Major Fireworks in Tokyo, Summer 2009

JULY 2009

* July 18 (Sat), Fireworks on the Tamagawa River at Chofu City
Chofu-shi Hanabi Taikai 調布市花火大会
Time: 19:20～20:30
Fireworks: 12,000
Location: Riverbank of Tamagawa River, Chofu
Access: Tamagawa Station on the Keio Line (5 min. walk); Futa Station on the Keio Line (20 min. walk)
Homepage (in Japanese): http://www.csa.gr.jp/hanabi2009.htm


* July 21 (Tue), Summer-Cool Fireworks at Katsushika
Katsushika Noryo Hanabi Taikai 第43回葛飾納涼花火大会
Time: 19:20～20:20
Fireworks: 10,000
Location: Edo River near the Shibamata Yakyu-jo baseball ground
Access: Shibamata Station on the Keisei Kanamachi Line; Shin-Shibamata Station on the Hokuso-Kaihatsu Line
Homepage (in Japanese): http://www.city.katsushika.lg.jp/oshirase/167/016797.html


* July 23 (Thu), Adachi Ward Fireworks
Adachi no Hanabi Taikai 第31回足立の花火
Time: 19:30～20:30
Fireworks: 12,000
Location: Arakawa River between Senju Shinbashi Bridge and Nishi-Araibashi Bridge
Access:Kita-Senju Station on the JR or subway lines; Kosuge Station onthe Tobu Isezaki Line
Homepage (in Japanese): http://adachikanko.jp/fireworks/



* July 25 (Sat), Sumidagawa Fireworks
Sumidagawa Hanabi Taikai 第32回隅田川花火大会
Time: 19:00～20:30
Fireworks: 22,000
Location: Sumida River, between Sakurabashi and Kototoibashi bridges; and between Komagatabashi and Umayabashi Bridges
Access: Asakusa station on the subway lines
Map (in Japanese)
Homepage (in Japanese): http://sumidagawa-hanabi.com/
Sumidagawa Fireworks Festival (in English)


* July 25 (Sat), The 50th Showa Kinen Park Fireworks
立川まつり国営昭和記念公園花火大会
Time: 19:20-20:30 PM
Fireworks: 5,000
Location: Showa Kinen Park
Access: Tachikawa station on the JR Cho line
Homepage (in Japanese): http://www.tbt.gr.jp/hanabi2009/index.html


* July 28 (Tue) - Aug. 2 (Sun), Meiji Shrine Baseball Fireworks
神宮球場 花火
Time: After the baseball games end
Fireworks: 300
Location: Meiji Shrine baseball grounds
Access: Gaienmae station on Ginza subway; Shinano Machi and Sendagaya stations on JR Sobu line; Kokuritsu Kyogijo on the Oedo subway
Access Map (in Japanese): http://www.jingu-stadium.com/access.html






AUGUST 2009

* Aug. 1 (Sat), Edogawa Fireworks
Edogawa-ku Hanabi Taikai 第34回江戸川区花火大会
Time: 19:15～20:30
Fireworks: 14,000
Location: Shinozaki Park
Access: Shinozaki Stn. on the Toei Shinjuku subway (15-min. walk); Ichikawa Stn. (15-min. walk ) or Koiwa Stn. (25-min. walk), JR Sobu Line
Homepage (in Japanese): http://www.city.edogawa.tokyo.jp/chiikinojoho/event/hanabi8/index.html
Map: http://www.city.edogawa.tokyo.jp/chiikinojoho/event/hanabi8/access/annaimap/kotsukisei/index.html


* Aug. 1 (Sat), Hachioji Fireworks
八王子花火大会
Time: 19:00～20:30
Fireworks: 3,300
Location: Hachioji Shimin Kyujo baseball Field
Access: Hachioji stattion (north exit) on the JR Chuo line; bus towards Hosei University from Keio Hachioji station
Homepage (in Japanese): http://www.city.hachioji.tokyo.jp/kanko/event/011057.html


* Aug. 1 (Sat), Itabashi Fireworks
Itabashi Hanabi Taikai 第51回いたばし花火大会
Time: 19:00～20:45
Fireworks: 5,500
Location: Arakawa riverbank, Itabashi-ku
Access: Nishidai Stn, Hasune Stn, or Takashimadaira Stn on Toei Mita subway (20-min. walk ); Ukima-Funado Stn on JR Saikyo line (20-min. walk )
Homepage (in Japanese): http://itabashihanabi.jp/
Map: http://itabashihanabi.jp/access/access.htm


* Aug. 4 (Tue), Koto Ward Fireworks
Koto Hanabi Taikai 第２８回江東花火大会
Time: 19:30～20:30
Fireworks: 4,000
Location: Arakawa Sunamachi Riverbank Park (Arakawa Sunamachi Suihen Koen)
Access: Minami Sunamachi stn. on the Tozai subway (15 min. walk)
Homepage (in Japanese): http://www.city.koto.lg.jp/seikatsu/community/16/67.html (scroll down for map in Japanese)


