People often have quite intimate relationships with their phones. In Japan this is arguably even more so. Endless commutes of 2-3 hours can be the norm in metropolitan Tokyo and for many people the mobile phone is often the only or at least most used form of communication. They watch TV on their mobiles, read the news, check the weather forecast and play games. A significant part of the population actually uses their mobile phone as their sole access to the internet.full story ...

Tags: mobile phone

This sunday, I am on my way to a typical day in nature for the Tokyoite. Japan being very densely populated and Tokyo even more so, a trip to the big outdoors can be a real relief from the busy city. However, be aware, as I wasn’t, that Takao-san (jg, wp), or Mount Takao, is not exactly the secluded little mountaintop in the country somewhere. Being only an hour away from Tokyo by train, it is very popular, especially when the sun is out.full story ...

Tags: takao, mountain, daytrip, nature