Today is 都民の日 (Tokyo Citizens Day).
All of the prefectures in Japan have Citizens Day at different times of the year…for Tokyo, it’s on October 1.
On this day, public schools are closed and many zoos and aquariums in Tokyo offer free admission.
(These places usually offer free admission three times a year…on 都民の日 (Tokyo Citizens Day), 緑の日 (Greenery Day (May 4)), and the anniversary of the opening of the establishment.
For example, 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) is open to the public for free on October 1 (都民の日 (Tokyo Citizens Day)), May 4 (緑の日 (Greenery Day)), and on March 20 (the anniversary of the zoo’s opening on March 20, 1882).
So, my daughters have the day off today (I have to go to work). My wife and kids decided to go to 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) today.
It’s gonna be crowded, I’m sure! A couple of years ago, we took the kids to 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo) on 都民の日 (Tokyo Citizens Day).
And it was nice to get in for free…but it was really crowded.
Actually, when we go to 上野動物園 (Ueno Zoo), we normally only have to pay admission for my wife and I because children aged 12 and under are always free, and so are Junior High School students who live and/or go to school in Tokyo.
We live in Tokyo and my kids go to the Junior High School nearest our house.
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Anyways, our 甲虫 (Rhinoceros Beetle) that I mentioned in this post died today 😦
R.I.P. カブちゃん!
Tokyo Five 
Mom…
>I have enjoyed reading through your site today.
Thanks. Visit (and comment) often!
>pet beetle…how big is he supposed to get? and what do you feed him? and a name?
It’ll be pretty big, I’m sure. Probably as big as my hand. They like to eat gelatin (“Jell-o“™). No name yet (it’s still just in the larvae stage…next summer, when it’s becomes an adult beetle, I’ll take a photo of it and post it on this blog).
>was that the same zoo we visited?
Yes.
Did you see my post (and the photos my wife took) of the zoo? It’s here:
>I am surprized to hear that they have mice, is that right? aren’t they considered to be pesty and dirty?
Mice. Not rats! Mice are just like small hamsters (with longer tails 😉 ).
>you should be able to do something, like sue, for the website that stole your material without asking your permission or giving you credit!
I don’t think so. And I don’t think it’d be worth the effort. I don’t make money from this site…and I didn’t lose anything from that site’s plagiarism.
>can you go online on their site and write something where anyone who visits the site will read
I tried to leave a comment…but they have the site programmed so that all comments must be approved by them before they go online. So my comment didn’t show up.
Oh well.
>You could make a good living doing this, you are very TALENTED…
Thanks for the kind words. But, as my mother, your opinion is kinda biased. 🙂
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Hi, I have enjoyed reading through your site today. You have so many new and interesting things. So sorry about the death of your pet beetle. It was nice of daughter’s teacher to give her a new and larger pet beetle. how big is he supposed to get? and what do you feed him? and a name?
I love everything you wrote about the zoo too. was that the same zoo we visited? I have lots of photos from the visit. I have never been to a nicer zoo and enjoyed all the animals. I am surprized to hear that they have mice, is that right? aren’t they considered to be pesty and dirty? it is too bad that you didn’t get to go because you had to work.
also, you should be able to do something, like sue, for the website that stole your material without asking your permission or giving you credit! I would be upset by that. can you go online on their site and write something where anyone who visits the site will read about what they did and know that you are the author? they should pay you for the material. maybe you could get money as a contrator, someone who writes material and takes photos for other webpages, have you thought of doing that? you should build up a resume Bobby and have your best work ready to show prospective employers. You could make a good living doing this, you are very TALENTED, GIFTED, with writing and taking photos and there is a huge market for this kind of thing. and you do it so well. let me know what you think. maybe you could end up traveling all over the world writing and taking photos, as a journalist. then you could come to the states to visit us while you work! that sounds so good to me!
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Another website on the internet (that I won’t link to) had the audacity to copy a post on my website (this one: https://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2008/10/08/skinny-dipper-in-tokyo/ )…photos and all, word-for-word without crediting me or linking to my site.
If someone read the post on that site, they’d think it was that webmaster’s words…but they’re mine!.
I used “whois” to get the site owner’s email address and I asked him to take my blog post off of his site…to no avail.
I wish I could find the email address of that site’s web-host company…so I could tell them to take my post of off the site.
Do you know how I can find the web-host company’s contact info for another site (it’s not on the “whois” info).
Thanks.
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rzapanta…
>I have started wearing my (dark) business suits and tie
Yeah, the cooler seasons in a big city!
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I see, thanks for the clarification.
Coincidentally this week, I have started wearing my (dark) business suits and tie – I could be mistaken for a regular Japanese salaryman, walking the streets and riding the subway.
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>Just finished watching the evening news and one news item said that today is when people switch from summer to the winter clothing. Does this happen on October 1 every year?
That’s for changing to the winter uniform (schools, some jobs), not personal clothes.
It used to be Oct 1 was the date to start wearing winter uniform and June 1 to start with the summer uniform…but because of global warming, it’s actually been changed so that people can start wearing the winter outfit anytime from late Sept – mid Oct; and the summer anytime from late May – mid June.
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Just finished watching the evening news and one news item said that today is when people switch from summer to the winter clothing. Does this happen on October 1 every year?
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