Alexandre Gervais

Yanaka has been famous for its large concentration of temples since the Edo Period, when most temples and shrines were removed from the inner city and relocated to the outskirts in an attempt to curb the frequent fires that ravaged the crowded shogunate capital. Not only did the religious structures’ thatched roofs ignite like tinder, but the land they formerly occupied would subsequently be cleared and left empty, to act as fire breaks in the otherwise densely populated city. Furthermore, temples on the edge of town could double as forts to protect Edo from invasion.Frommer’s

The Yanaka area is a historical part of Tokyo, developed as a temple town in the Edo period (1603-1867). Prominent temples like the Tenouji and the Kaneiji were founded and still exist in the area. In the past people living all over the Edo(the former name of Tokyo) used to visit Yanaka for worship and for sightseeing. The neighbourhoods of Yanaka still retain the charm and warmth of the past with many historical, in traditional style, buildings, some of which are very small. There is a number of very beautiful small temples.Digi-Promotion

Its fruit is sweet and usually seedless, about the size of other mandarin oranges (Citrus reticulata), smaller than an orange. One of the distinguishing features of the satsuma is the distinctive thin, leathery skin dotted with large and prominent oil glands, which is lightly attached around the fruit, enabling it to be peeled very easily in comparison to other citrus fruits. Wikipedia

Japanese cuisine is based on combining staple foods (shushoku, 主食), typically rice or noodles, with a soup and okazu (おかず) — dishes made from fish, meat, vegetable, tofu and the like — to add flavor to the staple food. These are typically flavored with dashi, miso, and soy sauce and are usually low in fat and high in salt. A standard Japanese meal generally consists of several different okazu accompanying a bowl of cooked white Japanese rice (gohan, 御飯), a bowl of soup and some tsukemono (pickles).Wikipedia

The entire stretch of the line was opened at once on April 1, 1927 by Odakyū Electric Railway. In 1942, Odakyū was forcibly merged by the government with Tōkyū and the line was named the Tōkyū Odawara Line. Tōkyū was broken up in 1948 and the line was transferred to the newly refounded Odakyū. Currently a track upgrading project is being carried out between Yoyogi-Uehara and Mukōgaoka-Yūen, quadrupling the Odawara Line’s trackage and stacking the tracks underground. Originally a viaduct was planned but this was changed to underground tracks, and work on the tunnel between Setagaya-Daita and Higashi-Kitazawa is now ongoing.Wikipedia

An izakaya (居酒屋) is a type of Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. The food is usually more substantial than that offered in other types of drinking establishments in Japan such as bars or snack bars. They are popular, casual and relatively cheap places for after-work drinking.Wikipedia

Shimokitazawa (下北沢 Shimokitazawa) is a neighborhood in Setagaya, Tokyo. It consists of the neighborhood immediately surrounding Shimo-Kitazawa Station, where the Odakyū and Keiō Inokashira Lines intersect. Also known as “Shimokita”, the district is a center for stage theater and live music venues. It is home to the historic Honda Gekijō theater building. With its numerous cafes, unique fashion and music outlets, Shimokitazawa is popular with students and young people.Wikipedia

Japan has the highest number of vending machines per capita, with about one machine for every twenty-three people. Japan’s high population density, limited space, preference for shopping on foot or by bicycle, and low rates of vandalism and petty crime, provide a fertile environment for vending machines. While the majority of machines in Japan are stocked with drinks, snacks, and cigarettes, one occasionally finds vending machines selling items such as bottles of liquor, cans of beer, fried food, underwear, iPods, porn magazines, sexual lubricants, live lobsters, fresh meat, eggs and potted plants.Wikipedia