you're likely to come across a more authentic version of Tokyo‘s upcoming cosmopolitan cafes. the traditional tea house. Bowls of thick green tea are served with fragile.
pastel-coloured sweet bean delicacies that open up like flowers when cut in four. as instructed by the kimono-dressed attendant. There are ritualistic tea ceremonies held throughout the city for guests. incorporating Zen ideals. cherishing the performance as a once-in-a- lifetime moment; a world away from the lattes-to-go society that Tokyo is becoming.
Sushi and sashimi are not the only fashionable foodstuffs these days. lnfiuences from the continent are increasingly the plat du jour among Tokyo's trendy young things. The cute-obsessed district of Shibuya is dotted with Italian pizzerias where twentysomethings slurp spaghetti in tomato sauce (with shrimps — wherever there's a dish. there's a fish) down their throats like a bowl of soba noodles in broth. Harajuku is the home of bohemian eateries that claim to be vegetarian. though you'll be hard pushed to find a truly fish-free. meat-free restaurant anywhere. with the exception of the glorious Neal's Yard cafe’. But who cares when you can glug down a
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TRAVEL
cup of warm organic sake in the company of spiky-haired cooler- than—thou Tokyoites'.’ llarajuku is the place to find cutting edge clothes. although go there on the weekend and you'll be wondering why you complained that H&.\l in Buchanan Galleries gets too busy on a Saturday. Nearby is a bridge that leads to lV'leiji-jingu shrine. which has become a weekend hang— out for Tokyo‘s most marginalised. image-obsessed teenagers. They dress outlandisth - think (iwen Stefani‘s posse of doll-dressed
Harajuku girls - in the hope of
being snapped up by magazine photographers. but are usually just
stared at by tickled passers-by. For
a more mature (but not that much older) shopping experience. one should head up the road to ()mote— Sando where boutiques and designer shops play host to the city's beautiful people. Ayant garde theatre. cinema and art galleries come aliye in this area. stripping away the traditional standards that are seen in more Visitor-friendly areas like the glitzy Gin/a. That said. popular art in Japan is still considerably alien to Western travellers. and a Visit to Kabuki-1a
Theatre in Ginza is not a waste of
time. Originating in the ritualistic
Harajuku girls (bottom left) are marginalised teenagers who dress as dolls and hang around in one of Tokyo’s most bohemian districts. But there are plenty of other, less photographed facets to the city.
Noh theatre. Kabuki is a lighter form of the Japanese performance
that incorporates the lightest of
movement. liye drum playing and a lot of make-up. and is surprisingly one of the few places in the city where you can eat in public without being out of place.
Tokyo is hard-working and hard- playing. You can see this in the normally spotless subway stations when l2-hour-a-day salary men drink too much after work and empty the contents of their stomachs on the platform. or the way youngsters Dance Reyolutionise to their feet's content in one of the city's plentiful shopping arcades. And as soon as you adapt to the city’s speed. chances are you'll be joining them too.
Fly to Tokyo from £449 with KLM (www.k|m.com). For last minute flights and where to stay check out www.travelbag. co.uk. For more information see www.japan-guide.com.
Get the motor running
I The Highlands got a boost this fortnight as Huntingtower Lodge in Fort William picked up the VisitScotland Special Achievement Award. It's only the second time the tourism organisation has bestowed the award, which recognises outstanding innovation and achievement. Huntingtower offers packages for the sportier visitor including laundry facilities and secure equipment storage for walkers, climbers, cyclists and skiers. See www.hunting tower.co.uk.
I Get yOur motor running as Cyprus' second largest city. Limassol. hosts the World Rally Championship from 13 to 15 May. A specially constructed Rally village will mark the start and finish of the race. allowing spectators to see'the teams at work and cheer on the participants as they battle it out on the island's scenic roads. Whether you are a rally fanatic or simply want some extra excitement on your holiday. Helios Airways can whisk you off to Cyprus from as little as $3140 per person (exc taxes). Book online at www.i|yhelios.com.
I Dumfries and Galloway is celebrating the joys of spring. Look out for the D&G arts festival, on from 27 May to 4 June. From dance to jazz and theatre to poetry, highlights include Northern Touring Company’s version of Great Expectations, An Evening with Janet Paisley and Fiona Knowles in The Good, the Bad and the Botoxed. See www.dgartsfestival.org.uk.
I Flight passengers will be given IQ tests to determine whether they get brainier above the clouds. Educational psychologist Sam Mart has recruited Thomas Cook Airlines to help him With his bizarre research project. On a flight to Canada last year he discovered by chance that his own intellect improved in the skies. Now Thomas Cook is asking passengers to complete IQ tests. A hundred holidaymakers who took the test will be asked to repeat a similar one once they are back in the UK. Watch this space for the results.