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Tokyo Disneyland

Star Wars Takes Over Tokyo Disneyland to Celebrate Reopening of Star Tours

Star Wars Takes Over Tokyo Disneyland to Celebrate Reopening of Star Tours

Three days after every other person on the internet was posting “May the fourth be with you,” Tokyo Disneyland was flooded with Star Wars fans celebrating the grand reopening of Star Tours: the Adventures Continues. The ride offers a 3-D Star Wars experience with over 50 possible randomly selected story combinations. There’s no greater thrill than feeling as if you are rocketing through space, interacting with familiar Star Wars characters in the third dimension.

But what impressed our reporter, Tashiro-kun, the most was the fanfare that day. With around 200 Disney cast members dressed in Star Wars costume and more Disney-Star Wars merchandise than you can shake a light saber at, Tokyo Disneyland on May 7 was the place to be for Star Wars fans.

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Top Five Worst Places to Visit in Japan

Top Five Worst Places to Visit in Japan

According to a recent survey conducted by the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO), as of September 2012, numbers of foreign tourists visiting Japan reach 430,000, an increase of 32.7 percent. Japan’s tourist industry suffered as a result of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, but it looks like tourism is on the rise in Japan once again.

 When foreigners do find themselves in Japan, travel guidebook in hand, they are inundated with advice regarding must-see places. But the worst part about taking a trip is arriving to one of these “must-see” locations and realizing it isn’t all that great. That’s why we’ve gathered up a list of the top five most disappointing tourist spots in Japan as recommended (unrecommended?) by users on Reddit.

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Eating Our Way Through Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea【You, Me, And A Tanuki】

Eating Our Way Through Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea【You, Me, And A Tanuki】

For Christmas 2012, my husband and I headed off our island and spent Christmas in Tokyo. We set aside a few days to mill around Shibuya, Shinjuku, Akihabara, and a few other places, but the main event of our trip was going to Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea. The only problem was that we chose to go during one of the busiest times of the year: Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. So what do you do when everyone in Tokyo came to Disneyland, all the Fast Passes are gone, and you have to wait at least an hour to ride a three-minute ride? Eat everything in sight, of course.  Take a look at some of the awesome and unexpected food you can find in Tokyo Disneyland and DisneySea.

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Tokyo Disneyland Stopped Selling Balloons! …And You’ll Never Guess Why

If you were lucky enough to take a trip to Disneyland as a child, you no doubt remember the bouquets of brightly colored balloons that towered over the crowds. And if you asked your mom really nicely and flashed your best set of puppy dog eyes, added in a few “please, oh please, oh please, I’ll be good all day!” you might have been granted an inflated Micky head to bob along with you while you made your way through the happiest place on earth.

If you’re a Japanese kid in November 2012, you will never have the chance to even covet a shiny Disney themed balloon because all traces of them have been wiped out of the park.

What the heck happened?!

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Tokyo Disneyland Sees Its First Ever Wedding at Cinderella’s Castle, Fairy Magic Starts At US$96,000

Tokyo Disneyland Sees Its First Ever Wedding at Cinderella’s Castle, Fairy Magic Starts At US$96,000

Flying in the face of the popular urban myth that couples who visit Tokyo Disneyland always leave single, on Friday, September 28, Takayuki Abiko and his bride Mayumi Kagoshi became the first couple ever to marry at Tokyo Disneyland’s Cinderella castle, inducing excited gasps and striking fear into the hearts of many across the land.

The “Disney Royal Dream Wedding” plan only began taking reservations at the beginning of September this year, giving Takayuki and Mayumi the privilege of being the first couple ever to exchange rows of love in the gigantic fairytale ballroom, and throwing them into the media spotlight. Read More

TripAdvisor Ranks Top 20 Japanese Travel Destinations For Foreign Visitors, Hiroshima Edges Kyoto For Top Spot

TripAdvisor Ranks Top 20 Japanese Travel Destinations For Foreign Visitors, Hiroshima Edges Kyoto For Top Spot

The Japanese arm of tourism website TripAdvisor gathered user comments and evaluations from the past year and used them to rank the Top 20 travel destinations in Japan over that time. Hiroshima Prefecture maintained its popularity with two destinations in the Top 5 while five Kyoto sightseeing spots made the list.

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum and A-Bomb Dome moved to the top of the list after coming in second last year. Read More

On Heels of Obama, Mickey Mouse Comes Out in Support of Gay Marriage

Tokyo Disneyland (TDL) has recently announced that they will offer weddings for same-sex couples, including the option to hold the ceremony at the iconic Cinderella’s castle. It seems that Disney really does make dreams come true, at least for one gay couple. Read More

Japanese Part-Time Jobs Bring in Cash Money! $12.50/hr for Entry-Level Convenience Store Clerk

Japanese Part-Time Jobs Bring in Cash Money! $12.50/hr for Entry-Level Convenience Store Clerk

Japan may hold the reputation as one of the most expensive countries in the world, but that doesn’t mean the majority of the population is struggling everyday just to scrape by. In fact, even part-timers can do pretty well for themselves thanks to the high wages offered for even some of the most basic jobs.

When I was in university, I supported myself by working part-time at a restaurant for 900 yen ($10.80) an hour which carried me through those four years just fine.

Wages seem to be even higher now, perhaps due to a recent scarcity of part-time labor, especially in Tokyo.

To give you a better idea of just how much Japan rewards its part-time employees, I’ve selected a few entry-level jobs from around Tokyo to share with you all. Be sure to let us know how the wages compare with your own country!

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6 Reasons Disneyland’s Secret Restaurant Club 33 Is Awesome

6 Reasons Disneyland’s Secret Restaurant Club 33 Is Awesome

Did you know that there is a secret, members-only restaurant in Tokyo Disneyland called Club 33? The majority of memberships are corporate accounts, allowing them to do business entertaining there, but there are also individual members. Don’t get your hopes up, though, because they aren’t accepting applications. If you want to get in the door, no matter who you are or how much money you have, you have to be invited by a member.

But what is this mysterious Club 33 actually like? We’ve tracked down someone who was invited to enjoy a luxurious evening there, and according to him, these are the six most amazing things about Club 33.
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