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An Unexpected City Sight: Bike Parking Spots

What's one of the last things you expect to see in one of the most overly crowded cities in the world, where space is at a premium? Perhaps space used thoughtfully...say for these official bicycle parking spots in the Tsukishima district of Tokyo, maybe?

Tokyo may be stacked with sleek (and not-so-sleek) high-rise apartment buildings and the most artfully shaped houses that fit on the most impossibly small plots of land, but the city is very respectful of its citizens needs, and shows it in small and much-appreciated ways like this. Notice that many of the bikes aren't even locked up, even though we were just off of Monja-dori, a popular restaurant strip that serves up Okonomiyaki and Monjayaki specialties to loads of locals and tourists every evening.

Now just imagine if every major city had been as thoughtful about such things; it wouldn't be so difficult to find places for bike sharing programs, then.

[Photo: Jaunted]

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Caught in the Mix of the Shibuya Scramble, a True Tokyo Tourist Trap

What are some of the biggest tourist traps in Tokyo? When we were there recently, we tried to figure that out and came up mostly empty. There's the Meiji Jingu shrine, but that's visited by just as many locals as tourists, and even the showy shopping districts of Ginza and Aoyama see plenty Japanese in indulging in a bit of being tourists in their own country. And then we remembered the infamous Shibuya Scramble, the intersection outside of the crazy busy Shibuya Station, and we headed into the fray to see what all the fuss is about...

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Exclusive: Inside the Helicopter Departure Lounge at The Peninsula Hotel Tokyo

If we ever win a prestigious international award or become US Ambassador to Japan, we know where we're having the after-party: The Peninsula Hotel Tokyo's Seven Seas Pacific Aviation Lounge. We're just going to call it the "heli-lounge" for short, because that's exactly what it's original function is, not to host parties. The Peninsula Hotel indeed has a private helicopter departure lounge tucked away on its top floors and we managed a rare peek inside.

Although we tried to give the best idea of the space with our photo gallery below, the heli-lounge is one of those places you must physically be in to properly appreciate the awesomeness (not to mention the open-air view over the Imperial Palace and Gardens). Peninsula Hotels are famous for the luxurious (and often, vintage) modes of transportation they have available for guests, and airport-to-hotel helicopter transfers are a signature service at The Peninsula Hong Kong, so why not in Tokyo too? Here's the thing: the Tokyo hotel may have this heli-lounge, but it doesn't yet have the helicopter flights. Bummer. Actually, great...

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The Top Five iPhone Apps for Tokyo

Going to Tokyo, or really anywhere else in Japan? We just got back and boy, do we have a slew of advice to share, including what iPhone apps we personally bought, used and loved during our time there. We narrowed it down to our favorite five, all of which you'll find yourself using daily in Tokyo and all of which are worth downloading.

From how to ask for water with your meal to how to play Pachinko and how to get to Shibuya, these apps prove indispensable. So without further ado...

The Top Five iPhone Apps for Tokyo:

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Foreign Grocery Friday: Japan's 'Grand Canyon French Fries' Pringles

When we travel, one of our favorite things to do is to pop into a local grocery store and check out the food products and candies we'd never find anywhere else. So we're trying out this new feature, Foreign Grocery Friday, where each week we'll feature some of our (and your) favorite overseas treats. Got a recommendation? Let us know!

A while ago, world traveler Gary Arndt of Everything Everywhere attempted to collect photos of as many varieties of Pringles flavors as possible, finally logging an impressive 70. While we were in Japan last month, we kept our eyes open as always for unusual grocery items, but it was a can of Pringles that really made us jump with excitement. This new flavor: Grand Canyon French Fries.

The Taste: The canister depicts steak fries being dipped in ketchup, and this is exactly how the chips taste. The flavor scientists at Pringles Japan should get some sort of award for it. The ketchup flavor hits first, which is less potent that other ketchup-flavored chips. It's got a spicy kick to it, but you only taste it while scarfing down the first few chips. Then follows a slightly smoked potato-y goodness, with a fair bit of salt.

