Monday, December 28, 2009

Lightopia at Marunouchi

Marunouchi - ligthopia
Marunouchi, yurakucho and the imperial palace garden has further increased its illumination festival with the introduction of “Flower Fantasia” and “Ambient Candle Park” from the lightopia.

Flower fantasia maronouchi
“Flower Fantasia” is the new addition to the illumination in Naka dori avenue, extending until the Yurakucho area..

Marunouchi Ligthopia
The new additions are arrangements of flowers and lights combined in a beautiful harmony of light and color.

ambient candle park
In the imperial palace garden the “Ambient Garden Park”, with 600 candles framed by the park fountains provide an almost religious experience.

Ambient candle park
Each candle is decorated with a “earth, environment and peace” themed handwritten image, draw by the kids of the Chiyoda ward area.

Spanish

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas Illumination is back to Omotesando

omotesando illumination
After an 11 years hiatus Christmas illumination is back to Omotesando.

omotesando
The Omotesando avenue between Harajuku and Aoyama is one the trendiest area of Tokyo, for this it is sometimes called Tokyo's Champs-Élysées, the streets are filled with cafes, famous internation brands stores, and the multi stores building Omotesando hills.

Omotesando shoppers
In 1998 due to the large number of visitors to the illumination event, the area residents cancelled the event. Fortunately the residents have decided to give it another go. considering the large number of visitors they may reconsider again.

omotesando street
The illumination event will last until Jan 10 2010, every day from 17:00 to 20:00

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Friday, December 18, 2009

The last of autumn colors at Hibiya Park

Hibiya park clock
Hibiya Park in Chiyoda Ku in Tokyo is shedding the autumn colors, as the winter starts in Tokyo.

Hibiya park
The park is located next to the east gardens of the imperial palace and the Kasumigaseki and Shinbashi areas. In sunny days workers of the surrounding areas gather at lunch time, to enjoy a break at the park.

Hibiya park pond
The Shinkei pond with his bronze crane fountain at the center is a favorite spot for watercolor painters, polishing their skills.

Shisei Kaikan
The famous brick building Shinsei Kaikan is now under renovation, but it can be partially appreciated.

Spanish

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Winter illumination at Tokyo Dome City

Tokyo Dome
Tokyo Dome City is decorating for the season with a futuristic themed winter illumination.
This year illumination’s titled ‘winter illumination 01’ consisting of 1, 200,000 LED lights, representing the passage from the present to the future.
The illumination will decorate the area until Feb 14th, from 17:00 to 25:00.

Tokyo Dome City, cristal avenue
Cristal city lights up beautifully with lights, representing the universe and a ship named Elpis (hope in Greek mythology) navigating from the present to the future.

Stella at LaQua
The LaQua area is illuminated with several objects representing the universe and the pass of time, this object is called Stella.

Hikari Mandala at LaQua
The hikari madala dome, lights up to the rhythm of music for 15 minutes every hour, you can sit inside the dome to appreciate the show.
Gaia at LaQua
Undoubtedly the object attracting more attention is the Gaia, a 12m object representing the earth, this blue planet like object can be enjoyed also from the desk of Laqua.

Spanish

Monday, December 7, 2009

Garden lighting for autumn colors in Rikugien

Rikugien
Rikugien is lighting up the gardens for night viewing of the autumn colors. The garden lights up until December 12th, from sunset until 21:00 to provide a dramatic viewing of the red, and golden autumn leaves on the garden. The night illumination also creates spectacular reflections on the central pond.

Rikugien Tazuno bashi
Rikugien gardens were built in 1702 by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu for the shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, and it has been designated as a special site of exceptional beauty and an important cultural asset by the Government. The gardens are one of the most beautiful gardens in Tokyo.

Rikugien garden
The small creek in the park is also illuminated to create a flowing river of lights.

Rikugien inner island
The naka no shima or inner island is beautifully illuminated and provided different scenes as you walk through the gardens paths.

Rikugien naka no shima
This is one of the few gardens where the view is not dominated by Tokyo’s skyscrapers.

Spanish

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Marunouchi Nakadori Avenue illumination

Marunouchi brick square
The Marunouchi area, in what has become a tradicion, is lighting up for Christmas. From Mid November to mid- February street trees and buildings are decorated for the season.

Marunouchi building
The buildings dress up with Christmas trees and wraths, the Marunouchi building displays a giant Christmas tree at the Marucube area in the first floor, several shows are scheduled in this area.

marunouchi illumination
The Marunouchi Nakadori avenue’s trees are decorated with 850,000 champagne-gold color light bulbs. The street lights up from 17:00 to 23:00 (until 24:00 in December).

