Catching up on Japan

I know, I know....but with 10-12 hour days in Japan and no English available computer it was hard to blog...so here is the catch up - about a week late.

The days in Japan flew by- subways, food, more food, etc. I think the food junkie bit was due to not being able to /or choosing not to eat street food in India. I kinda went nuts the days in Japan. Royal milk tea from a vending machine and some bean paste cookies were a common snack.


Monday -after a visit to the Tourist Information Center I decided to start in Asakusa and saw the Senso-ji temple complex there.
I took a water taxi from there through many of the 12 bridges - This is a formal public transport - not just for tourists and the views are great. I chose to get off at the I landed by the gardens near the fish market and took a near sunset stroll (only 4:30) through these gardens. Beautifully kept. This is a 300 year old pine.

I then went out to get a hair cut - getting pretty shaggy - what a wonderful experience. Despite the huge language barrier, I was able to find a picture close to what I wanted. The stylist hung up my outer things and I got my "coat" on- then a shampoo - with a paper mask on my face- cut, dry, thin; then she rewashed my hair and dried it- fixed up odd bits and gelled it - upon paying and leaving she gave me her card- which I examined and bowed over (I read about this in Lonely Planet Tokyo) and departed.

Dinner was tempura - of course the restaurant specialized in that. I learned to mix my chopped radish (hot or mild) with the light soy sauce and then use that to dip the tempura in. The tempura is served one or two pieces at a time - piping hot and delicious. My favorite was the tempura patty- a mix of batter, vegies, and small shrimp -fried up like a small pancake- yum!

Mornings were the Japanese-style breakfast that came with my room. It was always brown rice, some yogurt, tofu, assorted vegetables/pickles and some type of miso or vegetable soup and tea...delicious. I ate about 8 a.m. and was usually out the door by 8:30 or 9 - not to return for many hours.

Right after breakfast Tuesday I headed to the Tsukiji fish market. While I couldn't see the auction - the outer market was great. I had fresh grilled scallop (about the size of my fist and nibbled from any and all offerings.

The later morning was spent traveling out to Shinjuku (the area where the government offices are). My main goal was the free observation towers there and hopefully a sighting of Mt. Fuji. Huge buildings and very modern (Seattle folks think Bellevue new). Many many salary men rushing about in the ever-present black suits.

I have noticed that all (and I do mean all) Japanese carry cell phones. They "personalize" them with small charms hanging off the phone by a light chain or "leash". These charms are really insights into the personalities behind the black and white look. I have seen small Mickey Mouse, sumo wrestlers, shoes, and pretty much anything you can think of...Cell phones are ever present. A glance over a seat-mates shoulder showed that they text by typing in a Japanese kanji and then a selection of words comes up - which they have either programmed or are "best guess" they choose and move on- slower texting than I see on English but it works well. Since is it "bad manners" to talk on cell phones on the subways, texting is going on. Even during rush hour, bags are stored overhead and one hand is used to hold on (if needed - sometimes not needed because of the crush)and the other to manipulate the phone!

The view was pretty good - no Fuji...I hoped for it when I went to Kamakura. Managed my way back and had lunch there in the walkway near another store.



Tuesday capped off with a visit to the Imperial Palace Gardens and then a sushi dinner of amazing proportions. Since the Emperor and family were in residence, the palace was not open. The gardens were quiet and pretty - again - a quick visit and walk back - this time all the way up the main street of Ginza in the growing dark - as the lights came on and people rushed about their business in such an orderly fashion compared to India. Even at crowded street crossings, the flow was amazingly civil and orderly - no horns - no running - no jaywalking!

The dinner was arranged for me by my ryokan- I gave them my price range and knew I wanted to stay in the Ginza district. They booked me at Seamon - (no not the place Anthony Bourdain went- my bad). It was beautiful, pricy and served impecably. There were probably a dozen or more courses and each complemented the previous ones in taste, texture and presentation. No, it was not a huge amount of food but each piece was perfect, served on a beautiful dish and so fresh and clean. I had saki with it and closed with a barley tea




Wednesday I woke to rain and decided (with the help of a texted forcast from a friend)to hold off on Kamakura for a day. I chose instead to go to Roppongi and Shibuya. Roppongi has the Mori Art Museum - a good rainy day idea and Shibuya has the busiest intersection in the world...

Seattlite that I am, I was not daunted by the rain, but I did get lost again once arriving at the museum (but not on the subway!)in Roppongi. Getting straightened out, I headed for the Art Museum and saw there were exhibitions on gold and (surprise surprise) India! It also included a view from the tower (not much to see in the rain). All this for about $20 US.



I also saw the Guiness World Record Post Box! Roppongi (hard 'g' sound)is very upper class it seemed but parts were regular "working class" style with some older areas. It is necessary to remember that most of Tokyo was destroyed in the bombings ending the Second World War - so very little architecture remains older than 60 or so years.

The exhibits were great- of course no photos allowed. I saw lots of gold from mining to Oscars and Gold Records (Susan Saranden's Oscar and Buddy Holly's record). The India exhibit was of new artists portraying Delhi and India - it was amazing- I really felt quite connected to it.

I had a soba noodle experience for lunch - I never knew you put the sauce and wasabi (all wasabi here was fresh ground) and then dipped in the cold noodles - yum. Of course, tea and rice and a few tempura shrimp for good measure. I had some bean paste filled cookies for desert from another booth.

Onward on the subway to Shibuya - really raining at this point- this required several changes of subway lines and of course, I got lost....


I never went outside here but from big glass windows saw the huge intersection and the tons of people crossing. There was also a Tokyu store there with the required two floors of amazing food....and a "kimono department"...I had to check this out. I have read several books on kimono and have an idea what goes into wearing one. The department was fascinating with all the parts (obi, obi cord, purses, shoes, tabi, etc). A woman asked me if I spoke English - I jumped- and asked if I had ever worn a kimono - I said - not correctly...she spoke with one of the sales people and soon I was dressed in a beautiful one - no big deal with the underpinnings but full on with collar and obi. They took pictures of me - I never thought of buying it- but then the sales person showed me the tag...it was a "used" one, 60 years old...it is now mine - I didn't buy a sari in India- one of my few regrets - but I do have the kimono - no obi but a light belt to hold it on - I know what I want for my birthday!

Dinner was beef - first in 12 weeks. It was at a small restaurant (most are and at least one to a building) near Ginza. The chef worked from many cuts behind a "beef bar" - think sushi bar but for beef. I had a wonderful dinner that included three different types of steak - all very different but unique and cooked perfectly on a little charcoal brazier. There was also some beef carpachio, beef intestine, and a few pickles and salads in between. Of course, a bit of rice, miso soup and tea afterwards. Total weight of beef was about 4-5 ounces. There was not enough English spoken for me to determine if Kobe was used at all - though each piece was perfect, tender and amazingly flavorful. My body did not like me later, despite feeding it this awesome desert - with a raincoat over the bag no less!~

On to Kamakura next post.