May
1, Tuesday; May 2, Wednesday;
May 3, Thursday
Tuesday
I rested today. The weather is not so good. Other notes from yesterday’s tour below.
Buddhism arrived via India -> China -> Korea -> Japan in the 6th century. The Japanese have very flexible religious beliefs, we are told by our guide today. They like to hedge their bets. An afterlife seemed like a good idea, so they included it in their beliefs. Shintoism is the main belief system in Japan (it is not a religion) “It has no founder, no holy book and not even the concept of religious conversion. Shintoism simply values Harmony with nature, Virtues such as a sincere heart. Some divinity is found as Kami (divine spirit). You can see Kami in mythology, in nature and in human beings. Japanese people build Shinto shrines in gratitude towards such Kami.”
The present Emperor, Aki Hito, is the 125th Emperor of Japan, all in a direct line with “a God” supposedly. His father was Hiro Hito and his Great-Grand-father was Emperor Meiji (I’ll tell you about him later this week). Only the male heirs can inherit the throne. Since the present Emperor and his wife Michiko only have one daughter (she is 10 years old and we saw her this week on TV with her parents = rare public appearance), so the throne will likely go to the Emperor’s younger brother, who has two daughters….. and 1 son ! The line of succession is therefore secure if all goes well.
Although the male heirs can now marry commoners (since there aren’t any royals left to co-mingle with) when a princess marries (a commoner, since there aren’t any royals left to co-mingle with) she loses her title and becomes a commoner ! ! ! Wow. How unfair is that !
The government of Japan has discussed the possibility, of discussing the possibility (yes, double, it’s not a hic-cup), of changing the laws of succession, since there is now a high likelihood that the imperial line could come to an end if they don’t allow females of the line to inherit the throne. Interesting times !
Samurai worked for the Shogun. Shogun was “The ruler of the land” during the period of years when the Emperor was not considered the ruler (1603 to 1868). In 1868 the Emperor regained his power and moved the capital from Kyoto to Edo (now called Tokyo).
If you want a traditional wedding and can’t afford to buy a kimono, you can rent one (just like in China) and include all the accessories, wedding photos, etc.
Imperial Palace: Shoguns had the walls built around the palace and the gardens.
Shinto-Buddhism ! A blend of both; Japanese are very flexible in their beliefs. There are spirits everywhere and they love the idea of re-incarnation: If you don’t like this life, maybe your next one will be better.
Wednesday City tour
I woke up very early this morning, around 5:30 AM, and saw on the internet that it was supposed to be a sunny day today, with rain predicted for the rest of the week. I still haven’t done the city tour, and when I try to call the office of the tour company, it is obviously too early and no one is answering. I decide to head to the Yaesu Fujiya Hotel, where I went to catch the tour bus for the Mount Fuji Tour. I figure that the tour bus must stop there for the daily pick-ups and I may be able to snag a tour for today.
Works like a charm ! At 8 am the bus arrives and the young lady guide confirms that they can fit me into the “Dynamic Tokyo Full Day Tour”. Our first stop is to the Tokyo Tower, 333 meters in height, which was built in 1958. Wow, it’s 54 years old !
Tokyo city streets; people rushing to work. Most of them appear to be wearing black & white attire.
This is were we are heading to this morning: Tokyo Tower
Rush, rush, early morning rush. So glad I'm retired !
Below Tokyo Tower, ready to go up to the observation deck, about half way up.
A view from the top. Tokyo !
Looking toward the waterfront.
Tokyo city views
The sloped, low building is a shrine, newly built and modern in style
Looking down at a traditional shrine and graveyard
Tokyo views
From the observation deck we can see Tokyo City all around us. Unfortunately it is a foggy morning and the views aren’t that great. On rare days, it is possible to see Mount Fuji in the distance.
From the observation deck, there is a window in the floor so that you can look straight down !
Using the zoom, I can see the paper flag fish adorning the entrance
These are the two tallest buildings in Tokyo
We drive on to the south of Tokyo to the Happoen Garden, where we a given an official Japanese Tea Ceremony.
