Monday, January 15, 2018

!EVENT! Get a Free Transportation Pass to Explore the Metropolitan Area in Japan! An One-day Tokyo Retro Trip on the Toei Bus and Tram




Popular Among Foreigners and Train Lovers
"A Retro Tokyo Trip"


Everyone knows the big flashy side of Tokyo,
but recently the thing to check out is a more older, 
retro side of Tokyo. 

Different from the enter city of Tokyo where there are bunches of people,
these areas are more calm, laid-back way of life.
This time we thought it would be fun
to introduce a travel course that shows people another side of Tokyo!
Since it's still in Tokyo, 
you will really experience an awesome contrast!!

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The Best Transportation for a Retro Tokyo Feel
"Toei Kotsu"
(都営交通)
  

 To make the whole thing feel more authentic, 
getting around on Tokyo's tram is the way to do it.
What makes it better is there is a special ticket 
that will ride the tram a number of times without added fees.



"Toei One-day Pass"
(都営まるごときっぷ 1 日乗車券; Toei Marugoto Kippu)

The Toei One-day Pass, gives you unlimited use of the Toei Subway, Toei Bus, Toei Streetcar/Tram (Toden) Arakawa Line, and Nippori-Toneri.
 However, please be aware that there is a difference 
if you use the late night bus!


🎫Toei One-day Pass (Toei Marugoto Kippu)
- Adult 700yen, Children 350



Now There's a Place Where You Can Get the
Toei One-day Pass FO FREEEEEEEE!!!!

 That place is an information desk for travelers and Japanese lovers alike, 
the JAPANKURU CONCIERGE DESK in Asakusa~★

★2-5-2 Asakusa, Taito-ku, Tokyo
Business hours: 10:00 ~ 19:00
(Not open on Sundays and Mondays)



Apparently, there's a limited number of 20 tickets per day that are handed out.
So when you think about that we were really lucky
 to get one before they were done for the day.
They're doing this to help foreign tourists know about
and get more interested in the unknown parts of Tokyo.
And to make it more enjoyable,
if you upload a picture during your adventure on SNS
you'll be added to the drawing to get an instax Polaroid camera and film set!

※Scroll down for more detailed information about the event

※Event time frame
1/16/2018 (Tues) ~ March 16 (Fri)
*Holiday: Every Sunday, Monday, and Japanese holiday

※Event details
★How to participate
❶ Enjoy all of Tokyo's retro side and take lots
 of pictures
❷Upload pic(s) on SNS and add #tokyotoei, 
adding the location to
 "JAPANKURU CONCIERGE DESK"
*Please make sure the picture privacy is set to public
❸ And you've entered!
★SNS event notice
→ All entries that entered by March 16 will have a chance to win,
from there the winner will be decided via lottery
→Prize will be mailed by EMS by the end of the month

✨1st Place Prize: instax Polaroid camera + film + original Toei Subway goods/1 person



✨2nd Place Prize: Toei's mascot Minkuru tote lunch back and a Fuel Cell thermos

※Please be forewarned that event content may change due to various circumstances.

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Where to Go Using the Toei One-day Pass
Retro Tokyo Model Course

Let's briefly introduce the recommended course using the metropolitan traffic! The course is free, but I think that the streetcar course here is also fun!
I will introduce the following contents in the order actually carried out.

STARTING POINT: ASAKUSA!
Kusa 63 (
草63) Bus Stop 
(Asakusa Park 6th District (浅草公園六区))
 So we took the pass we got from the JAPANKURU CONCIERGE DESK
and headed out from Asakusa!
There's a bus that takes you to some of Asakusa's recommended spots
and it's only a 3min walk from the JCD.
That bus is the Kusa 63 (草63) bus.

Just go straight towards the main road,
cross the street and you'll see the 
Kusa 63 (草63) Bus Stop (Asakusa Park 6th District (浅草公園六区) 
to your left. 

 Regarding the usage of the distributed metropolitan ticket, you can easily get on by showing off to the driver by cutting down the number that corresponds to the day of the day to use.