* Aug. 4 (Tue), Enoshima Fireworks (Near Kamakura)
Enoshima-Hanabi Taikai 2009江の島花火大会
Time: 19:15～20:15
Fireworks: 5,000
Location: Nishi-hama Beach, Katase, Fujisawa, Kanagawa Prefecture
Access: Katase-Enoshima Stn. (5 min. walk ); Odakyu Enoshima Line
Enjoy Tokyo Site: http://www.fujisawa-kanko.jp/news_img/2009-hanabi-kojin.pdf


* Aug. 6 (Thu), Jingu Gaien Fireworks
Jingu Gaien Hanabi Taikai 神宮外苑花火大会2009
Time: 19:30～20:30
Fireworks: 12,000
Location: Jingu Kyujo Baseball Stadium in Jingu Gaien (Meiji Shrine Outer Garden), Shibuya-ku
Access: Kokuritsu Kyogijo Stn on Oedo subway; Shinanomachi Stn or Sendagaya Stn on JR Sobu line; Gaien-mae Stn on Ginza subway
Homepage (in Japanese): http://jingu-hanabi.com/


* Aug. 8 (Sat), Tokyo Bay Fireworks
Tokyo-wan O-Hanabi Taikai 第22回東京湾大華火祭
Time: 19:30～20:20
Fireworks: 12,000
Location: Harumi Pier
Access: Kachidoki Stn, Toei Oedo subway (15-min.); Toyosu Stn or Tsukishima Stn on Yurakucho subway (20-min.); Tsukiji Stn or Higashi-Ginza Stn on Hibiya subway (30-min. walk )
Homepage (in Japanese): 第22回東京湾大華火祭


* Aug. 10 (Mon), Kamakura Fireworks
Kamakura Hanabi Taikai 第61回鎌倉花火大会
Time: 19:00～20:20
Fireworks: 3,000
Location: Yuigahama, Zaimokuza Kaikan
Access: Kamakura stn. on JR Yokotsuka Line (15 min. walk); Yuigahama stn. or Wadatsuka stn. on Enoshima line (5 min. walk)
Homepage (in Japanese): http://www1.kamakuranet.ne.jp/kamakura/2009hanabi/2009hanabi.html


* Aug. 22 (Sat), Tamagawa Fireworks
Setagaya-ku Tamagawa Hanabi Taikai 世田谷区たまがわ花火大会
Time: 19:00～20:00
Fireworks: 6,000
Location: Futago Tamagawa Enchi Ball Ground
Access: Futago Tamagawa stn. on Oimachi line; 田園都市線
Homepage (in Japanese): http://www.tamagawa-hanabi.com/gaiyou.html





See also:


Let's Enjoy Tokyo: Tokyo Hanabi 2009 (in Japanese):
http://hanabi.enjoytokyo.jp/

Let's Enjoy Tokyo: Hanabi in the Greater Tokyo Area 2008 (in Japanese): http://hanabi.enjoytokyo.jp/schedule/

WalkerPlus for Fireworks in other part of Japan (in Japanese)
http://www.walkerplus.com/hanabi/

Another Explosive Summer of Japanese Hanabi at www.stippy.com

Japan Times Festivals



Flowers and Festivals of Early Summer 2009 (AF's Picks)




Where to buy a cheap, inexpensive yukata

How to Wear Yukata I: What You Need

Raunchy Retro Beer Ads from Japan

Conbini Monday Wk12

This weeks Conbini Monday is presented by Rilakkuma, Mameshiba and Jiji, the cat from Majo no Takkyubin (魔女の宅急便).

Morinaga have two cornflake based products, the first flavored with strawberries, the other with orange and cacao. If you have been following the last sets of Conbini Monday, you have probably noticed there is a bit of a trend to have cornflake products and also chocolate with salt. This trend seems to be continuing on both fronts.

Pretz from Glico have been popular for a long time in Japan and there are many flavors to choose from. Here are two I found at today’s conbini.

These camu camu カムカム candy are very tasty and contain a high amount of vitamin C. The camu camu fruit contains the highest amount of vitamin C of any fruit group and is native to the Amazon area. It has 2780mg of Vitamin C per 100g, compared to Acerola which has 1700mg / 100g, Kiwi which has 69mg per 100g, strawberry with 62mg / 100g and lemon at 50mg / 100g.

Eating one packet of these is said to contain 5000mg of Vitamin C which is equivalent to the amount contained in 250 lemons.

This Herbal Clear drink from Suntory contains a mixture of 28 herbs including Rose Hip, Omugi, Hatomugi, Lemon Balm and Honey Bush to help soothe your body! Sounds like a good pre-dinner drink for summer.

