Ryugyong Hotel: The World’s Biggest Haikyo

In North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, is located one of the most grotesque buildings in the world, the Ryugyong Hotel. Its pyramidal shape, along with its 105 storeys and 330 meters high, makes it worthy of any retro-futuristic mega-metropolis. But its most bizarre aspect is the fact that it is a colossal ruin, since 1992, when its construction stopped. Since then, in the middle of the urban landscape of Pyongyang, it rises in the morning dew, like a scary ghost.

Construction started in 1987. It is thought that this megalomaniac project was just another propaganda stunt from North Korea’s regime, because, had it been finished in the expected time, it would have been the highest hotel in the world. Among other amazing characteristics, it would have 360 000 m² of area, 3000 bedrooms, 7 restaurants located on the top (rotating) storeys.

Conceived as a grandiose projection of emerging wealth, the hotel instead became a symbol of North Korea’s hubris and of the state’s failing financial system. At the time, it was estimated that about 750 million dollars would be needed to finish building the project, something along the lines of 2% of the country’s GDP. The North Korean government initially promised to pay for the most part of the expenses. In the meantime, there were some issues with the raw materials, with the energy supply and with the financing. The construction techniques used themselves raised several doubts, especially about the structure’s resistance. Construction ceased in 1992 and that’s how it has remained for the following 16 years.

In Spring 2008, however, construction was resumed. An Egyptian company started to refurbish the hotel’s top floors and glass paneling the facades. However, the doubts about the structure’s resistance remain, especially after 16 years of exposure to weathering, which has left several cracks and corrosions marks. The government’s idea is to have the building finished by 2012, year of the centennial of Kim Il Sung’s (founder of the country) birthday.

For sixteen years, the Ryugyong stood as an uninhabited shell, with a crane on its top levels to present the appearance of ongoing construction. The ongoing construction story was also conveyed by tour guides as an official response to the queries of visitors. Eventually, tour guides demurred or ignored questions about the immense, vacant structure.

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Alex Kawano.
Official HE Blog Author

The Fujiyama Garden Hotel: Image Tour

Here are some photos taken at the very location of the former Yamanaka Lake Hotel and comments by our official Haikyo & Urban Explorer, Wye-Khe Kwok, who visited the area last weekend.

“It was a strange sense of disappointment and awe that crept over me as I walked up the freshly-laid concrete driveway of what is now a former Haikyo site. As efficient as the Japanese machine is when it comes to cleanups (evident in their handling of train jumpers), the whole concrete shell had been wiped clean and renovated up into a pretty slick and grand resort hotel in less than a year.

It so happened to be the opening ceremony when I walked in through the glass archway entrance with cap and backpack, sticking out amongst the suits and Kimonos like a rusty nail in a pile of shiny tacks.

The bar was open, blue note jazz wafting about with the odor of new carpet and glue, and the gift shop displayed the usual generic assortment of overpriced but useless souvenirs and Hello Kitty trinkets.
So it is with great regret, that we commit what was once a great concrete skeleton Haikyo to the category of just-another-boring-hotel-by-the-lake hotel.”

(Click on the thumbnails to enlarge image.)

As you could see, it’s no longer abandoned and they have high hopes to make it a one-stop-sightseeing for anyone wishing to visit glorious Mt. Fuji.

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Alex Kawano.
Official HE Blog Author

Yamanaka Lake Hotel: From Hell To Paradise

The Fujiyama Garden Hotel (formerly known as Yamanaka Lake Hotel), a popular haikyo spot in Yamanashi, has been completely renovated in May 2010 and now enjoys a new age of prosperity and exuberance.

Haikyo era
This hotel is just another evidence of one colossal project that got halted before completion in the very end of the bubble era in Japan and lied there abandoned until a company bought the property back in 2009.

New era
The opening ceremony was held today, June 12 and one of our group members had the pleasure to experience the facilities and delight himself with the new scenery. At Fujiyama Garden Hotel, guests can now gaze down at the clear-running waters of Yamanake Lake, while savoring the renowned hot spring bathing and succulent cuisine from Yamanashi. The surrounding area offers the best when it comes to nature with 5 lakes, over 12 mountais (incl. Mount Fuji), and other famous stops along the course of the Yamanaka Lake.

