NEWMARKET SERVICES ublisher of 95 U.S. and 32 International Relocation Guides, NewMarket PServices, Inc., is proud to introduce our online version. Now you may easily access the same information you find in each one of our 127 Relocation Guides at www.NewMarketServices.com. In addition to the content of our 127 professional written City Relocation Guides, the NewMarket Web Site allows us to assist movers in more than 20 countries by encouraging you and your family to share your moving experiences in our NewMarket Web Site Forums. You may share numerous moving tips and information of interest to help others settle into their new location and ease the entire transition www.NewMarketServices.com process. We invite everyone to visit and add helpful information through our many available forums. Share with others your knowledge of your new location or perhaps your former location. If you ever need to research a city for any reason, from considering a move to just checking where somebody you know is staying, this is the site for you. NewMarket Services looks forward to cooperating with everyone to continually add to our base of City Specific Information along with our various moving topics to help many of the 40 million people who have the opportunity to relocate each year. Please do not hesitate to contact our customer service department to speak to a live representative if we can provide any assistance. Our toll free number is (866) 595-3792. Tokyo Information Guide [ 5 HOW TO USE THIS GUIDE The NewMarket Services Information Guide is designed as a valuable resource tool for you, the newcomer to Tokyo. It is our intent in producing this publication to standardize important and helpful information on your new community in a format that is most useful to you. Tokyo Welcomes You! Important telephone numbers, packing and moving suggestions, and much, much more useful information is found throughout the Guide pages. Selected area businesses, many offering significant savings are found in the Business Directory Section, sorted by category. The Guide can save you both time and money while providing you a continuous resource tool as you become more familiar with the country. We do hope you find our Relocation Guide to be of assistance to you. If you do not find something you need, or if you have any suggestions for future issues of the Guide, please give us a call. We will be happy to assist in any way. (866) 595-3792 Toll Free From everyone at NewMarket Services Welcome to Tokyo! www.newmarketservices.com Tokyo Information Guide [ Volume 9 [ Number 11 LOCAL INFORMATION Importat Phone Numbers 12 Travel Information 12-14 Weather 14 About Japan 8-11, 16-17 About Tokyo 18-20 Publisher: NewMarket Services, Inc. Attractions 23-24 Media 24 President: Patrick Morgan Managing Editor: Rebecca Wallace MOVING Smooth Transitions 26-28, 31 Executive Editor: Jason Gerali International Moving 27 Contributing Writer: Amy Tennant Packing Tips 28 Executive VP Sales & Marketing: Robert Fischer Staying Organized 31 Regional Sales Manager: Beth Hurley Pre-Move Checklist 33 Art Department: Sprague Design Co. MOVING WITH CHILDREN & PETS Graphic Designer: Dean Sprague Reinforce the Positives 35-36 Choosing a School 35-36 NewMarket On-Line: Total Web Design, Inc. Selecting Child Care 39-40 IT and Web Development: Larry Bongiovi Education 40-41 Research Assistant: Stephanie Cooper, Lora Price Relocating Your Pet 42 Circulation: Little Drummer Boy Dist., Inc. FITNESS & HEALTH Phoenix Office: In the Kitchen 44 PO Box 30534 Children’s Health 45 Phoenix, AZ 85046-0534 Physical and Mental Well Being 46-48 Phone: (602) 923-3415 Volunteering 49 Fax: (602) 923-0774 Toll Free: (866) 595-3791 HOUSING Chicago Office: Making the Right Choice 51-52 902 North Ashland Choosing the Right Home 55 Chicago, IL 60622 Home Inspection Checklist 56 Phone: (312) 226-6288 Homecare Basics for New Homeowners 57 Fax: (312) 226-6290 Security 58 Toll Free: (866) 595-3792 Take Control of Your Energy Costs 59 Banking & Mortgage Information 60-63 NewMarket currently publishes Information Guides for 95 North American and 32 BUSINESS DIRECTORY International Markets. To order your NewMarket Information Guides for $3.50 Business Directory Listings 64-65 each, please contact NewMarket Services toll free at (866) 595-3792. In preparing this publication, every effort has been made to assure the accuracy of the information contained herein, but authenticity cannot be guaranteed. Listings are subject to omission, error or change without notice. All material in this publication is copyright protected and can only be reprinted with permission of the publisher. Tokyo Information Guide [ 7 ABOUT JAPAN JAPAN OVERVIEW apan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of China, Korea, and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the JEast China Sea in the south. The characters that make up Japan’s name literally mean “Sun’s Origin,” thus Japan is also known as “The Land of the Rising Sun,” a name that comes from the country’s eastward position relative to China. History 10,000 - 300 B.C. Stone Age hunters and gatherers who make jomon (rope-patterned) pottery inhabit Japan. 