On the drive over, old and new buildings blended together
Traditional Tea Ceremonies use Japanese tea is made from powdered leaves ! It is called “macha” and is made by a “Tea Ceremony Sensei”. Sensei means teacher or specialist. It takes years of study and practice to become a “Tea Ceremony Sensei” and a LOT of money. It is considered an honour to reach this level of professionalism. “Kekko des” which means “Very good” is the proper response to give when the Tea Ceremony Sensei asks if you are enjoying the tea she has made for you. (Whether you like it or not, you are expected to say "kekko des". The last gulp of tea from your cup must be slurped (but only a small slurp) to show the Sensei your appreciation for the tea and the ceremony. (As opposed to a big slurp which is OK to use when eating noodles.)
Our “Tea Ceremony Sensei”.
Our green tea
The ladies cleaning up after our group is done; getting ready for the second half of our group
We then get to visit the gardens. This site is used for weddings and we are lucky today to spot a couple having their wedding pictures taken.
Me in the gardens; there is just a slight drizzle falling, giving everything a strange glow
The beautiful pond and gardens
With koy in the pond, and the sound of the small waterfall
And some amazing Bonzai. This one is over 300 years old !
Between 100 and 200 years old
And they are just left outside ! Yikes !
An entire row of them along the pathway
And the stone lanterns to adorn the pathways.
A bride posing for her wedding pictures in the garden
Our drive to the north western part of Tokyo. Large boulevards
and narrow side streets
Views of Tokyo city and its canals
We arrive at the hotel and I notice small lockers for people's umbrellas ! How cute is that.
From there, we drive all the way up to the northern part of the city to have a Japanese style lunch at the “famous” (so we are told) Chinzanso Restaurant, which is prepared on a hot plate in front of us. We are 6 seated at each table, in a U shape, with the lady preparing our food at the top of the table: One couple from Florida, a Philippine couple from Toronto, a lady from Northern Thailand (in an area I will be visiting where they have an elephant sanctuary) and me.
Tuesday
I rested today. The weather is not so good. Other notes from yesterday’s tour below.
Most expressways don’t go in straight lines in Tokyo since they
were built over old canals and other waterways.
Many are overhead so they didn’t have to expropriate too many people
when they were built. This isn’t
China; people own their property here.
Edo was the name of the old capital of Japan; it meant
“Doors of the water”. Tokyo means
Eastern Capital.Buddhism arrived via India -> China -> Korea -> Japan in the 6th century. The Japanese have very flexible religious beliefs, we are told by our guide today. They like to hedge their bets. An afterlife seemed like a good idea, so they included it in their beliefs. Shintoism is the main belief system in Japan (it is not a religion) “It has no founder, no holy book and not even the concept of religious conversion. Shintoism simply values Harmony with nature, Virtues such as a sincere heart. Some divinity is found as Kami (divine spirit). You can see Kami in mythology, in nature and in human beings. Japanese people build Shinto shrines in gratitude towards such Kami.”
The present Emperor, Aki Hito, is the 125th Emperor of Japan, all in a direct line with “a God” supposedly. His father was Hiro Hito and his Great-Grand-father was Emperor Meiji (I’ll tell you about him later this week). Only the male heirs can inherit the throne. Since the present Emperor and his wife Michiko only have one daughter (she is 10 years old and we saw her this week on TV with her parents = rare public appearance), so the throne will likely go to the Emperor’s younger brother, who has two daughters….. and 1 son ! The line of succession is therefore secure if all goes well.
Although the male heirs can now marry commoners (since there aren’t any royals left to co-mingle with) when a princess marries (a commoner, since there aren’t any royals left to co-mingle with) she loses her title and becomes a commoner ! ! ! Wow. How unfair is that !
The government of Japan has discussed the possibility, of discussing the possibility (yes, double, it’s not a hic-cup), of changing the laws of succession, since there is now a high likelihood that the imperial line could come to an end if they don’t allow females of the line to inherit the throne. Interesting times !
