Take a trip to the Tokyo Snake Centre, the city’s only snake cafe. Courtesy Tokyo Snake Centre
Take a trip to the Tokyo Snake Centre, the city’s only snake cafe. Courtesy Tokyo Snake Centre
Take a trip to the Tokyo Snake Centre, the city’s only snake cafe. Courtesy Tokyo Snake Centre
Take a trip to the Tokyo Snake Centre, the city’s only snake cafe. Courtesy Tokyo Snake Centre

An offbeat guide to Tokyo: 5 unique things to do


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Cherry blossom season may be in full swing and the 2020 Olympics is just around the corner, but the Japanese capital’s quirky subcultures have always been its greatest draw.

Scaled and scar

I’m spoiled for choice, yet I see no attractive options. The Brazilian rainbow boa is beautiful but it’s also big – really big. The Honduran milk snake has a cute name yet looks highly venomous. The Baron’s green racer is slender but has truly creepy eyes. “They are not dangerous,” says Hisamitsu Kaneko, clearly sensing my trepidation at the prospect of holding a snake.

As the manager of Tokyo Snake Centre, the city’s only snake cafe, he is used to dealing with jittery guests, who pay a Dh35 entrance fee and then another Dh20 to briefly hold one of the reptiles. “A lot of people are scared to hold it but if you relax, the snake will relax too,” he tells me.

I settle on the Baron’s green racer, which Kaneko removes from its glass tank in the centre of this busy cafe in Shibuya, one of Tokyo’s hippest suburbs. By the time this business opened in 2015, Tokyo was already in the grip of the animal cafe craze, with establishments dedicated variously to dogs, cats, rabbits and owls.

At first these places were quirky. Nowadays they’re very popular with locals, judging by the crowd inside this cafe watching me squirm under the weight of a bright green snake. As the serpent crawls on my arm and turns its head to stare me in the face, Kaneko asks if I’d like a cappuccino. “That sounds nice, thank you,” I reply. “But first let me deal with this snake.”

Cartoonish fun

Standing on a street corner in the city’s upmarket Ginza district, a Japanese businessman does a double take. Clearly, he can’t quite believe what he’s seeing. Weaving through the road traffic, past gleaming BMWs and Japan’s renowned Toyota Crown taxis, is a toad, a princess and a dinosaur. These three eye-catching characters are each driving their own small, motorised go-kart as they let out squeals of excitement.

Mario Kart by MariCar. Courtesy Ronan O'Connell
Mario Kart by MariCar. Courtesy Ronan O'Connell

It is no wonder the businessman is confused. Tokyo is a very reserved place, so much so that in some public spaces, even speaking on your mobile phone is frowned upon. Yet somehow a group of tourists is allowed to zoom through the city’s streets while dressed as gaudy characters from the Nintendo videogame Mario Kart.

This activity has become so popular that tourism company MariCar, which came up with the idea, now has branches all over Japan. For about Dh300, tourists can drive a 95kg kart for two hours through downtown Tokyo. The tourists taking part who I speak to say that the experience was “like living out a childhood fantasy” and the “most Tokyo thing ever”, in reference to the city’s reputation as a hub for all things quirky.

Samurai sense

This is really embarrassing. Forget being able to skilfully wield the weapon I’m holding, I can’t even manage to put it away properly. I did not know this until now, but there is a specific manner in which a Japanese katana should be worn. By holding it by my left leg, I am giving a sign of aggression, whereas it should be on my right side, to let those around me know I mean no harm.

Portrait of a Samurai warrior. Getty
Portrait of a Samurai warrior. Getty

I’m surprised by the seriousness with which I’m alerted to this mistake by Mr Matsuzawa, my samurai training instructor. This young Tokyo man has been a samurai for more than five years and, even while passing on his knowledge to tourists like me, he has no time for fools. Central figures in Japanese society from the 12th to 19th centuries, samurai were highly skilled warriors who became revered throughout the country for their swordsmanship.

These days, samurai are pop culture figures, thanks to their dynamic roles in comics, movies and television. That’s why so many tourists join samurai lessons, where they are taught about the warrior’s combat techniques, etiquette and customs.

