Tokyo: City of Contrasts
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Tokyo is both steeped in ancient history, and yet one of the most modern and trendsetting cities in the world. Visit the juxtaposition of old and new that embraces both neon and nature.
Video length: 11:35 minutes.
Learning Resources with this Video*
Quiz
Set in Tokyo Writing Prompt
Tokyo and Your Town Writing Sheet
Tokyo Exploration Virtual Classroom
Tokyo Tower Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer
Visit a City of Contrasts
The History of the Tokyo Olympics
Draw a Scene
Universal Resources
National Standards
*Links are active on Full Video page.
Classroom Ideas
Tokyo: City of Contrasts
Mapping
Have students print out a map of Tokyo and identify where the sites in the video are located.
Cloze Practice
A cloze piece has full sentences used in the virtual field trip with blanks where students can write in the information that is missing. This task requires close listening to the trip in order to complete it.
Country Report
Have students write a report about Japan including: landmarks, population, how it is similar to the United States, history (how it came to be), type of government, economy, famous sites, architecture, interesting facts, religions, food, etc.
Transportation Around the World
Compare/contrast various modes of transportation in different countries (Japanese subways vs. classic cars in Cuba)
Music
Listen to music from Japan.
Food of Japan
Have students research traditional Japanese food.
Tokyo Descriptive Words
Ask students to write a description of Tokyo. You could consider having them include a list of adjectives that describe the city.
Tokyo and Home: A Comparison
Students will write lists of the things they like and dislike about Tokyo. Make sure they explain each opinion. Ask students to write about and discuss whether they would like their own home city or town to be more like Tokyo in any way, and why.
Landforms and Bodies of Water
Identify landforms and bodies of water around Tokyo and Japan.
Create Quizzes
Students create a quiz based on the information presented for their peers. This can be used as a review for a test, or jigsaw class activity where students are responsible for teaching other students assigned topics.
Greetings Around the World
Explore different ways to greet people across various cultures (Bonjour in France, bowing in Japan, Hola in Cuba, etc.).
Art
Draw a scene from the video you just watched.
Diorama
Create a diorama of Tokyo’s landmarks.
Local Festivals
Have students research Japanese festivals at the local, state, and national levels.
Creative Writing
Write a story with Tokyo as the setting. The main character could be from another country (compare and contrast characters).
Tokyo Station Adventure
Find out places you can get to from Tokyo Station, and plan an itinerary for a trip.
Tokyo Tower
Students can complete a worksheet in which they compare Tokyo Tower to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. They should talk about the history of the towers, visiting rules, views, etc.
Classroom Ideas for ALL Videos
Here are dozens and dozens of ideas that you can use in your classroom along with our videos!
Topics Covered In This Video
Tokyo’s location
Fun facts
Imperial Palace
Tokyo Station
Bullet trains
Ginza shopping district
Kabuki theater
Tokyo Tower
Tsukiji Fish Market
Shinjuku Gardens
Asakusa Kannon Temple
Related Videos
London: City of Pomp & Majesty
Paris: City of Light (Grades K-5)
Paris: City of Light (Grades 6-12)