Samurai worked for the Shogun. Shogun was “The ruler of the land” during the period of years when the Emperor was not considered the ruler (1603 to 1868). In 1868 the Emperor regained his power and moved the capital from Kyoto to Edo (now called Tokyo).
If you want a traditional wedding and can’t afford to buy a kimono, you can rent one (just like in China) and include all the accessories, wedding photos, etc.
Imperial Palace: Shoguns had the walls built around the palace and the gardens.
Shinto-Buddhism ! A blend of both; Japanese are very flexible in their beliefs. There are spirits everywhere and they love the idea of re-incarnation: If you don’t like this life, maybe your next one will be better.
Wednesday City tour
I woke up very early this morning, around 5:30 AM, and saw on the internet that it was supposed to be a sunny day today, with rain predicted for the rest of the week. I still haven’t done the city tour, and when I try to call the office of the tour company, it is obviously too early and no one is answering. I decide to head to the Yaesu Fujiya Hotel, where I went to catch the tour bus for the Mount Fuji Tour. I figure that the tour bus must stop there for the daily pick-ups and I may be able to snag a tour for today.
Works like a charm ! At 8 am the bus arrives and the young lady guide confirms that they can fit me into the “Dynamic Tokyo Full Day Tour”. Our first stop is to the Tokyo Tower, 333 meters in height, which was built in 1958. Wow, it’s 54 years old !
Tokyo city streets; people rushing to work. Most of them appear to be wearing black & white attire.
This is were we are heading to this morning: Tokyo Tower
Rush, rush, early morning rush. So glad I'm retired !
Below Tokyo Tower, ready to go up to the observation deck, about half way up.
A view from the top. Tokyo !
Looking toward the waterfront.
Tokyo city views
The sloped, low building is a shrine, newly built and modern in style
Looking down at a traditional shrine and graveyard
From the observation deck we can see Tokyo City all around us. Unfortunately it is a foggy morning and the views aren’t that great. On rare days, it is possible to see Mount Fuji in the distance.
From the observation deck, there is a window in the floor so that you can look straight down !
Using the zoom, I can see the paper flag fish adorning the entrance
These are the two tallest buildings in Tokyo
We drive on to the south of Tokyo to the Happoen Garden, where we a given an official Japanese Tea Ceremony.
Traditional Tea Ceremonies use Japanese tea is made from powdered leaves ! It is called “macha” and is made by a “Tea Ceremony Sensei”. Sensei means teacher or specialist. It takes years of study and practice to become a “Tea Ceremony Sensei” and a LOT of money. It is considered an honour to reach this level of professionalism. “Kekko des” which means “Very good” is the proper response to give when the Tea Ceremony Sensei asks if you are enjoying the tea she has made for you. (Whether you like it or not, you are expected to say "kekko des". The last gulp of tea from your cup must be slurped (but only a small slurp) to show the Sensei your appreciation for the tea and the ceremony. (As opposed to a big slurp which is OK to use when eating noodles.)
Our “Tea Ceremony Sensei”.
Our green tea
We then get to visit the gardens. This site is used for weddings and we are lucky today to spot a couple having their wedding pictures taken.
Me in the gardens; there is just a slight drizzle falling, giving everything a strange glow
The beautiful pond and gardens
With koy in the pond, and the sound of the small waterfall
And some amazing Bonzai. This one is over 300 years old !
Between 100 and 200 years old
And they are just left outside ! Yikes !
An entire row of them along the pathway
And the stone lanterns to adorn the pathways.
A bride posing for her wedding pictures in the garden
Our drive to the north western part of Tokyo. Large boulevards
and narrow side streets
Views of Tokyo city and its canals
We arrive at the hotel and I notice small lockers for people's umbrellas ! How cute is that.
From there, we drive all the way up to the northern part of the city to have a Japanese style lunch at the “famous” (so we are told) Chinzanso Restaurant, which is prepared on a hot plate in front of us. We are 6 seated at each table, in a U shape, with the lady preparing our food at the top of the table: One couple from Florida, a Philippine couple from Toronto, a lady from Northern Thailand (in an area I will be visiting where they have an elephant sanctuary) and me.
