Smiley_one on November 7th, 2009

Lets have fun and enjoy the night life…!!!

Night life at Roppongi, Tokyo

Night life at Roppongi, Tokyo

Roppongi is one of the more welcoming places in Tokyo for gaigin (Non Asian looking foreigners). The area tends to be where those looking to come together go for fun. Ropponggi Intersection has something for everyone. It is a popular spot for foreigners and you will see many people thronging the streets late into the night.

It is actually easy to get to if you are on the Ginza Line, just keep going west and look for Roppongi as a stop. When you get out of the station, look for a building with a striped awning called “almond” when you see that, you are there! In addition to clubs, Kareoke bars, restaurants and the usual sort of thing, there is the typical Japanese sex stuff. Chances are you will meet up at some point with a girl who just loves to give a massage, or the Australian ex-pat who works as a doorman for a strip club for the Yakusa.

Gas panic

Gas panic

Clubs like Gas Panic, Wall Street I and II, Motown I and II and 911 (recently reopened) draw pretty much the same party hard crowd. If you are looking for a more civilized club experience head over to Velfarre or to Grace. If you have time, Wall Street (very near Gas Panics), looks very elegant from the outside and has been recommended on certain websites. It is located on the 2nd floor of a dinghy building, with many of its cocktails bearing financial terms. Apparently from other sources, drinks are from 500 yen during Happy Hour.

Another side of Roppongi

Another side of Roppongi

One of the funny things about Roppongi is that all of the local foreigners will tell you they hate it and that they never go…but then lo and behold, you bump into those same ones stumbling out of Gas Panic on Saturday night talking about how “they just came because thier friends made them” or some bs like that. So anyone that tells you they hate Roppongi is probably full of it. The bottom line is that it is the safest bet for happening nightlife in Tokyo…especially if you don’t speak Japanese or have a good local guide, as nearly all of the clubs have english speaking staff and openly welcome foreigners. Another bonus is that it’s a pretty good bet that if you see a girl there, she is actively looking for a foreign guy, so your stock just went up my friend! Here are some basic tips that should help you out :

1)      If an African guy come up to you and tells you to come to his club that is packed with Japanese girls just politely say no thanks and keep moving…the good clubs don’t need touts on the street to get clientele

2) Stick to Japanese girls or 1st world western girls. I might get some hate mail on this one but Roppongi is full of prostitutes and con artists and I’m sorry to say it but most of them come from places like the Phillipines, Israel, or Columbia.

3) Don’t go on a weekday. I used to prefer Thursdays but it seems like it’s recently been dead on the weekdays. Stick to the happening nights on the weekend.

DRESS:
It was all over the place. Jeans and Tees, up to shirts and ties. I wore nice jeans, a solid color dress shirt, and pennyloafers, and felt just right. Some of the Japanese girls were rocking cut up wifebeaters and short denim skirts with stilettos… amazing. Watch out for the group of hotties on the *** box to the right. They are tattoo’d up and undoubtedly the best looking in the club. Like I said, just offer a hand……….

Gaspanic Bar
2F & 3F Gaspanic Bldg.
3-15-24 Roppongi
Tokyo, 106-0032 Japan
Phone: +81 (0)3 3405 0633
website: www.gaspanic.co.jp/
(English language)
(Gaspanics has a branch in Shibuya too)
Wall Street
No. 2 Togensha Bldg.
2F 3-15-24 Roppongi, Minato-ku
Tokyo, 106-0032 Japan
Phone: +81 (0)3 5415 3251

El Cafe Latino
Win Roppongi 1F
3-15-24 Roppongi, Minato-ku
Phone: +81 (0)3 3402 8989

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Smiley_one on October 24th, 2009

The best place to have a great view of the city…

Seoul Tower, South Korea

Seoul Tower, South Korea

Seoul Tower is a communication tower located Seoul, South Korea. Built in 1969, and opened to the public in 1980, the tower measures 236.7 m (777 ft) in height (from the base) and tops out at 479.7 m (1,574 ft) above sea level. In the past it was called Namsan Tower and Seoul Tower. After the tower’s original owner merged with CJ group, it was renamed the N Seoul Tower (official name CJ Seoul Tower).

