Day One in Tokyo

Back in Chiba after a very, very long and busy day in Tokyo. Very sorry that this post lacks pictures. I ended up just using my nice camera and am too tired to upload tonight. You'll just have to see them on faceboook later!

The morning started around 7:00 with a bit of responding to work emails that had come in during the night. We were out the door by 7:45 for the 15 minute walk to the train station. Before we caught a train, we stopped into Mister Doughnut for some breakfast. The doughnuts were interesting -- chewy and fluffier than their American counter -- and we both enjoyed a green tea doughnut before catching a JR Line train to Nishi-funabashi to transfer to a Tokyo Metro line to head the rest of the way into the city.

We arrived at Ueno Park (after a few transfers) and wandered up the hill from the station into the park. We walked around, taking in the greenery and happened by a small Buddhist temple which we stopped to take a look at before carrying on to see the Museum of Western Art (designed by French architect Corbusier). The walk also took us by the National Museum of Nature and Science and the Tokyo National Museum. After snapping a few pictures outside the museums, we talked along the western edge of the park stopping by Toshogu Shrine, a Shinto shrine built in 1651.

From the park we began what would become a 21+ mile journey (thanks Fitbit for quantifying my life) covering a large swath of Central Tokyo.

We wended our way through the streets of Taito, along the Sumida River, and through Sumida Ward, paying a visit to Senso-ji Shrine -- a large Buddhist Temple -- passing the Asahi Beer Hall, and finally arriving at Skytree Tokyo -- a new tower located a mall that we wandered through. After that we caught a train from Oshiage station back across the river to Akihabara, the electronics district of the city.

The streets were abuzz with activity as it was lunch time, and after wandering for a bit, we found a restaurant where I got a big order of cold soba, marinated fish, and various other delicious things.

Following lunch we caught another train to Tokyo station, the historic train station near the Imperial Palace. The walk to the Eastern Gardens of the Imperial complex took around 20 minutes, though the weather was fantastic so we didn't mind. We spent the next hour-and-1/2 exploring the gardens and other sites, before leaving the compound and heading toward the Diet -- the Japanese legislative building. We managed to miss the last tour of the day by about 30 seconds, but that afforded us time to stroll over to Tokyo Tower.

Basically Japan's answer to the Eiffel Tower, Tokyo Tower is a large orange (supposed to be red) Erector Set-like constructed in the late 1950s. After a quick walk around the area we headed back to catch a train to Higashi-ginza to grab dinner before Rochelle had a 7:00 class to go to in the area.

Dinner consisted of miso kushikatsu (pork with a brown sauce made with red miso) served with rice (just assume everything is served with rice), cabbage, pickles, and miso soup. From dinner, Rochelle headed to her class and I was free to explore the trendy area of town with upscale shopping known as Ginza. The walk also took me past the Nakagin Capsule Tower, a very interesting concrete building from the 1960s, and Tsukiji Hongan-ji, a beautifully ornate Buddhist temple.

We regrouped just after 9:00 and caught our train back to Chiba. After a few transfers and a bit of a walk, our very busy day has come to a close. More adventures tomorrow.

Observations from today:

1) Japan is not made for tall people. I have to walk around bent over to not hit my head in Rochelle's apartment and I constantly hit my head on the subway holds hanging from the ceiling.

2) Tokyo's train system is not a single system run by the government, but is comprised of a few government lines, a large metro system which was privatized in 2004, JR lines which were privatized in the 1980s, and various other lines run by smaller companies. But they all use the same fare system.

3) There are drink vending machines everywhere. Really, everywhere. Often three or four together, with maybe a dozen in any given block. I have no idea how they all are profitable.

4) Smoking is still a very big thing, and some restaurants still allow smoking inside.