Tokyo The Travel Show

This week in testing out the waters in Tokyo ahead of 2020. Were taking

the lens cap off for a photographic Tour of South Africa. It's the

moment, it's the perfect moment. And Tommy's getting his movie set head

on for the very latest in travel gadgets. I've just need the drinks

trolley. No sign of it yet. Tokyo is teeming with tourists right

now. On the streets of Aceh Kucera it is shoulder to shoulder with

barely room for a selfie stick. -- Asakusa. The yen is weak and

travellers are taking advantage. Last year an estimated 50 million

foreign tourists came to Japan. And if you think it's busy now, industry

insiders say it's only going to get more manic in the lead up to the

Olympic Games in 2020. Tokyo will build a number of the 37 Olympic

venues from scratch and spend an estimated $1 billion refurbishing

the old national Olympic stadium, centre of events back in 1964.

From August this year the exposure of Tokyo and Japan itself will

increase dramatically, and a lot of people all over the world are going

to pay attention to Japan or Tokyo. So it's a very good business

opportunity. Always at the forefront of innovation, the country is keen

to put its best technical article foot forward for all those potential

Olympic tourists -- technological. Back in 1964, the Japanese unveil

version cans in, then the fastest train in the world. This time round

prepare yourself for the robot taxi. TRANSLATION: If you were

coming from the UK then you could book a robot taxi just like you

would book your hotel over the Internet. And I'm assuming there

will be a lot of foreign tourists coming to Tokyo for the Olympics and

I'd like to think they could use this robot taxi daily while they're

here. But it's not only for the Olympics. I'd like it to be used by

tourists well after the Games are over. So from the outside it looks

like an ordinary car but once you get inside there's so many cables,

computers, cameras, how does it work? TRANSLATION: This monitor

tells you if the sensors are working properly or not. All you need to do

is press this button to start or stop. What is this? Emergency stop?

That's good to know. Obviously these robot taxis will only be allowed on

set routes, and of course there's the minor technicality that they

have to change the law to allow driverless cars on the road. And

come 2020, there could be rain what's to carry your bags. I'm going

to put on this rather nifty belt here and it's equipped with an

infrared beacon at the back. So clip it on like this and this will talk

to these carts here which are carrying my suitcases.