 Take the Kusa 63 Bus for about 15mins 
and then get off at Ozeki Yokocho (大関横丁).
Once you get off the bus, 
go the way like in the upper right picture
and walk straight for about 3mins.
You'll eventually run into Joyful Minowa Shopping Street (ジョイフル 三ノ輪)!!
Which is a super cool and cheap 1990's Tokyo street
with loads of stores and restaurants.

Map image from Ozeki Yokocho Bus Stop to Joyful Minowa Shopping Street


An Interesting Daily Life Shopping Street 
Joyful Minowa Shopping Street (ジョイフル 三ノ輪)
 It is indispensable for overseas travel, it is a local market. Of course, one of the highlights of Japan is "shopping street".


 At Joyful Minowa you can see the everyday life of Japanese people but it's totally different from the everyday life of those in places like Shibuya.
Kind of like Nakano...but still more...something.
There's a lot of fun things to be seen for sure.


🎫Joyful Minowa Shopping Street (ジョイフル 三ノ輪)
- Address: 1-18-5 Minamisenju, Arakawa, Tokyo
Official homepage (JP)


 Next we took the Tokyo Sakura Tram (Toden Arakawa Line). 
It's included in the full One-day Pass of course!
The first station of the tram, Minowabashi Station, 
is conveniently a super close walk from Joyful Minowa Shopping Street.
So after shopping, we just hopped right out!
It was of course conveniently, 
but also a really good chance to see parts of Tokyo
that we normally wouldn't use other forms of transportation.


🎫Toden Arakawa Line
Minowabashi Station (三ノ輪橋停留場)
- Address: 1-15 Minamisenju, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo


Residents' Favorite Day Off Spot
Arakawa Yuen (あらかわ遊園) 
(Arakawa-yuenchimae Station (荒川遊園地前))



Arakawa Yuen is an amusement park that opened up in the 50's that has rides, an animal area, fishing moat, and more.
AANNNNDDD if you show them your Toei One-day Pass you can get in for free~!



🎫Arakawa Yuen Amusement Park (あらかわ遊園)
- Address:  6-35-11 Nishiogu, Arakawa, Tokyo
- 3 min walk from the "Arakawa Yuen Amusement Park" (荒川遊園地前) stop on the Toden Arakawa Line
- Business hours: 9am~5pm
(Golden Week, Sundays, National Holidays, are open until 6pm)
- Entrance fee: Adults 200yen, Elem & Middle schoolers 100yen, 65+ and those with disabilities are free


 ❹ Cuz a Persons Gotta Eat
Cool Cafe 
(Arakawa-shakomae Station (荒川車庫前))

We went to a nifty looking cafe terrace seating! 
It didn't necessarily fit with the "retro Tokyo" theme,
but it was a really nice, well-priced place to eat along the Toei Pass.

We got their "koji hamburger patty" 
and it was super juicy and came with rice and a salad.
It was surprisingly cheap as well! 
Normally hamburger patties can be overly priced,
but not here!


🎫Cool Cafe
- Address: 8-38-1 Nishiogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo
Arakawa-shakomae Station (荒川車庫前) on the Toden Arakawa Line, 3min walk
- Business hours: 7am~9pm
(closed on Tuesday's)
Official homepage (JP)



Come on Ride the Train🎶
Toden Omoide Hiroba (Toden Memorial Square)
(Arakawa-shakomae Station (荒川車庫前))

Here you can see two different old trams, 
7500 type (No. 7504) and 5500 (No. 5501 model), 
that used to run in Tokyo.
If you go on the weekends or a holiday 
you can go on the trams and check them out!


The seats on the 7500 (No. 7504 car) have been preserved,

while the white model 5500 (car No. 5501), is used an for exhibitions/model. It was really fun and easy to enjoy even

if we didn't understand everything that was being explained.



🎫Toden Omoide Hiroba (Toden Memorial Square)
(都電おもいで広場)
- Address: 8-33-7 Nishiogu, Arakawa-ku, Tokyo
Arakawa-shakomae Station (荒川車庫前) on the Toden Arakawa Line, 1min walk
- Business hours: 7am~9pm
(closed on 12/29~1/3)
Introduction page (ENG) 


❻ Local Foooooood
Hirasawa Boiled Fish (平澤かまぼこ)
 
(Oji Station (王子駅前))
This lil shop was shown on a popular Japanese TV show,
and since then has became pretty well known.
If you love seafood, you'll love this small cozy shop!

