Last Day in Japan - Tokyo City Tour

The Tokyo Dome Hotel for two nights in a row... travel mercies.  See our room up there on the 24th floor?  And the marvelous restaurant on the top?  From there we get a great view of the vast city and the Tokyo Dome just below on game night.  I worked on the photos while Steve took a walk around the dome and 'fair grounds' by the dome.  Go Giants.  They love the baseball.




We left the All Japan Tour group last night and will meet a new guide, Koko, this morning for this local tour.  Our first stop is at the Imperial Guest House built in 1909 and looking just like Buckingham Palace.  This is just for guests! The imperial family intrigue peeks our interest so now we'll pay more attention to the news.

After a bit of indecision about what we will see today, we

go to the Meiji Jingu Garden and Buddhist Temple.  Originally a feudal lord's mansion grounds it became the Imperial Estate during the time of Emperor Meiji and Empress Shaken... both of their 'spirits' are in the Temple.  Don't know exactly what that means.

By now we know to use the water to wash up before going into the temple. Another wedding photo session distracts us before we reach the central and rather busy temple grounds.  I found the pruning of the big camphor trees most interesting.   Could we do that in Winter Park? 


Much happening in this temple today but it's not its most busy time.  Our guide asked us to guess what the the small markings on the big wood posts in front of the temple were from.  We missed it.  They are from people throwing coins during big festivals.

German Tourist... fun.

Lots of school children and a giant gate just before we pass big stores of saki casks and wine casks.  The wine is donated by the French winemakers to honor the Meiji Emperor and celebrate good relations between the countries. The Saki is given by the Japanese saki industry to bring good will and good crops.  We can't believe these were full but the guide says they were.  There's Leslie taking a photo of the sign explaining. 

Next Koko takes us to some beautiful architecture in the city.  Scratch your head and explain how no glass fell from these buildings during the 9 point earthquake in 2011.  

Fish Market - Dick decides not to wake up a 4 in the morning for the Tsukiji Fish Market because we can get the 'flavor' of it this afternoon.  We stroll along the wholesale market and indeed get the flavor.  Dick and Steve buy some fish roe and actually eat most of it.  I tasted but couldn't swallow.   

Last stop of the day again in a wonderful garden.  We could probably never find it again, and can't remember it's name, but we fell in love with the gardeners.  Of course, there was the usual wedding couple posing in their traditional garb.  I took way too many photos here, mostly of features instead of beautiful things:  of their camellias (pruned like Alice Mikkleson says is correct), their fencing (covered in bamboo to look rustic), bamboo trellis work, special places for the turtles to sun without being bothered by people, and much too much to share here.

Wisteria!

 

We leave the Holloways at the Tokyo Dome Hotel and take off for Narita to be ready to fly home the next day.  They will fly home the next afternoon.

That's it for now.

Notions to ponder:

Contrast the Indian and Japanese cultures (Outliers to the max)

Plumbing in Japan

Architecture and Engineering on a Quake Prone Volcanic Island.

Gardening and Sustainability in India and Japan.

Maybe

TOKYO (Palace-Park-Temple-Cruise-Ginza-Tower)

Wednesday, April 17:  We are now in Tokyo and start our last day of the All Japan Tour.  Mirei takes us first to the Imperial Palace to see the only part left after the bombing during WWII. The residence of Japan's emperor and imperial family was rebuilt on a smaller scale after the war with work completed in 1968.  The bridges we see were rebuilt for the Emperor by a German engineer corps.  It's serenity belies the fact that there are three layers of trains under these grounds moving busy Japanese hither and yon.  Mirei explains the changes brought by the current empress in the raising of the heirs to the throne.

Next up, Ueno Park, the bird sanctuary and wetlands of about 131 hectares (325 acres).  More pretty cherry blossoms, overlook to wetlands, and floating pads for the turtles.

Take a picture and move on to Asakusa Kannon Temple, Japan's most colorful and popular Buddhist Temple.  The story goes that two boys found a gold statue here about 625 AD, a monk called

it the Goddess of Mercy so they started the temple.  Mirei says in this temple you just throw money into the pots and there's so need to clap or bow or any other ritual.  Just throw and make a wish.

The centuries old shopping streets extend the distance from the first gate to the second, about 400 yards.  We bought a battery for my watch and, while waiting for it to be replaced at no charge, we bought a great little backup travel watch.  Could probably find the same thing a WalMart but it's the thought, right?  We also tasted a strange new soft serve ice cream flavor.  Since I couldn't understand the sign I asked a young man eating a cone 'what is that yellow flavor?'  I hoped it was lemon but he said it was sweet potato!  We tried it and it was okay.

fan the smoke over your face for good luck

the grid at the bottom is where the coins go

We catch the river cruise at the Hinode Pier nearby and get to see the buildings from a different angle, that the water is clean, and the earthquake 'proof' bridges extraordinary.  For our boiled lunch we go to a mall-like complex on a new residential island made out of the sea.  The island is billed as having the most

Foreman keeping his legs up

modern, tech savvy homes in the world, voice recognition door locks, one touch remote controls, toilets and sinks that adjust heights, and on and on.

This afternoon we take a walk on the Silver Street -- Ginza Street --  a mecca of showcase architecture and shops that sell products with commas in the price tags. We buy nothing, but enjoy taking a photo of a $4,400 red purse, a new Nissan battery scooter (no windows though) and a new Rolls.

We top off the day with a trip to the top of the Tokyo Tower, the Eiffel look-alike that stands 13 meters taller than the Paris model.  The guides have us line up four across and in very straight lines, then move us toward the elevator.  Our little group of Aussies, Canadians, English, and Americans find this taste of Japanese discipline rather entertaining.  We enjoy the views and looking through the floor of the tower.

Looking over the vast expanse of tall buildings with lots of glass makes me ponder what Mirei said about the last big earthquake felt in Japan.  The March 2011 quake measured 9 on the scale (32 times greater than an 8) and was the 5th strongest quake in the world since the 1900 when they started measuring the force. She said not a single pane of glass fell in Tokyo!  Amazing.  Her personal tale of her earthquake experience should be another blog.  As soon as I get to our very last day in Tokyo... tomorrow.

Asha (Abu Dhabi) and Donna (London) off on more adventures - sumo wrestling?

Now we have to say goodbye to most of our fellow travelers as some go from here to Narita to fly home and we go back to the hotel for one more night.  We're staying another day to see a bit more of Tokyo and rest up for the trip home.  The Foremans and Holloways go back to the restaurant at the top of the Tokyo Dome Hotel for a quiet, slow dinner.  Very nice indeed.