How to get there:
• Option 1. If you take the Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train in Japanese), get off at Mishima station and take the 50-minute rude bus to Gotemba where you will take another bus, 40-minute ride, to Yamanaka Lake.

• Option 2. If you decide to come from Shinjuku station by train then take the JR Chuo Line to Otsuki. From there you change to the Fujikyuko Line to Fuji Yoshida Station, totalling a 1h45m train ride. From Fuji Yoshida station take a 25-minute ride bus to Yamanaka Lake.

• Option 3. If you want to go for something less costly than you have the option to take the Chuo Highway Bus from Shinjuku directly to Yamanaka Lake. The bus ride takes about 140 minutes.

• Option 4. If you want to do it on your own pace then you can drive from Shinjuku to Kawaguchi Lake I.C. for about 90 minutes and from there you take the Higashi Fuji Goko Route to Yamanaka Lake IC which shouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes.

For those who had the opportunity to visit the site before it was renovated, I totally recommend that you take another tour to the site and while you are there, enjoy a very relaxing and quiet bathing time in the hot springs of Fuji Yamanaka Lake Hotel! Because things change…

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Alex Kawano.
Official HE Blog Author

MEETUP: The Tokyo & Urban Explorers

Now it’s even easier to follow our steps and participate in expeditions through our official page at The Tokyo & Urban Explorers MeetUp.

You will be able to find details about each expeditions, including costs and dates.

But if you’re not on Meetup, you can also find us on: Twitter, Digg and Facebook.

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Alex Kawano.
Official HE Blog Author

Keishin Hospital: Demolition

The Keishin Hospital, located in the Kanagawa prefecture, once widely known for being “haunted” and the site of petty crime has been bought by the Atsugi City Government and is set to be demolished and have its land redeveloped into a park by 2011.

The news was announced on April 23, when the Atsugi City Goverment bought the entire property for ¥12.63 million with plans to change the image of the entire site into a place where the local community can feel safe and comfortable to live.

Access to the public has been severely restricted since then, with high fences and security cameras protecting the perimeters. Just to be clear on this topic, the access to the public was never legally permitted.

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Alex Kawano.
Official HE Blog Author

Protected: First Expedition: Meeting Location

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Yes, Yes, Yes! Oh Yeaaaaaaaaah!

I hope that my excitement will last a little longer than just a few hours but the weather forecast for Saturday has changed again, and if it stays like that, the sun will be shining high in the sky on Saturday.

There is a 10% chance of precipitation. Partly cloudy. Mild. Temperature of 24°C. Winds NE 8km. Humidity will be 41% with a dewpoint of 10° and feels-like temperature of 24°C, according to Japan Meteorological Agency.

For more details see the chart below.

Nevertheless, keep your fringers crossed people!

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Alex Kawano.
Official HE Blog Author

First Expedition: You Spoke, We Listened!

You Spoke, We Listened! The alternative sightseeing spot with most votes is ‘The Ice and Wind Caves in Aokigahara – Mt. Fuji’!

And to give you a little a glimpse of what you might experience this Saturday, I added videos, images and explanations about each spot here.

Narusawa Ice Cave
Narusawa Ice Cave was formed by Lava from Mt.Fuji with average temperatures hanging in the 2.7°C (37°F) throughout the year. The cave is covered with ice 364 days, and icicles are every where you can possibly imagine. One single icicle sometimes grown up 27.4m (90ft.) long and 45cm (1.5ft.) wide. The entire cave is 137m (450ft.). Entrance fee: ¥200 p/person.

Fukagu Wind Cave
Fugaku Wind Cave was also formed by Lava from Mt.Fuji with average temperatures hanging in the 2.7°C (37°F) all year round, making this cave propitious for cold storage of silkworms. It is about 182m (600ft.) length and 8.2m (27ft.) height.
Somehow, there is no echo sound inside it and the walls are all covered with ice. Entrance fee: ¥200 p/person.

Weather Forecast
Quick update on the weather forecast for Saturday, June 5.

Thank you everyone so much for your votes! And I am looking forward to experiencing this trip with you this Saturday! Yay!!