Sneaking around

This is no ordinary sneaker store. I’m perusing the stock at Worm, one of the hottest sneaker shops in a city which takes this casual style of shoe very seriously. How seriously, you may ask? About Dh5,000 worth of seriousness.

That’s the price for a single pair of sneakers stocked by Worm – the highly sought-after Nike Hyper Adapt 1.0, a cutting edge shoe embedded with technology that senses the dimensions of your foot and then laces itself. Worm is one of more than a dozen stores in Tokyo that specialises in vintage or limited edition sneakers, ranging from modern designs like the Hyper Adapt back to 1970s versions like Adidas Stan Smiths.

Nike sneakers at Worm Tokyo. Courtesy Ronan O'Connell
Nike sneakers at Worm Tokyo. Courtesy Ronan O'Connell

Collecting such rare sneakers has been a popular hobby for decades and Japan has been a centre of this subculture since the mid-1990s. Sneaker collectors from around the world travel to Japan to find uncommon designs released only in Asia.

Suspended in animation

I suppose you could call what I’ve just done a drawing. Perhaps even a sketch. But this wonky pencil design certainly isn’t art. Yet Nao Yazawa disagrees. She tells me I’m being too hard on myself, that I’m not too far from producing something worthy, and I suppose I should listen to her, considering that she is a professional Manga artist. This style of comic book is one of Japan’s most significant cultural exports. Undoubtedly, it is the country’s most famous pop culture product, thanks to the dynamic style of its art and the outlandishness of its storylines. Manga comics can be found in children’s bedrooms in virtually every part of the world.

A Manga drawing. Courtesy Ronan O'Connell
A Manga drawing. Courtesy Ronan O'Connell

Many aspiring Manga artists travel to Tokyo to be tutored by accomplished comic artists such as Ms Yazawa. There are also many tourists with limited artistic ability, like myself, who attend more basic lessons on comic art in Japan. As she describes the history of manga, which goes back to the 12th century, Ms Yazawa reminds me that the eyes are the key to drawing an engaging character. Right now, my own eyes are telling me I’ve messed up the character’s eyes. I erase them and start again.

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
Cricket World Cup League 2

UAE results
Lost to Oman by eight runs
Beat Namibia by three wickets
Lost to Oman by 12 runs
Beat Namibia by 43 runs

UAE fixtures
Free admission. All fixtures broadcast live on icc.tv

Tuesday March 15, v PNG at Sharjah Cricket Stadium
Friday March 18, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium
Saturday March 19, v PNG at Dubai International Stadium
Monday March 21, v Nepal at Dubai International Stadium

RESULTS
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The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE. 

Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid

Transmission: eight-speed automatic

Power: 325bhp

Torque: 450Nm

Price: Dh289,000

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

UK-EU trade at a glance

EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years

Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products

Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries

Smoother border management with use of e-gates

Cutting red tape on import and export of food

Bridgerton%20season%20three%20-%20part%20one
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirectors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EVarious%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarring%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Nicola%20Coughlan%2C%20Luke%20Newton%2C%20Jonathan%20Bailey%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E3%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO

Uefa Champions League, last-16 second leg
Paris Saint-Germain (1) v Borussia Dortmund (2)
Kick-off: Midnight, Thursday, March 12
Stadium: Parc des Princes
Live: On beIN Sports HD

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PROFILE OF CURE.FIT

Started: July 2016

Founders: Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori

Based: Bangalore, India

Sector: Health & wellness

Size: 500 employees

Investment: $250 million

Investors: Accel, Oaktree Capital (US); Chiratae Ventures, Epiq Capital, Innoven Capital, Kalaari Capital, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Piramal Group’s Anand Piramal, Pratithi Investment Trust, Ratan Tata (India); and Unilever Ventures (Unilever’s global venture capital arm)

ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand

UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final

The Settlers

Director: Louis Theroux

Starring: Daniella Weiss, Ari Abramowitz

Rating: 5/5

UPI facts

More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions

Karwaan

Producer: Ronnie Screwvala

Director: Akarsh Khurana

Starring: Irrfan Khan, Dulquer Salmaan, Mithila Palkar

Rating: 4/5

FFP EXPLAINED

What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.

What the rules dictate? 
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.

What are the penalties? 
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.