Tokyo 2007: Part 2

Sorry for the late wrap up but trying to get back on SF time has been kicking my butt for some reason and now this stuff isn’t as fresh in my mind but here is what I had written in my journal:

I met up with Robert and Tomoko Monday, feeling proud of myself for having navigated the daunting Shinjuku rail station and actually ended up where I wanted to go and on time! We headed off to Harajuku and a stroll down Omote-Sando. From what I gather these are the ultra chic, fashionable areas of town, which seems like the whole place to me but I’m just slovenly American.


Then a train over to Shibuya. These guys really know how to shop. Just look at the place. I don’t know where they get all the energy, money or time. Amazing


Tuesday morning we met up with Tomoko’s parents and headed south by train down the Izu peninsula. We picked up a car in Hakone and checked out the MOA, it’s Japanese Gardens and traditional tea house.


A bit more south we checked into the traditional Japanese hot bath / spa / onsen Tomoko’s parents booked us into. I think it’s called the Eggplant? Check it out: http://www.nasubi-h.com We got the same excellent service I had quickly become accustom to and traditional 8 course Japanese meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I'm an adventure eater and everything was so well done and I'm not complaining but the point I snapped was when they brought out the breakfast salad with dried little fish as a salad topping (see photo below)


Each room was setup in a traditional Japanese fashion with tatami mats, futons (stored in the closet) a small table and a hot soaking tub on the balcony over looking the ocean and hills. Between the shochu, beer, hot baths and views, I found myself totally relaxed and struggling to leave. This photo was of my room. You can just make out the hot tub through the doors on the deck. Yummy.


We did a bit of exploring and visited a few lighthouses and small towns on the way back to the train station. This photo was a light house near Shizouka that had this interesting little hut tucked into the side of the rocky cliff with a couple of monks selling prayer offerings and meditating. I had given up questioning these things and just checked it all out.



Thursday afternoon we were back in Tokyo and the realization that our time was drawing to an end was coming upon us. We headed over to the electronics district, Akihabara, then some comfort food in Ebisu for dinner. We wound up at this Italian / Japanese fusion place and had great meal that really hit the spot, although not what I was expecting (but no guppies at all!) The last couple days are a bit of a blur but I found myself wandering through the Imperial Gardens (below)


and to the War Museum. I had read about their version of the Greater East Asian Conflict (we called it World War 2) and it was a trip. I don't want to get into too many details as it is something you can easily research but what was really odd for me was that I was there with about a dozen older men that looked as if they could have been involved in it. Being the only American in the place it just seemed odd reading about the heroic victories of the Japanese military over the US and thinking that at one time these guys were at war with us. I'll never begin to understand the psychology of war and the military mentality.

Lastly, we visited Asakusa at it's famous temple, Senso-ji and had a nice boat ride back to central Tokyo.



Look for one last Tokyo post with some follow up photos and observations at some point soon. Dōmo arigatō