of Entertainment

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