Business Travel in Japan on a Budget

CNN International ran a series "Business Traveler" which focused on international business hubs and offered tips on more bang for your buck. This clip focuses on Japan's Osaka and Tokyo. In this segment, Richard Quest starts in Osaka and busts the myth that sending staff to Japan will send prices through the roof. Steven Crane weighs in and sets the budget for a day (lodging included) at JPY 22,000. On this budget, taking the subway is the preferred mode of travel. In major Japanese cities like Osaka, subway stations offer directions at the ticket kiosk in English. Business lunch is with a group of Western expatriates who are the resident experts. It is explained that in Japan a business lunch is a way of negotiating the way that business will be conducted not the actual contract itself. How to gain respect and how to offend the Japanese is discussed as well. After lunch at JPY4000, a ramen shop is visited as a much cheaper alternative. After this, a media cafe is visited where a guest stays in a small room big enough for a couch, a small desk and a desktop computer which plays DVDs and has access to the Internet rented by the hour.



In this clip, how to open a business and how to cash in on the government incentives is discussed. Host, Richard Quest meets with the mayor of Osaka and then visits a Western expatriate businessman who explains his experience running a business in Japan. He discusses the importance of having Japanese staff as team members. Then the super jumbo jet is discussed.



CNN International ran a series "Business Traveller" which focused on international business hubs and offered tips on more bang for your buck. This clip focuses on Japan's Osaka and Tokyo. In this segment, Richard Quest travels from Osaka to Tokyo via a bullet train. Then the issue of baggage allowance and its inconsistencies are discussed. Then back in Tokyo, the largest fish market in the world, Tsukiji is discussed. Four grown men cut a tuna in half which sold for US$30,000. Then the host visits a sushi bar in Tokyo and receives a lesson on how to make sushi.


The Divine Wind Vault
http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com
(C)2006-10

First places to see in Japan

Today's picture was taken from Roppongi of Tokyo Tower.

Since most international flights arrive at Tokyo's Narita Airport, I will discuss Tokyo in general. In no particular order, I would suggest Tokyo Tower. Conveniently located in Central Tokyo near the gaijin-friendly district of Roppongi (entertainment district) and Ebisu (embassies). If you want a taste of Japan's culture, go to Asakasa. There are many temples and people carrying out activities as they were done back in the days of the samurai (Edo Era). For bright lights and city life, it is recommended to visit Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward. Just outside of the main station is a place that I would like to stand and just take pictures.

Harajaku is an interesting place because it has the Meiji Shrine as well being the hang out for Tokyo's trendy teenagers. Not too far from Harajuku Station is a great sushi chain called Kappa Sushi. It is user friendly for foreigners. Just sit a booth and the sushi comes by on a conveyor belt. Take what you like and everything is 100 yen (roughly US$1).

The futuristic district of Odaiba is a good place that requires riding the sky rail from Shimbashi Station. The view from the sky rail is awesome. On the way back you can travel by boat.

Just south of Tokyo is Yokohama (Japan's Chinatown). Chinese food in Japan is quite different that Chinese food found in the US. Prior to moving to Japan, I did not care for Chinese food but after several visits to Yokohama's Chinatown, I yearn for the day I can return to Japan.

A bit further south of Yokohama is the ancient capital city, Kamakura, the home of the "Great Buddha". North of Tokyo in Saitama City and the home of the John Lennon Museum.

Sumo, baseball and soccer matches nearly all the time depending on the season. Even a few preseason NFL games. Also, concerts ranging from favorites from back home and J-pop artist.

All of the above information was put to use when a friend of my family traveled to Japan to visit me and only had the better part of an afternoon to spend with me. We had a chance to meet in front of Ueno Station`s Hard Rock Cafe.



From here we went to Asakusa to view the temples and shop for trinkets. Today's picture was taken here. After that, we went to Akihabara to look at some electronics and ate dinner at Sushizanmai Sushi Rest. I recently had the chance to catch the Discovery Channel's Lonely Planet episode that featured Tokyo. One of the places featured in this segment was Akihabara and it discussed the fanatics/maniacs of anime (okaku) and the pretty girls in outrageous costumes, mainly maid outfits that play board games for a price with Japanese men usually 20 years older than the girls. This phenomenon is known as costume play (cosplay) and in Japan there is an entire segment of this which borders on perversion, at least in my mind. Since I usually go out in Tokyo with my wife or mother-in-law, it was a new challenge for me to take the lead and as predicted I got turned around each time we left or went to a different place. In Akihabara, I found myself asking a young woman in a maid outfit for directions to a rotation sushi bar (kaiten). Of course, my guest wanted to know the reason for her outfit. Considering how he is a person of the cloth, I dodged it slightly and said that she works at a coffee shop and this is her costume. Another feature in the Lonely Planet episode was the sushi restaurants that bring the sushi to you on a conveyor belt and I was happy to have the chance to take my visitor to this uniquely Japanese phenomenon. This place has the sushi rotating around on a conveyor belt and is probably the best sushi chain around. Afterwards, we went to Shinjuku to look at the Tokyo skyline from the Metropolitan Building.(Tocho) Afterwards, we parted ways at Shinjuku Station and I returned to Warabi, Saitama at 11PM and followed the mass-exodus of drunken salarymen from the station back to the apartment complex (danchi).

Recap- First Places to See in Japan (Tokyo)

• Roppongi (entertainment district)
• Ebisu (embassies and Western grocery outlets)
• Asakasa (many temples and people carrying out activities as they were done back in the days of the samurai)
• Shinjuku (Tokyo's bright lights and city life)
• Harajaku (Meiji Shrine and trendy teenagers)
• Odaiba (Shimbashi Station)
• Yokohama (Japan's Chinatown)
• Kamakura (Japan's ancient capital city)
• Saitama City (John Lennon Museum)

Recap- The Tokyo Whirlwind Day Tripper

• Ueno Station`s Hard Rock Cafe
• Asakusa
• Akihabara
• Shinjuku Tokyo's skyline from the top of the Tokyo Metropolitan Building

The Divine Wind Vault
http://divinewindvault.blogspot.com
(C)2006-09