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Sunday, November 29, 2009

Marunouchi commercial and financial district

Marunouchi nakadori
The Marunouchi district in the Chiyoda ward is the Area between Tokyo station and the Imperial palace, which with its neighbor Otemachi has developed as one of Japan financial and economic centers.

Marunouchi
Since the beginning of 2000, the area is undergoing a large re-development, buildings like the marunouchi and shinmarunouchi has been rebuild completely in a very short time.

marunouchi nakastreet
The Marunouchi nakadori street is also been revitalized with the opening of a large number of stores, the large sidewalks, uncommon in Japan, invite for a window-shopping stroll in the area.

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Thursday, November 26, 2009

Shiodome Skyscraper city

shiodome
Shiodome one of the newest skyscraper areas in Tokyo, Minato ward area. The area still under development is becoming one of the most modern areas in Tokyo.

Nippon television tower
Shiodome started development in 2000 in the area of the old Shinbashi station, currently counts with thirteen skyscrapers, like the distinctive Nippon television tower designed by the British architect Richard Rogers.

Shiodome city center
Shiodome is connected to Shinbashi station, and has provided a renovation to the area, another distinctive building is the shiodome city center designed by the Iris-American architect Kevin Roche.

Dentsu Building
The buildings in the area are divided in three sections, Shiodome SIO SITE compose mostly of skyscrapers, the most impressive is the massive Dentsu building with 53 floors (5 underground),designed by the French architect Jean Noveaul.

Italian garden
Additionally a western area with European style buildings and the south residential area with a exquisite Italian garden.

Spanish

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Christmas Illumination at Roppongi hills

Keyakizaka roppongi hills
Roppongi hills’ trees and gardens lighting up to celebrate the holiday season.


Roku Roku plaza
The trees on the Roku Roku plaza, receive visitors with a snow white illumination.

mori garden
The pond at the mori garden is decorated with a tree object d’art, the bushes surrounding the pond are also illuminated to frame the tree.

Keyakizaka
The street keyakizaka is decorated with blue and white illumination, providing a breathtaking view of Tokyo tower.

Spanish

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Tokyo Midtown Christmas lighting

tokyo midtown "startlight garden"
Christmas has come to Tokyo midtown. The building and its gardens light up to celebrate the holiday season.

Tokyo midtown
The trees lining at the entrance are decorated with candle flame colored lights, the lights are powered by solar-generated electricity.

midtown illumination
The canopy square “prism avenue”, at the plaza also is decorate with a net of lights where a 6 minutes “story” is presented.

midtown christmas illumination
The main event is at the grass square, that it turns into a starlight garden, and at the tune of John Lennon's “Happy Christmas (war is over)”, a light show representing shooting stars turning into stardust can be enjoyed.

midtown view of startlight garden
The show can also be enjoyed from indoors from the midtown tower.

Spanish

Sunday, November 8, 2009

Ebisu Garden Place

Ebisu garden place
Ebisu garden place in Ebisu, Tokyo Japan is a conglomerated of commercial buildings, restaurants, hotel, offices, residential area, and two museums.

Ebisu garden
The Area opened in 1994 after redevelopment following the Ebisu beer factory relocation. There is currently a beer museum to commemorate the factory.

ebisu garden 2
The place is a short walk from the Ebisu station, and counts with a moving walkway “sky walk”, that allow for easy indoor passage to and from the station. The center square becomes very busy on weekends with families and couples that come to enjoy the restaurants and shops in the area.

Ebisu Joel Robuchon
One of the most beautiful buildings belong to the Chateau Restaurant Taillvent-Robuchon, which is one of the best, if not the best, restaurants in Tokyo. The food is sublime but it may be heavy on your wallet, a reasonable priced lunch is also available, to allows enjoying first class cuisine at a budget conscious price.

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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Ebisu station

Ebisu
Ebisu is the area in the Shibuya ward of Tokyo Japan. The area offers an extension of the attractions of surrounding neighborhoods: the trendy stores of Dainkayama and hiroo, bars and izakayas of shibuya and Roppongi, and the Japanese food retro restaurants of Meguro.

Atre in ebisu
The area previously known as shimomeguromura-mitamura, was adquired by the Japan beer brewery in 1887 to build a plant,. The plant built in 1890, released “Ebisu beer”, which will became Japan leading beer brand. A cargo station “Ebisu Stop” was built near the site for the transport of beer. And in 1906 a passenger station was opened near to freight station.
The plant was moved to Chiba in 1988 and the site has been redeveloped as Ebisu Garden place.

Ebisu station
The popular beer, and the area by extension, is named after ebisu, one of the seven gods of fortune. A statue of the god is found at the entrance of the station.

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