660 B.C. Mythological Jimmu ("Divine Warrior"), descendant of sun goddess Amaterasu Omikami, founds empire. 300 B.C. - A.D. 300 Rice cultivation, metalworking, and the potter’s wheel are introduced from China and Korea. Era named “Yayoi” after the place in Tokyo where wheel-turned pottery was found. In Shinto, Japan’s oldest religion, people identify kami (divine forces) in nature and in such human virtues as loyalty and wisdom. 100-300: Local clans form small political units. 300 - 645 Unified state begins with emergence of powerful clan rulers; Japan establishes close contacts with mainland Asia. Clan rulers are buried in kofun (large tomb mounds), surrounded by haniwa (clay sculptures). Yamato clan rulers, claiming descent from Amaterasu Omikami, begin the imperial dynasty that continues to occupy the throne today. Japan adopts Chinese written characters. Shotoku Taishi (574-622) begins to shape Japanese society and government more after the pattern of China. He seeks centralization of government and a bureaucracy of merit. He also calls for reverence for Buddhism and the Confucian virtues. 645 -1185 A great wave of reforms called the Taika no Kaishin (Taika Reforms) aims to strengthen the emperor’s power. New aristocratic families are created. Especially powerful is that of Fujiwara no Kamatari, who helped push the reforms. Imperial court builds new capital, modeled upon Chang-an in China, at Nara. Though emperors are Shinto chiefs, they patronize Buddhism in the belief that its teachings will bring about a peaceful society and protect the state. With the adoption of Buddhism as the state religion, its monasteries gain political power. 1185-1568 Military government established in Kamakura by Minamoto no Yoritomo. Emperor, as figurehead, remains in Kyoto with the court aristocracy. Muromachi district of Kyoto becomes base for Shogun Ashikaga Takauji’s new military government. Takauji and his successors become patrons of Zen and spontaneity in ink painting, garden design, and the chanoyu (tea ceremony). 1467-1568 The 10 year-long Onin no Ran (Onin War) brings disintegration of central government, followed by the Sengoku Jidai (Era of the Country at War). Firearms introduced by shipwrecked Portuguese soldiers (1543),Christianity by Francis Xavier (1549). 8 ] Tokyo Information Guide ABOUT JAPAN 1600 -1868 Japan enters an age of peace and national isolation. After a long campaign in the Pacific War, Japan gradually lost its Tokugawa leyasu founds new shogunate at Edo (now Tokyo). In initial territorial gains. American forces advanced far enough to 1635 national isolation policy limits Chinese and Dutch traders to begin the strategic bombing of cities like Tokyo and Osaka, resulting Nagasaki. Christianity is suppressed. Establishment of rigid social in the 1945 atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the hierarchy ensures peace and stability throughout Japan. (Samurai atomic bombings, Imperial Japan agreed to an unconditional are ranked highest, followed by farmers, artisans, and merchants.) surrender. The International Military Tribunal for the Far East (on May By the early 1700s, cities and commerce flourish. A growing 3, 1946) was convened to prosecute Japanese leaders for crimes merchant class enjoys Kabuki and Bunraku theater. Printing and against peace and humanity as well as war crimes including the publication of books increase; education becomes available to the Nanking Massacre. Other war crimes were treated in the local urban population. Commodore Matthew C. Perry and his steam tribunals held in the Asia-Pacific region. Emperor Hirohito was given frigates arrive in Japan (1853); the United States wants to use immunity from any prosecution and retained his position. During the Japanese ports as supply bases for its commercial fleet. Japan Allied occupation of Japan, the democratic party government was accepts the U.S. demands and opens its door for the first time in restored and women gained legal equality and right to vote. two centuries. Enactment of the new (democratic) constitution transforms Japan’s 1868 -1912 The emperor is restored; Japan makes transition to political life, making it a truly parliamentary state. With a peace treaty nation-state. Dispossessed bushi become soldiers, policemen, and signed in 1951, Japan regains its independence. teachers with fall of feudal system and political reform. New national 1952–1973 Called the “High Growth Age” in Japan because of the policy is to make Japan a rich and powerful country, to prevent booming economy. Highlights of the era are the Tokyo Olympic invasion by Western powers. Emphasis is on building a strong Games in 1964 and Expo ’70 in Osaka. In 1972 relations with China military and strengthening industries.