These carts can carry up to 100 kilograms each, making light work in

a country faced with a chronic labour shortage due to an ageing

population and degreasing birthrate. It's like I've got my own

robotic minions. Its inventors hope they can be used to transport heavy

goods to and from the Olympic villages and stadiums, and possibly

airport and hotels in the future. It's all about making life easier

for tourists and breaking down that language barrier. English is more

prevalent now on public transport, particularly in Tokyo. So far away

from the maddening crowds we're about to get onto a boat. It's a

dinner cruise down the river that passes a number of iconic sites as

well as the plot of land set aside for the Olympic village. I love

these lights. This is such a spectacular view, something that you

don't really see everyday. Downstairs on the traditional maths

there is space for more than 100 passengers. But they are mostly

Japanese. So I really love the idea of coming on an evening cruise with

dinner. It's a unique and different way to see Tokyo. But as you can

hear, all the commentary is in Japanese. So I guess this is

probably one of the reasons why these sorts of threats aren't so

popular at the moment. I spoke with a group of expats on the cruise

about what can be done to make Tokyo more accessible for foreigners in

the lead up to 2020. We're talking about the beer, we've been here ten

years, ten, ten, six, but you never see the Tokyo you see from the

river. It's a different view of Tokyo you get when you're in the

city, which is pretty cool. For me the Japanese commentary was a bit of

a problem, I didn't really know what was going on or what the sites were,

I have to rely on my Japanese friend. We talked about it

actually. You want a little bit of guidance, but on the other hand, if

you're a tourist in a city, a bit of that mystery... Foreign environment,

not knowing what's going on. It's all a part of it. To be honest, the

commentary's not that interesting. Of course there's no shortage of

translation apps on the market now to help you muddle your way

through. We're getting better and better. At the stations, in the

trains, the restaurants, the hotels, and also we are now thinking of

developing some unique technology, like the translation system using

AI, and we want to trial those technologies in the hotels and the

restaurants so that we can see how it works and try to use it actually

for the tourists in the future. I've lived here two years and

Japanese is a difficult language to master. But a few basic words and

phrases will help you on your way. Excuse me is incredibly polite and

the locals here love that. Thank you never goes astray. And if you're

feeling hugely confident, is it oh K2 speaking of definitely comes in

handy -- is it OK to speak English. Chris broad move to years ago to

work as an English teacher. Since then he's set up his own YouTube

channel where he's been helping visitors learn the basics of

Japanese. He even claims you can learn a good standard of the

language in less than six months. One of the most difficult hurdles

with Japanese is there are three writing systems. The first two,

there is about 90 characters or so, they can be learned in a week or

two. As for the third one, there's 2200 characters and that's the

slightly more daunting task, especially as it takes Japanese

people about 15 or 16 years at school and learning to actually

learn themselves. It takes Japanese people that long, it certainly takes

us foreigners a heck of a lot longer. But it is possible. It is

possible, it just takes a lot of time and a lot of study to get

there. Learning the language and

experiencing new technology will definitely enhance your time here.

But to operators are already warning that the place is going to become

very crowded and expensive once Olympic fever hits post Brazil, so

the advice is to book early, spread the net wider than just Tokyo and

maybe start brushing up on your Japanese Right now. After all, you

will have four years to practise. Next our regular look at the people

who make a place with Citizens. This week we're heading to London to meet

a man who looks after the city's 1500 gas lamps which unbelievably

200 years after they were first installed are still lighting up the

capital's streets after dark. On an operations manager, part of my

responsibility is to maintain, repair and lovingly cherished the

gas lamps we have here in London -- I'm an. The first lamps went in on

the 31st of December 1813. It is part of the fabric if you like of

London. The difference between electric lamps and the gas lamps is

the actual light that it emits. As we're travelling down the Mall here,

on the right-hand side you've got the harsh, bright electric lights.

And if you look to your left down the Mall slips, it's more of a

calming, mellow, yellow light that emanates off a gaslamp. The feedback

we get from the public is when we come out and do a repair to a lamp,

the first thing that they want to make sure is that we're not taking

it away. What we will do is go around and clean the glass, we

replace the mantles, that's what gives it the nice yellow soft light

that you see. The gas travels up through this very thin pipe here

which keeps a pilot light lit. Inside we've got a clock, the clocks

have been here since 1865. The clock spins round, hits a lever, the lever

then comes up and then makes the gas pass up through the valve up the

main pipe and down into the four mantles. The clock will last 14

days, so when a lamp attendant comes around he might, on Monday morning.

Two weeks later he is back at this lamp again having to wind it. It

might sound crazy to some people but, you know, myself, Gary and the

team, we would consider ourselves custodians of these gas lamps. I

make no bones about it or embarrass about it, hopefully they are here

long after we are here and somebody else will be looking after them.

Still to come on the Travel Show... Tommy's out and about trying his

hand at the latest travel gadgets. This week the tests out a throwback

to the 1980s with a hand-held retro computer. And we're in Cape Town in

South Africa to meet the man who's taking travellers on a township Tour

with a difference with the help of this camera. So stay with us for

that. Welcome to BBC Travel Airways

weather service and food are rubbish but the in-flight entertainment is

whatever you it to be, with this. The makers claim it is the world 's

first personal Cinema system. They look like an enormous pair of over

ear headphones with built-in screens in the headband, and that is

basically what they are. This device projects light of 2 million micro-

mirrors directly into your highs. Now that sounds terrifying, but the

idea isn't much different from the technology used in the early days of

HDTV. These are incredibly comfortable and very light weight as

well. We have reviewed others that have just been too heavy to wear on

the bridge of your nose. Obviously I would love it if it didn't have a

wire plugged into my device, but what's nice is I can still see what

is going on around me while I've got these on so I can keep a little eye

out for the drinks trolley. There is no sign of it yet. It's always good

to be ahead of the game when it comes to gadgets, and with this we

really are. Because it is a prototype, but while it represents

the future of gaming, it is a prototype, but while it represents

the future of gaming, its the Sinclair Vega Plus looks a little

like a PlayStation Vita. It's got its own screen so you can play games

on the bus or the Tube or even a long haul flight. It comes with 1000

officially games preloaded so there is plenty to keep you busy. The

nostalgia levels on this go through the roof. I mean, it is great to

reminisce. But for the muggy that you pay for these old school games

and all the little glitches that they have got, the novelty just

wears off really quickly. Maybe some things in the past are just that

left there. -- better left their. The market for fitness bans and

smart watches is crazy right now. There is so much to choose from. And

guess what, it just got that little bit bigger because of very famous

sat nav brand wants to get in on the action with this. The Tomtom smart

watch has GPS, heartrate monitoring and built-in music playback all in

one. It is aimed at runners, cyclists and Jim -goers who are

tired of taking their smartphone with them. However, it is not a new

idea and there are a few other brands doing the same thing already.