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Alex Kawano.
Official HE Blog Author

First Expedition: Gearing Up For Some Serious Adrenaline

Hello everyone and apologies for the delay to send updates on our first expedition.

As we’re all aware of, preparation is an essential factor for any outdoor adventure (specially this one!) and having the necessary supplies and equipment can make a difference in our overall enjoyment and experience. Due to this reason I will introduce some new information and rephrase a few others previously mentioned in past articles.

— Read it carefully —

Picking-up The Car
The car, a 8-passenger van, will be picked up at 6am on June 5. The car rental^*1 is located only a few minutes from Shinjuku Station.

Where We Will All Meet?
We will meet a couple of blocks away from Shinjuku Station^*1 at 6.30am. If for reasonable circunstances you cannot make it on time please let us know well before the departure time. Please note that we will be able to wait only until 6.50am.

There’s an old saying that goes, “If you are five minutes early, you’re on time. If you’re on time, you’re late. If you’re late, then you’ve got a lot of explaining to do.” I couldn’t agree more.

What You Should Bring
When heading out for a hiking trip there are some definite basic items you should bring along and the most important are definitely food and water.

01. Water: Bring at least 2 bottles (500ml) of water but don’t drink it just because you have it. Drink enough to stay hydrated and save what you can in case of an emergency. Remember anything can happen at anytime, don’t assume you won’t need it.

02. Food: We, of course, won’t be able to bring a three course meal with us but try to carry enough energy bars to not only satisfy you for the length of our hiking but also extra to keep you alive for at least a week.

03. Cell phone: Make sure the battery is 100% charged (It might be a good idea to also bring one battery pack that can be easily purchased at any convenience store in Japan. Make sure to check if the plug is compatible with your cell phone model) and if you don’t get a signal the first time, try moving to a different location if possible.

04. Compass: Why a compass? A compass can be very important not only if you get lost but also if you call for help you can then aid rescuers in figuring out where you might be. Remember that technology is dependant on power and can be unpredictable and unreliable but a compass will almost always work (Not sure if that applies for Aokigahara though!).

05. Blanket / Jacket: If you are constantly feeling cold in Tokyo then it might be a good suggestion to bring a small blanket or a very warm jacket. Inside the forest it can get quite cold in the afternoon (or because of the presence of some ghosts) even if it is extremely hot outside.

06. Change of Clothes: Bring at least one change of clothes in case you fall over, trip or slip. You don’t want to scare everybody away on the train with that Sadako (character from the movie ‘The Ring’) looks on you.

07. Hiking Shoes/Boots: This is totally optional and I am not saying that you should buy hiking shoes in case you don’t own one but the protection of your feet needs to be given top priority when hiking. Foot pain or discomfort can quickly take the fun out of hiking, and an injury could prevent you from walking at all. Hiking boots are designed to provide comfort and support for the feet and ankles while walking on rough and wet ground as in Aokigahara. Wearing them will significantly reduce the wear and tear on your feet and minimize the risk of an injury.

Costs
On this trip we will share costs for the car rent (incl. insurance), gasoline (round trip), toll (round trip) which must be paid by the end of the trip.

Car Rent	¥20,160 (1-day hire / insurance incl.)
Gas	¥10,000*2
Toll	¥ 6,400*2 (round trip)
Total	¥36,560*2
Total p/ Person (with 8 participants)	¥ 4,570*2
Total p/ Person (with 9 participants)	¥ 4,062*2
+ Personal Expenses	¥ 3,000

Please note that all spots were confirmed last week and if you cancel now or don’t show up on the day, you will still be liable to pay for your share.

Hiking can be fun and exciting but it can also be dangerous if we are ill prepared. A few rules we should hike by are to always tell someone where you are heading to and when they should expect you to return.

As for me, I am also gearing myself up with possibly every single thing to ensure the safety of every participant. Please mind yourselves that we will still head out to Aokigahara even if it rains.

If there is something you were not able to understand and/or wish to make a suggestion, please feel free to write it using the comment box below.

Looking forward to seeing you all next Saturday.

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Alex Kawano.
Official HE Blog Author

^*1 For security reasons, I will send the location details to each participant by e-mail.
^*2 Estimated costs. The final cost might differ slightly.