Tokyo is one of the world's most offbeat cities, with a character of its own. Watch this Lonely Planet video to check out three unique experiences in Japan's quirky capital.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below.
The activity is suitable for (strong) Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 students.
1 Why are the girls dressed in French maid outfit?
2 What ancient Japanese tradition are maids compared to?
3 When was Pachinko first designed?
4 Who was Panchinko originally designed for?
5 When did the first Capsule Hotel open?
6 Who are the main customers of Capsule Hotels?
7 What can you find in a standard 'bedroom' or capsule in this type of hotel?
8 How much does a night cost?
For correction, you can read the transcript below. Remember to double click the vocabulary items you don't know.
Tokyo likes to do things differently. At first glance everything may seem pretty normal, but scratch the surface and the city’s true character soon begins to emerge. Here’s our top three unique experiences in Tokyo.
In any other city you think girls donned in French maid outfits will be heading to a costume party, but in Tokyo they are on the street to promote the latest Maid Café. These surreal cafés appeal to Japanese otaku, a subculture composed of obsessive comic, anime, video game and manga fans.
Maids pamper, serve and play games with male customers in what some consider to be a contemporary twist on ancient Geisha tradition.
The Pachinko Parlour is one of the noisiest places in a noisy city, and that’s how the locals like it. Pachinko was designed in the 1920’s as a children’s toy but quickly moved into an adult pastime.
The Capsule Hotel is Japan’s unique contribution to budget accommodation. The first Capsule Hotel opened in 1979 and quickly became popular with Japanese businessmen working late at the office. This simple space-age sleeping beds, contain a bed, small television and reading lamp and are still primarily used by men. While some visitors find them claustrophobic, capture hotels are a novel experience and at around 45 dollars a night, they certainly won’t break the bank.