Our lunch being prepared
As parts are ready to serve, we are served, and the second service continues to cook.
Our chef for today
And we are all wearing bibs ! Well aprons really, but that's the Japanese for you; everyone remains clean.
It is still raining, but at least now I have an umbrella, so instead of heading to my hotel, I return to the building with the four restaurants and this time I go to the French one. Nice glass of crisp white wine to accompany my “al dente” noodles with smoke salmon in a very light cream sauce. C’est délicieux !
Shrimp and mushrooms cooked in a nice broth as an apetizer
Noodles with fresh salmon and spinach as a main course
I walk back to the hotel “singing in the rain” ! It was a good day after all.
Thursday- Rested
As parts are ready to serve, we are served, and the second service continues to cook.
Our chef for today
And we are all wearing bibs ! Well aprons really, but that's the Japanese for you; everyone remains clean.
It is pouring rain by the time we come out of the restaurant. So much for the weather report ! But I still take the time to walk through the gardens of Chinzanso Shrine which are on the grounds of a former manor.
Camelias on the hill
Shinto Shrine
Pagoda
Pine flowers ? ? ? They are beautifuls, whatever they are, and so tiny.
Statue within the Pagoda.
Waterfall and pond near the adjacent hotel
After lunch we head for the Imperial Palace Plaza and Double Bridge. On the way, we “drive by the site” of the Akasaka Guest House (where the heir to the Imperial throne lives with his wife and 10 year old daughter), and the National Diet Building (House of Parliament);we don’t see much of either building.Since I have visited the Plaza and the Bridge a few days ago, while the sun was shining, I stay on the bus while others slog out in the rain, with and without umbrellas.
Downtown street signs as we drive to the harbour for our River Cruise
It is only a short drive south west where we drive through the Ginza area, pass in front of the Fish Market area and the Hama-rikiu Garden on our way to the Hinode Pier where we will board the boat for the Sumida River 20 minute cruise.It is still pouring rain, which definitely does not make for nice pictures.
The Fish Market area. That's as close as I'm going to get to it !
We reach the harbour and board our ferry for a very rainy cruise on the river
Good thing it's dry on the boat.
One of the canal locks off the river
A view of one of the bridges through the glass roof. Too bad it's raining
We reach our destination point just as we reach the "Beer" building (it looks like a glass of beer with froth on top) and the Theater next door with what looks like a big horn, on the roof.... or yam.... could be a big carrot ! Who knows.
We disembark the boat near the Asakusa Kannon Temple (Buddhist) and the newly finished Tokyo Tree Tower. We walk only a few blocks to get to the Nakamise Shopping Street where we are given half an hour to walk around.
The tiny shopping streets in the Asakusa area
Despite the rain, the shopping streets leading to the Asakusa Temple are packed with people
Some of the streets are in a covered area. So nice to be out of the rain.
But you have to come out again to reach the temple, so back into the rain I go.
I buy an umbrella since I am completely soaked by this time.
Some of the religious statues on the Asakusa Temple grounds
The Entrance gates with its huge lanterns
Now this is a beautiful statue, hidden away in a little corner
One of the other temple buildings, and the pagoda behind it
A huge rope sandle adorns the wall of the main entrance
And beside the temple, more shopping streets
Finally, we get to the temple. There is so much rain that the water falling from the downspout off the roof drains into a huge vase below.
Looking back towards the entrance, and all the people walking around with their umbrellas.
These dragons are part of the fountain used to wash your hands before entering the temple
This is the statue at the top of the fountain; a man with a snake / dragon around his neck
The huge incense burner outside the temple
One of the ceiling panels inside the temple
There is A LOT of gold leaf in this temple
Richly carved and adorned
Once I got back on the bus, I noticed this beautiful statue outside: Samurai warrior
We are then given some brief information about the Asakusa Kannon Temple (Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple and once used as an Imperial residence) before getting back on the tour bus and heading back to the terminal for the switch to the buses which will take us back to our respective hotels.