 It's also a great place to get to know Japan's interactive drinking culture.
Eating at a small place like this definitely has its charms 
and one of our favorite things about Japan.


🎫Hirasawa Boiled Fish (平澤かまぼこ) 
- Address: 1-1-10 NU Bld. 1F, KishimachiKita, Tokyo
- Oji Station (王子駅前) on the Toden Arakawa Line, 3min walk
- Business hours: 10am~10pm
(closed every Sunday in August)


The Elderly's Harajuku
Sugamo Jizodori Shopping Street (巣鴨地蔵通り商店街)
(Kōshinzuka Station(「庚申塚))
 The younger generation goes to Harajuku,
and the older goes to a place called Sugamo.
Despite what you may think, 
there is PLENTY to see and do!
For those of you who know Shimokitazawa,
it's pretty similar.

There are many stalls and stores along Sugamo Jizodori Shopping Street.
It's a great place to enjoy a different side of Japan's busy and culture.



🎫Sugamo Jizodori Shopping Street (巣鴨地蔵通り商店街)
- Address: 4-22-8 Sugamo, Toshima-ku, Tokyo
Koshinzuka Station (庚申塚) on the Toden Arakawa Line, 2min walk


A Local Temple That Delivers Prayers Easily
Kishimojindo Temple (
鬼子母神堂) 

(Kishimojindo-mae (鬼子母神前))
Kishimojindo is famous and a favorite of many in Tokyo
as being a temple dedicated to the devil-goddess (name Hariti), 
who is regarded as the protector of children, 
easy delivery, and happy child rearing. 

Check out the picture on the right.
If you know kanji (Chinese characters), you may have noticed the demon character oni (鬼).
While she is a goddess of children, 

her negative aspects include the belief of her terror towards 
irresponsible parents and unruly children.
Pretty cool huh!?
This may be the one goddess that has both a good and evil side!


Then there's also a small shop nearby that sells retro candy and snacks!
You'll be sure to hear Japanese people saying "natsukashii!"

which is basically like "that takes me back!"
Lot's of nostalgic snacks and history at this shop of 230 years.



🎫Kishimojindo Temple (鬼子母神堂)
- Address:  3-15-20 Zoshigaya, Toshima, Tokyo
Kishimojindo Temple (鬼子母神前) on the Toden Arakawa Line, 6min walk


Hidden Japanese Garden
Higo-Hosokawa Garden (
肥後細川庭園) 

(Waseda (早稲田))
This lovely garden or park used to be called Shin-Edogawa Park, 
but since March 2017 the official name was changed to Higo-Hosokawa Garden.
We loved the big pond and enjoyed being able to appreciate
the rich natural scenery of the garden.

There are several rooms in the pine shrine that were restored before the war. 
People are able to go in and observe,
we went up to the 2nd floor and was able to relax for free! 


🎫Higo-Hosokawa Garden (肥後細川庭園) 
- Address: 1-1-22 Mejirodai, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
Waseda (早稲田) on the Toden Arakawa Line, 5min walk
- Business hours: Feb to Oct - 9~5pm (park entry until 4:30), 
Nov to Jan - 9am~4:30pm (park entry until 4)
Closed on 12/28~1/4

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Enjoy a Retro Tokyo Trip for Free
Toei Kotsu Event

It was a lot of fun this going around on Tokyo's tram 
and checking out all the older scene of Tokyo.
Tokyo is a very convenient place for travelers to enjoy,
but can be pricey.
That's why this special One-day Pass helped a lot
and allowed us to see a new side of Tokyo without payin big bucks.


Hopefully, this article will give you some good information 
and ideas if you're wanting to travel Tokyo a little differently.

If you're in Asakusa, 
be sure to stop by the JAPANKURU CONCIERGE DESK 
to get your Toei One-Day Pass!
*This special event is only going on for two months!*





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