Winding Down

We spent the last couple of days picking up gifts here and there to bring back. We started out Monday with Hide (see picture 3) guiding us to some shops in Harajuku that Sarah might find some inspiration then broke off from the group. I started with the best intentions of taking shots here and there and letting Sarah go about her business but the goods being peddled were too tempting to pass up and I was soon sucked in only to spend way too much on a few fine Japanese wares. We walked down as many tiny alleys as possible and found many little obscure shops that made the day pretty great. On our final morning we paid a final visit to Yoyogi Park to find some peace and quiet and say goodbye to this magnificent city.

sarah's turn !!!

Jeff has delegated a post to me today, (he forgot his camera - for shame !!) Here's a sampling of 'circles' - a sort of cataloge of the 'biodiversity' of Tokyo's sidewalks. I'm really enjoying the weatheredness and texture of each of them ... in a 'rising sun' sort of way.

Shopping in Harajuku

Yesterday was spent on our feet. Harajuku is a shopping district north of Shibuya that is separated by Omotesando. The stores are smaller and the clientele is a little older, closer to our age. It was a bit tiresome but we found some hidden gems like the Winged Wheel, a tiny little paper store in a very secluded back alley. We had lunch nearby. Sarah had the sashimi and I opted for the fried pork. By 6 o'clock neither of us could take anymore shopping so we headed back to the hotel to meet up with our new friends, Baku and Ai. After a rest we met up a couple of New Balance folks for a drink at the hotel bar on the 40th floor. Burt Bacharach playing next to us was a bit loud but my Manhattan hit the spot and the view was spectacular. So spectacular, in fact, that it was included on our bill. ¥1200 per person.

A Full Day at the Markets

Today was a busy day. Woke up early (my timetable is still messed up) and was given the first clear view of Mt. Fuji in the distance. I then hitched a ride with the NewBalance express as our guide, Hide, took us all over Tokyo. We first went up to Asakusa to visit the Kannon Temple and sample the shops lining Nakamise Dori. After hopping a train for a short ride we experienced a massive outdoor market at Ueno. Anything and everything a chap can unload is packed into this cramped area. An eye-popping experience to say the least. We then changed pace and checked out the opposite end of the shopping spectrum on Omotesando where all the most chic stores and boutiques are found.

Izakaya Dining

We had a fantastic dinner last night at an izakaya which is a sake bar/restaurant that serves lots of spirits and a wide variety of small dishes to soak up the alcohol. Couldn't tell you the name of the place as English was not part of the program. I sampled a few types of sake while Sarah fell in love with a basil-infused shochu. The food ran the gamut from absurdly delicious (mackerel dried with green tea then grilled) to interesting (see the two series above of us trying the "blue pickled thing") to vile (see last photo; I dubbed this "burnt joy"). Oh, and if anyone can identify the second photo I'd be delighted. We think it could have been octupus, mushrooms or tendons.

Tokyo Structures

Here and There and Back Again

Just to show you that it hasn't been all work: some shots from my commutes.

Edo-Tokyo Museum

This place was all about the scale models and the bizarre looking building. The guide book says the concept was that of the image of an ancient repositorium. I don't know. Kind of looks like a dog to me. Or a frog. Regardless, midway through the vast exhibits I realized I was museumed out. The Edo-Tokyo Museum is very impressive but it's time to initiate the vacation segment of this trip.

Tokyo National Museum

Here we have a huge building, a medium-sized collection of priceless artifacts, and I imagine unlimited funds. The result is vast dimly lit halls of very tasteful restraint in the presentation of the collection. I would guess, on average, an 8' x 8' case had around 4 medium sized pieces. The interpretation was little more than an intro panel at the entrance and small brief labels. Visitors moved at a snail's pace if they moved at all. Comfortable leather sofas were found every 20 feet or so.

National Science Museum: Japan

National Science Museum: Global

Since Tokyo was struck with the same 'wintry mix' as Boston I decided to immerse myself indoors at two of the largest museums in the city. The first was my main target for this trip: The National Science Museum, specifically because of their extensive attention to evolution. The message was beautifully illustrated and it made me a little sad to see how evolution is universally accepted as fact here while roughly half the population of my own country ..... but I digress. The NSM has structured their story by starting with the basics in the bottom floor (Exploring the Laws of Nature and the Universe) and working their way up (Biodiversity, etc.) and evolution is the thread that runs through all. It's very effective programming.

Tobacco + Salt Museum

Why salt and tobacco you ask? For the war effort, instead of selling war bonds and asking people to volunteer for their country Japan simply acquired these two highly profitable commodities and made them national monopolies. Tobacco, not surprising given the number of smokers in Japan (40% of the adult population?), is given the bulk of the limelight. You might even say that they promote smoking given the number of kids that frequent the place and the fact that there's no space given to the health hazards. Score one for Big Tobacco. Other than the message slant the exhibits are quite nice with much attention given to craft and small details. I can't elaborate on the content as only the title copy was translated. I wouldn't say it bothered me, though.

Yoyogi Park + Meiji Shrine

The Meiji Shrine is the largest Shinto shrine in Tokyo and is situated inside Yoyogi Park. The park is enormous and even though you can always hear the city around you and are never fooled about your location it's still refreshing after walking Shibuya all morning. The shrine is dedicated to the emperor who reigned during Japan's period of modernization (1868-1912). It's solemn, beautiful and would have been quiet if it wasn't for the constant cawing of the crows.

Shibuya: Shopping District

Spent the day getting acquainted with our neighborhood. Shibuya is where the young Tokyoites come to buy their clothes. There are some interesting fashion trends making there way around Tokyo right now and I was a little self-conscious of being 'that guy' taking photos of people so I kept my lens on the surroundings instead. I need to get back there to take some photos of Hachiko crossing so I'll inevitably get some people shots on here. Hachiko crossing is that giant intersection you've seen so often in the movies where everyone crosses at once in all directions. It's actually named after a devoted dog that would meet his master at the train station here every day and continued to come for seven years after his master's death. True story.

...And Boy Are My Arms Tired

The flight proved much easier than i expected. I somehow managed to get an empty seat next to me on an otherwise packed flight so I was able to spread out a little. Little-to-no sleep, though. Every time sleep was near so was turbulence. Our flightpath took us up through Canada + Alaska then across the Bering Sea. Alaska looked amazing from 35,000 feet (see above). Arrived at the hotel and caught up on some sleep. The view from our room proves how big Tokyo is; we're actually looking away from the city towards Mt.Fuji (if he ever decides to show himself).

A Tiny Barcelona Street

It's been mostly work work work but Sarah did manage to get out and snap a few shots while in Spain.

Rendezvous at Shibuya

On Monday Sarah and I will be meeting halfway around the world. She's been jet-setting since Tuesday making her way around Europe for work. Most of the time was spent in Barcelona but right now she's in Munich before heading to Japan. Her arrival will precede mine by a few hours so we'll be meeting up at our hotel.