I end up being the only person on the bus back to the hotel where I was picked up ! An entire 40 passenger bus just for me. You would think it would be cheaper to just give me taxi fare, but they drive me back to the Yaesu Fujiya Hotel. The guide is actually Chinese and she has very limited English; the bus driver only speaks Japanese. I manage to tell her that I’ve just travelled through China, so when I get off the bus it’s “See-ay See-ay” to her and “Arigato” and a bow to the driver. They both laughed at that.
Camelias on the hill
Shinto Shrine
Pagoda
Pine flowers ? ? ? They are beautifuls, whatever they are, and so tiny.
Statue within the Pagoda.
After lunch we head for the Imperial Palace Plaza and Double Bridge. On the way, we “drive by the site” of the Akasaka Guest House (where the heir to the Imperial throne lives with his wife and 10 year old daughter), and the National Diet Building (House of Parliament);we don’t see much of either building.Since I have visited the Plaza and the Bridge a few days ago, while the sun was shining, I stay on the bus while others slog out in the rain, with and without umbrellas.
Downtown street signs as we drive to the harbour for our River Cruise
It is only a short drive south west where we drive through the Ginza area, pass in front of the Fish Market area and the Hama-rikiu Garden on our way to the Hinode Pier where we will board the boat for the Sumida River 20 minute cruise.It is still pouring rain, which definitely does not make for nice pictures.
The Fish Market area. That's as close as I'm going to get to it !
We reach the harbour and board our ferry for a very rainy cruise on the river
Good thing it's dry on the boat.
One of the canal locks off the river
A view of one of the bridges through the glass roof. Too bad it's raining
We reach our destination point just as we reach the "Beer" building (it looks like a glass of beer with froth on top) and the Theater next door with what looks like a big horn, on the roof.... or yam.... could be a big carrot ! Who knows.
We disembark the boat near the Asakusa Kannon Temple (Buddhist) and the newly finished Tokyo Tree Tower. We walk only a few blocks to get to the Nakamise Shopping Street where we are given half an hour to walk around.
The tiny shopping streets in the Asakusa area
Despite the rain, the shopping streets leading to the Asakusa Temple are packed with people
Some of the streets are in a covered area. So nice to be out of the rain.
But you have to come out again to reach the temple, so back into the rain I go.
I buy an umbrella since I am completely soaked by this time.
Some of the religious statues on the Asakusa Temple grounds
The Entrance gates with its huge lanterns
Now this is a beautiful statue, hidden away in a little corner
One of the other temple buildings, and the pagoda behind it
A huge rope sandle adorns the wall of the main entrance
And beside the temple, more shopping streets
Finally, we get to the temple. There is so much rain that the water falling from the downspout off the roof drains into a huge vase below.
Looking back towards the entrance, and all the people walking around with their umbrellas.
These dragons are part of the fountain used to wash your hands before entering the temple
This is the statue at the top of the fountain; a man with a snake / dragon around his neck
The huge incense burner outside the temple
One of the ceiling panels inside the temple
There is A LOT of gold leaf in this temple
Richly carved and adorned
Once I got back on the bus, I noticed this beautiful statue outside: Samurai warrior
We are then given some brief information about the Asakusa Kannon Temple (Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple and once used as an Imperial residence) before getting back on the tour bus and heading back to the terminal for the switch to the buses which will take us back to our respective hotels.
It is still raining, but at least now I have an umbrella, so instead of heading to my hotel, I return to the building with the four restaurants and this time I go to the French one. Nice glass of crisp white wine to accompany my “al dente” noodles with smoke salmon in a very light cream sauce. C’est délicieux !
Shrimp and mushrooms cooked in a nice broth as an apetizer
Noodles with fresh salmon and spinach as a main course
I walk back to the hotel “singing in the rain” ! It was a good day after all.
Thursday- Rested
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