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How I Flew Direct to Tokyo for $680 Total

There is something so delicious about voicing the words, "I'm going to Tokyo." When you mention it to friends, family, co-workers, random people at a deli...Tokyo still holds such an exotic mystique that the idea that you will soon be on the other side of the world, in it, is a thought that generates curiosity from all corners. When this was me, holding the secret that my tickets were booked and I was Tokyo-bound, the days passed seemingly filled with sparkling sakura dancing above my head and yet my biggest (and sweetest) secret was how little I had paid for the roundtrip flights.

I'd lean in closer and lower my voice to tell people this secret, although that barely disguised my excitement.

"Guess how much I paid?" -- I'd ask, practically bursting with the thrill of what I knew would follow.

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Women-Only Subway Cars: They Do Exist!

You hear all the stories about guys on the subway who get touchy-feely and the problems that creates, and then you also hear that things like women-only cars have been created to combat this problem. Well, we are happy to report that yes, they do exist, and we recently rode in one in Tokyo. [sidenote: yes, I am a female]

Although we were tempted to take tons of photos of the civility that reigned inside the car, which was the last carriage on a rush hour train out of the Shinjuku station, we instead took a moment to play local, and only snap this photo while awaiting the train.

For the men out there missing out on the women-only subway cars: you are missing out. It's a nice ride! Our train even sported sakura flower decals and little Hello Kitty stickers on the doors, where she warned riders to keep their fingers clear or risk having them injured. Super kawaii!

[Photo: Jaunted]

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And Now, Your Moment of Zen (From 35,000 Feet)

Don't ask us where we are (maybe over Alaska?) or what time it is (maybe midnight somewhere), but when we opened our window shade halfway through Delta Flight 173 to Tokyo last week, this is what we saw. And what we will never forget.

There's a reason that whole coffeetable books and blogs exist just to highlight people's photographs taken from airplanes; it's because the Earth from above is freakin' awesome, expecially when you take into account that you are flying above all this natural creation in something very little better than a manmade metal canister. It's scary at the same time as it is awe-inspiring.

Thus, we're signing off this week—one full of both jet lag and salty, salty food—with this true Moment of Zen. Enjoy.

[Video: Jaunted]

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What Food Gets Served on a 14-Hour Direct Flight, Part 2

Don't miss Part 1 of this story!

Where are we right now? Back in New York, having just flown in from Tokyo-Narita. We spent over a week walking up to sushi conveyor belt restaurants and sitting down with salarymen for oyakodon and soba, but the time had to come again when we'd face in-flight food. And so we present to you, the eats on our return flight. Although better than on the way over, they are still undeniably airline meals.

Let's take a look at just what we ate on our 14-hour, Tokyo-Narita to New York-JFK direct flight on Delta 172:

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Wish You Were Here: Tokyo, Japan

What you are looking at is a nearly live shot of the illuminated Tokyo Tower at night, since we snapped this only a moment ago and published this story shortly after. That's the magic of the internet. That we can share with you this awesome view of Tokyo at night, even if it's still mid-day (in the US) of the same day we've just ended here (in Japan).

Tokyo Tower is Tokyo's version of Paris' Eiffel Tower and it's just as tourist trappy. There are plenty other skyscrapers with bars at their tops in the city now, that sometimes a better view than the one from the top of the Tower can be had for under $10...and then you get the Tower front and center in your photographs.

Now take a moment and just look at how many buildings there are in this shot alone, and then remember that this doesn't even represent a good fraction of the size of Tokyo. Yesterday morning over breakfast, an associate summed up Tokyo perfectly for us: "It's like Los Angeles' breadth with New York's scale." Heck yes.

[Photo: Jaunted}

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What Food Gets Served on a 14-Hour Direct Flight

Where are we right now? Tokyo, Japan because we felt like it...or rather, because back in April, we bought a flight when the price dropped so low it was too good to be true. And yet, it was true.

If you're reading this in the States right now, you're maybe just waking up. Since Tokyo is 13 hours ahead of New York, we're already sitting here preparing for bed, while looking out over the only dark expanse in Tokyo's sea of lights: the Imperial Palace and gardens. After properly filling up on katsudon while elbow to elbow with salarymen at a lunch counter earlier, we reflected on the meals a traveler eats on a travel day, and it's no wonder that an upset stomach is often the byproduct of a long flight.

Let's take a look at just what we ate on our 14-hour, New York-JFK to Tokyo-Narita direct flight on Delta 173:

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