Night view of Seoul city

Night view of Seoul city

Seoul Tower is equipped with 2~3 stories of observatories and two revolving restaurants with a 360-degree view on the first and fifth floors. The restaurant rotates a full 360 degrees about once an hour, offering leisurely diners incredible views of almost all of downtown Seoul. The Seoul Tower is a great place to get a good look at the city of Seoul. It stands high at top Mt. Namsan, in what is really the center of Seoul. To the north, the Blue House and many of the palaces are visable, and to the south, the World Cup Stadium and the Olympic park are also visable.

Most visitors ride the Namsan cable car up the mountain, and then walk to the tower. The tower features a gift shop and restaurants on the ground floor. Visitors may go up the tower for a fee. There are four observation decks (the 4th observation deck, which is the revolving restaurant, rotates at a rate of one revolution every 48 minutes), as well as gift shops and two restaurants. It is a popular place to go on clear days to see most of Seoul. Fasteners Used were bolts and other materials.

Namsan Cable car

Namsan Cable car

1st Floor
- Olive Young (supermarket / convenience store)
- Coffee Shop
- Eatery with indoor and outdoor seating
- Food Court
- Gift Shop
- Ticket Counter

2nd Floor
- Viewing Platform
- Restaurant (relatively inexpensive with great view)

Basement
- Elevator Entrance
- Tous Les Jour (bakery)
- Ticket Counter
- Exhibition Area

Observatory Gallery
(360m altitude, reached by express elevator)
1/F : Hancook Restaurant
2/F : Sky Cafe
3/F : Observatory platform
4/F : Observatory platform
5/F : N Grill by Vips (revolving restaurant)

Be sure to have a splendid view all across Seoul… provided the weather is not too misty.

  • Address: Namsan
  • Directions: How to get there: 1. Taxi 2. Private Car (parking lot is provided but is pretty costly) 3. The Namsan Cable Car from Myeong-dong 4. Bus no. 02 from Chungmuro subway station (exit no.1) -
  • Website: http://www.nseoultower.co.kr/english/

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Smiley_one on October 15th, 2009

Asakusa Kannon Temple

“Get blessed at the Sensoji Temple”

Kaminarimon (gate)

Kaminarimon (gate)

The Sensoji is also known as Asakusa Kannon Temple (named so for the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy) and is a must-see when in Tokyo. Apart from the shrine, it is also home to a five-storied pagoda. The Asakusa area is probably one of the coolest places that most people never visit. Taking a tour will get you there the easiest. The subway is a bit more of a challenge and its location on the east side of Tokyo is always traffic packed. Still the gate is immediately outside Asakusa station and can’t be missed.

Sensoji Temple is 1400 years old and one of the more interesting temples. There is not only a Buddhist temple, but a Shinto shrine there. To get there, you will go through Kaminarimon, the large gate in the picture. It is right near the street and you can’t miss it. Once through the gate, you will see what looks like a flea market. This is Nakamise. Here is where you can find really cheap souvineer junk, and food to take with you. They have really good prices on Ginsing, considering the area. Walk through Nakamise until you go out the back, and you are at the temple.

The five storied pagoda in Asakusa

The five storied pagoda in Asakusa

You have seen the plastic food displays in restaurants all over. Well, in Asakusa you can explore the stores that sell these interesting items. Along Sappabashi Dogugai Dori there is an area that specializes in food service supply, including stores with thousands of these food items, from tiny sushi to huge platters of whole fish. You will never see anything like it anywhere else. Everything is for sale, of course, but they are not cheap; you will probably just enjoy it for the experience.

You will enter the area through the Kaminarimon gate you’ll find it by following the signs from exit 1 of Asakusa Subway Station. On the right, notice the God of the Wind, and on the left, the God of Thunder.

Just opposite the gate is Asakusa Tourist Information Centre. Get your FREE map.. open 10:00am to 5:00pm daily.

Asakusa Nakamise Markets

Asakusa Nakamise Markets

Once through the gate you’ll be in what they call Nakamise Shopping Arcade. The street is lined with colourful, lively stalls selling traditional knick- knacks, foods and rice crackers….rows and rows….this is the time for those little souveniers. Hanzomon Gate marks the end of the street, the treasures of Sensoji are stored inside.

Dont Miss: the Asakusa Samba Carnival. It is right outside Kaminarimon. It is almost like being in Rio, except that the people don’t look latin.

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