-
Mr Sato steps inside the Embassy of Afghanistan in Tokyo【Photos】
投稿日 2019年2月1日 01:00:24 (ニュース)
-
続・お知らせ。海外セレブゴシップ&ニュース
-
お知らせ
-
We spot the legendary dekotora Aki Kannon, dedicated to actress and singer Aki Yashiro
-
New Pokémon GU collaboration dresses all the family, including babies for the first time
-
How do European Cup Noodles taste to a Japanese palate?
-
We’ve been doing it wrong – Japanese genius shows us how we should all be making sandwiches【Pics】
-
The future is now with full face sunglasses
-
Natto-infused ramen is a thing — we tried it, we love it【Taste test】
-
Jellyfish and Halloween in perfect harmony at Sumida Aquarium event
-
Japanese toilet paper collection opens our minds as we open our butts
-
Aomori police on the lookout for man shouting unsolicited advice at kids about dating and ramen
-
Former Arashi members Sho Sakurai and Masaki Aiba get married… Wait, that didn’t come out right
-
Creator of Japan’s longest-running manga, Golgo 13, passes away, leaves fans one last gift
-
Crazy cheap cosplay at Daiso? How to transform into Dragon Ball’s Vegeta at the discount shop
-
7 Halloween-themed afternoon teas you won’t want to miss this year
-
Krispy Kreme Japan creates doughnut burgers that are a meal and two desserts all in one【Photos】
-
Get in the damn drift car, Shinji? Evangelion Tomika toy brings D1 machine home in miniature form
-
Demon Slayer Nichiren Blades ready for new duty: Slicing through your sweets as dessert knives
-
Man in Japan arrested for breaking into ex-girlfriend’s apartment to steal her Nintendo Switch
-
The Japanese Internet chooses the top too-sexy-for-their-own-good male voices in anime
-
First-ever Studio Ghibli x Russell Athletic range pays homage to My Neighbour Totoro
-
Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan announces first expansion with new Donkey Kong area
-
Cup Noodle pouch satisfies our never-ending need for instant ramen
-
Retro Japanese train is our new favourite office space
-
How do Japanese fans feel about Netflix’s live-action Cowboy Bebop opening sequence?
-
We try Uniqlo coffee at first-ever cafe inside Ginza flagship store
-
The number of elderly people in Japan this year has yet again smashed multiple records
-
Mr. Sato broadens his home drinking horizons at Kaldi【Japan’s Best Home Senbero】
-
We try Japanese Twitter’s newest trend the Penguin Egg, end up hatching something very disturbing
-
Takoyaki makers surprisingly good at grilling meat for yakiniku too
Sponsored Link
A number of embassies in Japan are opening their doors to the public for a limited time.
Tokyo’s Minato Ward is home to a large number of foreign embassies, and while many of them are heavily guarded and off-limits to the general public, there’s now a special offer that lets you step inside their gates for a limited time.
Called the Minato City World Festival, the new promotion is being run as a stamp rally, allowing people to gain entry to several foreign centres and institutes, and a total of 33 embassies from countries like Bolivia, Kuwait, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Uzbekistan, and El Salvador.
▼ Holders of this special stamp rally “passport” will be able to step foot on foreign soil without leaving Tokyo.
As soon as our Japanese-language reporter Mr Sato heard about the campaign, he took a look at the list of embassies on the list and decided he’d like to take a trip to Afghanistan. So after picking up one of the stamp rally passports, which are available at various institutions around Minato, including stores in the Azabu Juban shopping district, he hopped on a train and arrived at the doors of the embassy.
One of the requirements for all visitors taking part in the campaign is to show a form of photo ID upon entry, so after whipping out his driver’s license, Mr Sato was ushered inside and onto Afghan soil. While he was tempted to let his fun and playful side run loose on the grounds of the embassy, Mr Sato decided to compose himself and stay on the right side of the law, given that he was now outside of Japan’s jurisdiction.
Some of the embassies taking part in the World Festival require visitors to call a designated call centre to make a booking ahead of their visit, and attend on certain dates and times. Mr Sato went through this procedure before visiting the Embassy of Afghanistan, which meant staff were ready to give an introductory presentation in Japanese to attendees.
▼ Mr Sato was surprised to learn that New Year’s Day falls on March 20 this year, according to the Afghan calendar.
After learning about Afghanistan and their work at the embassy in Japan, Mr Sato was able to stroll through the halls and a luxurious looking room which had been set up with various display pieces.
▼ Mr Sato was particularly drawn to this interesting page of script attached to an animal pelt.
Sponsored Link
Everything he saw, including furnishings, decor and national costume displays, really made Mr. Sato feel as if he’d left Japan and gone to Afghanistan.
When he went up to the rooftop area of the embassy, though, he was once again reminded of the country he was really in, as the gorgeous outdoor terrace came with a stunning view of Tokyo Tower.
▼ The other side of the terrace had a beautiful view of the city.
Visitors were also offered cups of tea, which helped to warm our reporter up on the cold winter’s day. Even that was a memorable experience in itself, as it was a tasty brew that Mr Sato wasn’t familiar with.
After enjoying his cup of tea, Mr Sato left no stone unturned in his exploration of the visitors’ access areas, taking a trip to the bathroom, which had an air of foreign charm about it.
With that, he left the embassy feeling like he’d learned a lot about Afghanistan and its culture and people, which is one of the aims of the Minato City World Festival. And as he made his way back to the station, he made another discovery, coming across the Geodetic Datum Origin of Japan, which is the point used to locate Japan on Earth.
The Minato City World Festival is a great way to get out and about and learn more about Tokyo, and the foreign people and embassies that reside within it. While the official website has all the necessary information regarding open times and pre-visit reservation requirements, it is all in Japanese, so you might want to ask a Japanese speaker to help you out with the details. It’s also important to note that the organisers request that people refrain from calling individual embassies in relation to the campaign.
If you do decide to visit the Embassy of Afghanistan, you might want to ask them about the work that the Japanese Embassy is doing in their homeland, and keep an eye out to see if they still have their copy of the Saint Onisan manga somewhere on the premises.
Photos © SoraNews24
Source: SORA NEWS24
Sponsored Link
最新情報