Related posts:

1. Conbini Monday Wk11
2. Conbini Monday, Wk8
3. Conbini Monday Wk6

Japan Visa Renewal - 1 or 3 Years: A Coin Flip?

Copyright © 2009 billywest. Visit the original article at http://sevententotokyo.com/2009/07/japan-visa-renewal-1-or-3-years-a-coin-flip/.

For the last several years, I’ve renewed my visa at the Yokohama Immigration Office in Motomachi. While the process was fairly painless for me until last year, I was always disappointed to receive a one-year visa each time. Several friends and acquaintances had received three-year visas through the Shinagawa office by that time and I wondered if getting a one-year stamp vs. getting a three-year one was simply a matter of where you dropped off your application. Had I been able to last year, I would’ve at Shinagawa. However, my official address was in Kawasaki City (right on the border of Tokyo) so I had to go to a Kanagawa Prefecture branch of Immigration.

Last year, the renewal process was particularly painful because, due to a nasty phone call, there was an investigation concerning my eligibility to remain in Japan on a work visa. I sweated for over two months wondering whether I would lose my permission to reside in Japan and would suddenly be sent home. It was like my life was frozen at that point. I couldn’t make any plans at all. I just had to sit and wait. It dragged on through my summer vacation, which sucked ass because I was afraid to spend any money on travel or entertainment for fear of having to have as much in savings as possible in case I was suddenly required to return home. I won’t go into details about the circumstances surrounding the fateful phone call, but let it be known that immigration horror stories do happen.

Anyway, since I had changed my address last year to a downtown Tokyo one, I was able to apply at Shinagawa this year. I applied this year with confidence, thinking I would likely get a three-year visa this time, allowing me to not have to hassle with Immigration until 2012. Part of the reason I was so confident comes from a co-worker’s experience with both Yokohama and Shinagawa. He had told me that every time he applied with Yokohama, he received a one-year visa, but the first time he applied at Shinagawa, he got the three-year number.

Well, I’m here to tell you today that I now have the same experience my co-worker has; I received a nice, fresh three-year stamp in my passport today.

I guess in the long run, going the immigration office once a year vs. once every three years isn’t really worth much discussion, but I am definitely relieved to not have to worry about the visa renewal process until 2012.

Anyway, for those of you who are now residing in the land of the rising sun, or who have done so in the past, here’s a poll to see if there is some merit to my assumption that you’re more likely to receive a three-year Japan work visa at Shinagawa than Yokohama.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Far from fancy Japanese food

Regardless of whether it’s in a really fancy or more run of the mill restaurant, sharing a plethora of dishes is always a pleasure, as not only is it social, but it also affords a super selection of food.

However, that said, sometimes it’s equally nice to get something more simple, and it doesn’t get any more basic than a load of meat and a lager.

So, Got a Pet Bat...

Don't worry; according to Wikipedia, Japan is actually rabies free!

The Scatman? No, the Ultraman!

A Japanese parody of the Scatman John’s “Scatman” song, starring Ultraman:

[via Tokyo Five]

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
• Kirainet.com – A geek in Japan (Subscribe)

Atomic-bomb roof tile auctioned off

A British man has sold a piece of burned roof tile from a temple in Hiroshima that was damaged by the atomic bomb:

John Watts, 81, said he had been given the roof tile by the priest of Sairenji Temple when he visited Hiroshima in 1952.

“I’m 81 now, single, and nobody from my family seems to want it,” Watts said last week when contacted in his Lincoln home. “Somebody might like it as a memento, and I didn’t want to throw it away.”

When news broke about his plan to auction the roof tile, there was a negative reaction from groups in Hiroshima who thought it was “not something you should sell or buy.” The tile ended up selling for only 42 pounds, but Watts plans to give a 200 pound donation to support groups for A-bomb survivors.

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• Akihabara News – Gadgetry from Japan (Subscribe)
• dannychoo.com – Your portal to Japan (Subscribe)
• Kirainet.com – A geek in Japan (Subscribe)

K-1 WORLDMAX 2009: Final 8

K-1 WORLDMAX 2009: Final 8 Super Fights: MASATO vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri Yoshihiro Sato vs. Joeri Mes Yasuhiro Kido vs. Leroy Kaestner Jae hee Cheon vs. Norifumi "KID" Yamamoto Kazuhisa Watanabe vs. Atsushi Yamamoto FINAL 8: Nieky "The Natural" Holtzken vs. Buakaw Por. Pramuk Artur Kyshenko vs. Andy Souwer Albert Kraus vs. Giorgo Petrosyan Drago vs. Yuya Yamamoto HIROYA vs. Kiko Lopez Hinata vs. Dzhabar "Chengiskhan" Askerov Go Yokoyama vs. [...]

Boardlive today and tomorrow - 1st game of 50th Oui-sen best of seven match