Page 96 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Japan
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Elaborate samurai armor
on display in the Samurai
Museum in Kabukicho
Olympics, when they will be
used as handball venues,
as well as for wheelchair
EXPERIENCE Western Tokyo Visitors can indulge in some curves of the shell-like struc-
rugby and badminton in the
Paralympics. The impressive
tures are achieved with the
use of steel suspension cables.
8 "'
Akasaka District
Samurai Museum
lacquered armor, and handle
a reproduction katana sword.
歌舞伎座
B5 ⌂ 2-25-6 Kabukicho, Japanese-style cosplay, try on 0 "
Enthusiastic English-speaking
Shinjuku £ Shinjuku Stn, E7 Akasaka-Mitsuke
Yamanote line # 10:30am– guides give regular tours that Stn, Ginza & Marunouchi
9pm daily ∑ samurai include demonstrations of lines; Nagatacho Stn,
museum.jp sword moves and terrifying Yurakucho, Namboku
battle cries. Exhibition fights
Geared toward international are also regularly staged. & Hanzomon lines
visitors and conveniently To see more amazing suits With the Diet Building (p116)
located in Kabukicho, this of armor, head to the Tokyo and many government offices
museum displays samurai National Museum in Ueno just to the east, Akasaka is a
swords, armor, and a plethora Park (p128). favorite place for politicians
of other fearsome-looking to social ize. Limousines carry
weapons. Its beautifully laid-
out displays put the rise of 9
the samurai in context and TOP TYPES OF
explain the history of this Yoyogi Park 5 JAPANESE BAR
uniquely Japanese style of 歌舞伎座
warfare, as well as what
happened when the Japanese A7 £ Harajuku Stn, Snack
Yamanote line
Usually run by a
warriors came up against the “mama-san” who will
Mongols in the 13th century. For almost three decades the chat and sing karaoke
park filled with a fantastic with patrons.
array of performers and
EATING IN bands every Sunday. These Yokocho
GOLDEN GAI events were stopped by the Concentrated in Golden
Just around the corner authorities in the mid-1990s, Gai, these drinking dens
from the Samurai supposedly due to worries rarely accommodate
Museum, the Golden about the rise in criminal more than ten people.
Gai area retains a activities and main taining
shabby charm that is public order. Sundays are still a Izakaya
fast disappearing in the good time to visit, though, for The Japanese equivalent
increasingly slick and the weekly flea market. At the of a pub, izakaya are
tidy modern city. In this entrance to the park you can great for socializing and
labyrinth of dark alleys still see members of the zoku unpretentious food.
and backlit acrylic (tribes) who used to perform
signs, there are more here, from punks and goths to Jazz
than 200 tiny bars and hippies and break-dancers. Japan has a vibrant,
restaurants to choose Kenzo Tange’s two Olympic thriving jazz scene.
from. But don’t head stadiums, the landmark
over too early – nothing structures in Yoyogi Park, Tachi-nomi
opens before 9pm. Plus, were completed in 1964 for These standing bars
there’s no rush, as the the Tokyo Olympics. They usually have friendly
fun goes on all night. are currently being renovated and quick service.
for the upcoming 2020 Tokyo
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