Free Internet For Travelers In Japan

by Chris Owen on

Japan can be an expensive country in which to travel. Food, lodging, along with other goods and services that travelers might commonly buy are often high-priced, compared to American standards. Comparing Internet Wi-Fi hotspots to American standards, Japan is even tougher on visitors, offering few places for service and even less that support multiple languages. But recently, two companies operating in Japan started offering free Wi-Fi to foreign visitors.

Rail operator JR East Japan now has free public wireless LAN services intended for visiting travelers starting today at JR EAST Japan Travel Service Center and 13 stations located on Tokyo’s most famous circle rail route, the Yamanote Line, including some of the busiest stations.

Registration by email can be done in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese for access via PC or smartphone at a variety of locations including Tokyo Station, Narita Airport Station and Haneda Airport International Terminal Station. Users can log on to a connection that is valid up to three hours.Visa Worldwide has partnered with Wire and Wireless Co., Ltd. to launch free one-day Wi-Fi access for all Visa cardholders visiting Japan. Happening right now, the offer runs through August 29, 2014.

This free one-day Wi-Fi connection also has multi-language support for visiting tourists, followed by a 20 percent discount for three-day and seven-day Wi-Fi service. Wi-Fi networks are available throughout Japan, including major airports and leading merchants such as Starbucks and Lawson convenience stores.

Visa cardholders should register before departure from their home countries. Alternatively, after they arriving in Japan, visiting cardholders simply find either “Wi2” or “Wi2premium” access points to access the website for registration.

Looking for other public places with free Internet access? Try WiFiFreeSpot.com or Airport WiFi Guide for more listings.



[Flickr photo by Dennis Wong]

Japan, China, Taiwan All Fighting Over Uninhabited Rock

by Kyle Ellison on

Don’t look now, but according to a recent article by CNN there is currently much ado about nothing going on in the East China Sea.

If you have never heard of the Senkaku Islands that’s okay. Nobody lives there, so it’s not as if you’re going to offend anybody. In fact, the jury remains out on whether that’s even the name of this uninhabited island group located between Taiwan and the Japanese island of Okinawa.

China refers to the islands as the Diaoyu Islands, whereas neighboring Taiwan refers to them as the Tiaoyutai Islands. Japan, meanwhile, is adamant they be called the Senkaku Islands, while English-language mariners have simply begun calling them the Pinnacle Islands, most likely because we simply have a knack for butchering Asian words.

The issue, however, is not about the name; it’s about who actually owns these islands. China claims that they have been part of Chinese sovereign territory since the 16th century, which is odd seeing as Japan officially laid claim to them in 1895.

An enterprising Japanese entrepreneur attempted to start a fish operation on the island, failed, and then subsequently sold four of the islands to the Kurihara family of Japan. With their uninhabited rocks now in hand, the islands were promptly taken over by American forces in WWII along with most of the other islands in the area until eventually being handed back in 1972.

This is where things really get weird. Japan got the islands back from the US, and from 2002-2012 the Japanese government paid the Kurihara family ¥25 million per year ($321,500) to rent the uninhabited rocks in the middle of nowhere. Finally, this past month, the government decided they were sick of renting and just went ahead and bought the islands for a cool ¥2 billion ($25.8 million).This, of course, has people in China really riled up. Anti-Japanese protests have been ongoing and there have been reports of mass burnings of Japanese flags. Complicating the matter, of course, is the fact that Taiwan actually claims that the islands in fact belong to them, but as we all know, China still considers Taiwan to be a part of China, and Japan doesn’t actually recognize Taiwan as a country in the first place.

Add to this the fact that China is still a little bitter towards Japan for occupying them at the outset of World War II, and the tensions really start to mount.

Oh, and did we mention that there appears to be oil located beneath the islands?

Stay tuned as the drama unfolds in the East China Sea, where three of the world’s largest economies all squabble over a cluster of eight guano-covered rocks.

[Image courtesy of Tjebbe van Tijen on Flickr]

‘The Perennial Plate’ Partners With Intrepid Travel For Online Food Documentary Series

by Laurel Miller on

I’ll be the first to raise my hand and say I despise most of the food shows currently on television and online. That’s why I got so excited when I heard about “The Perennial Plate,” a weekly online documentary series, “dedicated to socially responsible and adventurous eating.”

That angle by virtue does not a good show make. But Daniel Klein and Mirra Fine, the team behind the show, have the ideal background to make this concept work, which it does. Throw in a collaboration with well-regarded Australian adventure company Intrepid Travel, and you have the makings of a cult classic.

In case you’re thinking this is another “No Reservations,” or “Bizarre Foods,” the focus is different in that the duo explores the increasingly connected global food system, minus the machismo. That said, there’s plenty for those more interested in armchair travel.

Klein has an impressive resume as a chef, filmmaker and activist, while “camera girl” Fine has a background in graphic design and writing, and has previously released short, food-based films. Together, the two have completed two seasons. The first took place over the course of a calendar year in their home state of Minnesota. The second was filmed across America, taking viewers on a journey of “where good food comes from, and how to enjoy it.”

Season three, which premieres in October (check their site for dates), is the first since joining with Intrepid Travel. The season kicks off with a tour of Vietnam. Future episodes will include China, Japan, India, Argentina and Italy.


Video Of The Day: ‘Samsara’ Captures Imagery From Across The Globe

by Libby Zay on

Today’s Video of the Day is an exclusive clip from “Samsara,” a new movie featuring mesmerizing scenes from more than 20 countries. Filmed over a period of five years, the footage covers sacred grounds, disaster zones, industrial sites and natural wonders, demonstrating that human’s life cycle mirrors that of the rest of the planet. The film’s title is a Sanskrit word meaning “the ever turning wheel of life.”

Although it is a documentary, Samsara has no dialogue or descriptive text. Instead, the viewer is encouraged to find inspiration from the images on screen and musical score in order to make their own interpretations. Director Ron Fricke and producer Mark Magidson sought out to make the film in order to capture the “elusive current of interconnection that runs through our lives.” In other words, the filmmakers hoped to encapsulate the essence of a subject, not just its physical presence. They traveled across the globe in order to make the film, including the Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii, a village in Ethiopia, Chateau de Versailles in France, and a doll factory in Japan.

Samsara will be shown on the big screen in select cities starting Friday, August 24. For a full schedule of screenings in the United States, click here. You can also watch the theatrical trailer after the jump.

Japan’s Newest Summer Treat: Cream Puff With Soy Sauce Ice Cream

by Jessica Festa on

For those interested in creative cuisine, look no further than Japan. Last week, we told you about Tokyo’s traditional Eel Day and how they prepare this special dish. Now, a Japanese confectionery company has come out with a cream puff filled with soy sauce flavored ice cream.

“It’s a mixture of soy sauce and ice cream, producing a well-balanced salty, yet sweet, ice cream, which is perfect for the summer,” said Kunihiko Shirokawa at Tokyo-based confectioner Hirota, one of the developers. “We are planning another product for the autumn.”

According to Reuters, Hirota joined forces with Yamani Soy Sauce Co to create the unique flavor. The best part? A portion of the proceeds goes toward helping Rikuzentakata, a city flattened by massive waves.

Seki Kinya, head of Tokyo entrepreneurial consulting firm Big Apple, arranged the collaboration after volunteering to help clean up the city after the disaster. Along with the donation from each sale, the partnership is also helping local business, as Yamani Soy Sauce Co is located in Rikuzentakata.

[Image via palindrome6996]