Yes, I know. There is no real need for GPS on my stationary bike in a

gym but imagine if you are in a brand-new city somewhere around the

world and you want to roam around on a bike and this will keep an eye on

where you have been. It will also allow you to continually monitor

your heart rate and a workout. And let's not forget, this is a fraction

of the price of a smart watch. They say big is beautiful, but small can

be pretty slick as well. This is the brand-new addition to the go

profamily. The simple square box style has been growing in popularity

for action cameras for a while, with the hero for session GoPro becoming

one of the latest to launch a camera of this style. The design certainly

has its advantages. It is 50% smaller than previous cameras and

has a simple one button operation. My only criticism is the battery is

not removable, so you would need a power back or laptop to recharge it

if you run out of juice -- powerpack. This can capture great

pictures, plus it's got a wonderful panoramic lands which are superb if

you are at the top of a mountain or even in your favourite city. But

because the device is so small, there is no actual screen on it

itself, you do that with other models, which you will need your

phone and the app. The beauty that is you can use your phone to upload

whatever you film straight onto social media and share it with the

world. Thanks, Tommy. Well, the Finnish this week we are continuing

our special season of Travel Show stories from South Africa, meeting

some of the amazing people who call a country home and learning a bit

more about life there. Today we met the man who has taken this passion

for photography into the townships of Cape Town and is encouraging

tourists to tag along. It is basically photographers from

the township, and we use photography as the medium showcasing the beauty

of life in the township. The project is an open invite to anyone, really.

Anyone can come in and be a part. Everytime you see the township, the

people are always taking the bus and they are viewing through protective

windows and there is an virginity for them to walk through the streets

and experience the life and touch the soil, and taste the taste. I

think that is the uniqueness that we are hoping to bring. So every month

we choose a township and take a walk and just me, have a good time.

Ultimately it is about having a good time. Most of us are born in

townships, and we live in townships today. It is the only place that we

call home, and I think it is important for us to feel positive

about ourselves. If we feel positive about ourselves, and where we come

from, and where we find ourselves. Townships are a beautiful place. You

walk around in the middle of a shack town, and you worry about the state

that these people are living in but once you see their faces you see

smiles, you see kids running around playing in the street, you see dogs.

It is happiness, it is high. When you walk down the street, I

mean, as we are walking together here, people are giving your

high-fives randomly, just because people are curious. It gives us an

extra edge from a photographic sense, when you take pictures of

people who want to be taken pictures. Yes, there is always a bit

of a threat, as when you walk down any street, be it in the city centre

or be at here. The same is here. So we have been working for over a year

now, and we have been working in various townships across Cape Town

and all of those townships, we have never had a single incident.

These local models, young models, young photographers, young

designers, and we help each other out in the sense that the

photographers need content. You know, spaces where people can just

collaborate on the spot and take awesome pictures. Go with me,

without me telling you anything, right now. All they need is a good

photo. It is the moment, I think. It is a perfectly captured moment. Most

of the time unplanned. For me that is like the perfect picture. You can

create upon with every picture. -- create a poem. We don't call it out

reach, we call it in reach. Because you take more than you give, and we

go out with local kids, and we can teach them how to take photographs

and that kind of vibe. I want you to do the side does. Yes, there we go.

I think it is about time we call it a day. I think it's been a good day.

The weather has been on our side, the conditions have been on our

side. Nyanga prove to us that the streets are not as dangerous as

people made them out to be. We didn't have any threats, or

incidents. We are fine. Exploring South Africa through a

photographer's eye. That's all we've got time for this week. Coming up

next week: Christa heads to Hungary and takes to the track as they

prepare to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first-ever Grand

Prix to take place behind the Iron Curtain in 1986. I hope you can join

us for that, if you can. You can also catch us on social media. All

the details are on your screen now. And from all of us here in Tokyo,

it's goodbye. Well, this weekend is once

again going to be very mixed. One minute it is going to be too

cold, Very changeable from

the sparkling and clear blue skies, Behind this cold front that we are

seeing on the satellite picture