Tokyo
General Information
Tokyo is the high-tech capital of the world. You can find everything there: gadgets, next-generation cell phones, a high-speed public transportation system, advanced electronics, and even digital toilets. Tokyo is home to some major technological companies including Sony, Nikon and Panasonic, and is a marketplace for every Japanese product, from Nintendo to Epson.
Tokyo, the east ('To') capital ('kyo') and most important city of Japan, is the seat of the Government and home of the Emperor. With its 12 million inhabitants and 35 million residents in the Greater Tokyo Area, it is the world's most populous metropolitan area. In Tokyo ancient orient tradition excellently combines with modern comfort and progressive technology. It is a true metropolis; one of the biggest urban centers with a unique face. It is also Japan's scientific and cultural heart and home to the oldest and best universities in the country.
Before the 1960s most manufacturing industry factories were located in Tokyo. Nowadays, the big factories have moved out of the city's boundaries to make room for intensive research and development programs. During the twentieth century, Tokyo suffered from two major catastrophes that destroyed the city. One was the Great Kantõ Earthquake in 1923 and the other was the bombing of Tokyo during World War II. The 1964 Olympic Games gave a great impulse to reconstruct the city.
Images
Program
The progam below is still preliminary. The final program can found in the travelguide which will be handed out to the participants on the 11th of Februari at the meeting with BCE.
Thursday, February 24th
Jetlag recovery time
The first day in Japan, the participants will get the chance to acclimatize after an eleven hour flight. For those who do not feel the need for this; there is a gigantic city to explore.
Friday, February 25th
Shibuya and Shinjuku
This day we will start exploring a little bit of Tokyo: Shibuya and Shinjuku are two of the twenty-three city wards in Tokyo. Shibuya is one of the busiest districts in Tokyo and a birthplace of fashion and entertainment trends. Shinjuku has large shopping and entertainment areas and is home to skyscrapers like the Metropolitan Government Office. We will surely visit the observation deck to get a glimpse of how immense the city really is.
Saturday, February 26th
Asakusa
Today we start our trip next to our hotel. Asakusa is one of the few districts in Tokyo, which has preserved a certain atmosphere of the old times. The main attraction is Sensoji, a Buddhist temple built in the 7th century.Ueno park
Ueno park is a large public park which offers a large variety of attractions. Ueno park opened its gates in 1873 to the public, and it is home to the first zoological garden in Japan (dating back to 1882). Also temples, shrines, the Tokyo National Museum and many other museums can be found in the Ueno park.Akihabara
Sunday, February 27th
Ghibli museum
Ghibli is one of the most famous animation studios. Castle in the Sky, Spirited Away and Ponyo on the Cliff by Sea are just some of the critically acclaimed films produced by the studio. The museum is designed in the same style as the studio’s films, including many of their famous characters. The rest of the day is spare time where the participants are given the possibility to explore Tokyo on their own.
Monday, February 28th
Excursion to NEC
Now that the weekend is over, we can finally undertake the first technical excursion; We will visit the NEC headquarters and Central Research Lab, where we will be introduced to NEC ICT and R&D activities. Founded in 1899 the company NEC is a Japanese multinational IT company providing information technology and network solutions.Excursion to Panasonic
The second company the participants will visit is Panasonic. Panasonic is a Japanese company founded in 1918 with and corrently has more than 330.000 employees. It is known for its plasma and LCD displays, DVD and Blu-ray disc players, camcorders and more.
Tuesday, March 1st
Excursion to Toshiba
This day, the participants will start by visiting Toshiba. Toshiba is a Japanese multinational corporation which main business is in electronic devices and components. The tour will show us the R&D center for high voltage and high power technology.Technical Excursion
Not yet confirmed.
Wednesday, March 2nd
Tuskiji fish market
Today, the participants will start by visiting the Tsukiji Fish Market. The entry is restricted to 140 visitors based on a first come first serve system, thus we will depart to the fish market early in the morning. Especially the tuna auction and wholesale area are worth getting out of bed for a little earlier.Yasakuni Shrine
For the next excursion, the participants will visit is the Yasakuni shrine. The meaning of Yasakuni is “peaceful country”. The shrine was built to commemorate and worship those who have died in war for their country and sacrificed their lives to build the foundation for a peaceful Japan.Kamakura
In the afternoon, the participants will depart to Kamakura, which is only an hour south of Tokyo. Kamakura is a coastal town famous for its temples and shrines, which main attraction is the giant statue of Buddha.
Thursday, March 3rd
Technical Excursion
Net yet confirmed.Technical Excursion
Not yet confirmed.
Friday, March 4th
Excursion to tokyo Institute of Technology (Tokyo Tech)
Today, the participants will be visiting their first university in Japan. Tokyo Institute of Technology is especially recognized in the engineering field and is therefore very interesting for our group. Founded in 1881, Tokyo Institute of Technology, or Tokyo Tech, is a leading university ranked 31st in the Global University ranking. We will be visiting this university through prof. Hiroshi Iwai, who is counselor for the local IEEE Student Branch. This way, we can see some of our colleagues on the other side of the globe.
