14 mai 2008
Wandering around
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We wake up rather late today for a non-shopping-mall shopping experience at Ameyoko market, a busy street close to Ueno station. 
There are some nice clothing items but nothing really great, and a lot of food, dried fish, dried squids, sashimi, seaweed, miso paste, etc… We don’t find it impressive for what it is said to be: Asia’s biggest bazaar. We continue our walk to the Ueno park, home to many of Tokyo’s homeless. Today, they seem to be enjoying with everybody else the superb sunshine and the cherry trees in full bloom. It’s hard to understand the importance of cherry blossoms for the Japanese; it marks the first signs of spring, but also, believe it or not, the beginning of the school year, early April, is based on the viewing season for the cherry blossoms.
As we had seen earlier in Kyoto, people are picnicking under the shade, and to do so, they remove their shoes before sitting on a big piece of sheeting with their little bentos.
I wanted to see the panda at the Ueno zoo and so we decided to take a look. The poor panda bear is trying to sleep in a concrete tiled room where some bamboo sticks are left lying on the floor. We did not expect that, but it looks like the panda bear spends some time during the day in an open green space at a later time. We also get to see two polar bears and sad lowland gorillas. In the big recreation area and for the first time since we’re in Japan, we see a big number of children. Tokyo is full of businessmen, fashionable youth, but strangely we don’t see lots of children in the streets or on public transport.
What are the things of interest we want to see or do during the rest of our time in Tokyo? East Shinjuku is one of the places we still didn’t get to explore. At the subway exit, the ‘skyscraper district’ is indicated. This is where we wander around looking at the sky, and everything that surrounds us, taking a smoking pause with Tokyo’s businessmen next to high-rise buildings. The architectural styles and shapes of building are unique and very innovative. Ahead is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, actually a huge complex, and we have a look at the impressive panorama from the 45th floor. It’s cloudy again and there is no Mount Fuji in sight but a fantastic view over the world’s biggest urban concentration (32 million inhabitants - including Yokohama).
We spend some time in Ginza at the tiny Leica gallery where a nice photo exhibition is on. We then race to catch a Kabuki play at it last show, but failed to get seated tickets. Our feet heavy from shop hopping, we give up and enjoy the night strolling in Ginza and its neon lights everywhere. We finish the day at a Muji shop.
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Tip of the day
We have a disgusting ramen in Shinjuku business area. I don’t think we’ll try another ramen after that. This cheap stuff is not our cup of tea really.
The best tourist information centre you can imagine at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. Very helpful staff.
Believe it or not, but stunning view for all over Tokyo for free from the top of the Metropolitan Government building.
The zoo can be easily avoided. Watching panda bears in this environment is really not worth it.
Photograph amateurs definitely should stop by Leica gallery. One can see old Leica cameras, as well as interesting (but small) photo exhibition (on the second floor). Leica gallery is one block away from the Sony building, in front of the book shop.
10 mai 2008
From Asakusa’s temples to Odaiba’s game parks
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Our ritual, the 10 min fast walk to the Okachimachi JR station will be discarded today as we will be discovering one of the nearby highlights of Tokyo: Senso-ji temple in Asakusa area. The abundance of tourists proves we are in the right direction.
You can witness the ultimate prototype of Japanese tourists taking pictures (but no need to come to Japan for that). Unexpectedly here, foreign tourists are caught in the game and align to take pictures hastily. The number of shops on the way is astounding. We stop by a nice ukyo-e shop at the beginning of the street.
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In Senso-ji, we encounter a high number of elderly people with their cameras; some are just enjoying the sunshine. The streets surrounding the temple have nicely painted store facades, depicting various scenes of Japanese lifestyles.
The old district with its rickshaws has very pleasant alleys. We continue our walk along the river in the Sumida park and admire the renowned Japanese trademark: cherry blossoms. We’re at the right season and everyone seems to be enjoying walking under the white trees. Initially, we could not say were very fond of cherry blossoms, or let’s say that it was not high on our list. Now we can only admit how beautiful those are and admire the beauty of nature at its best. We have a quick lunch at a sushi conveyor just by the corner next to the pier before embarking on the next boat to Hinode pier.
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As we cross the different bridges, we discover a crowd of buildings on both sides of the river. Odaiba is quite a new neighbourhood. It holds its name from the word ‘daiba’, famous obstacles that the Japanese constructed at the end of the 19th century to obstruct the entrance of big foreign ships. Odaiba island is a nearly perfect obstacle to access the Tokyo bay.
On the other side of the Hinode bridge stands a very displaced monument: the statue of liberty… We stop for a memorable photo pose without even bothering with the additional costs and hassles of a trip to New York! Manhattan moves to Odaiba! We wander around in the main attractions and start with La Palette town where we experience the race simulation at the Mega Web, look with lots of curiosity at the new hybrid concept cars and the Toyota formula one car. Toyota has another design centre where you can try tomorrow’s robots and today’s funky chairs. (not to forget the latest car design for handicapped persons)
Our final destination (very much lobbied for…) is Joypolis, the Sega mega game centre. We take a day pass and spend hours playing games one after the other. We start with the virtual reality games (jungle and river rafting trips) that are a lot of fun, then we warm up with car racing where you are actually in the cars; and bobsleigh. We then try the shooting games where we should eliminate the villains. The church horror show in 3D is also a good one but not for the squeamish. We finish second at the heart racing skating game! At last, we try the triathlon game with all the funny warm up tips given by the employees. Very busy with our games, we realize it’s nearly 11 pm and we’re practically the last customers. We’re somehow disappointed not to be able to play Jack Bauer on 24h challenge and Prison break as both plots are in Japanese.
On the way out, the view leaves us speechless. All the buildings and the Hinode bridge are shining in the night and their reflection on the serene waters of the Sumida river is magic. We stand there for some time and have a cigarette, until, lost in translation, we bump into a nice couple who indicates us the way back home before the last train.
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Tip of the day :
Senso-ji area is a very touristy affair. Don’t expect anything exceptional to buy there.
The river cruise from Asakusa to Hinode Pier costs 720¥. More than one boat per hour. Some boats go directly to Odaiba but best to book in advance.
Joy polis costs day pass costs 3500¥ (only 2500¥ from 5 PM). All games are then free of charge. Opens until 11 PM.
Aqua city Odaiba is a great shopping mall. Special attention to a very nice shop called “3 minutes happiness”.
08 mai 2008
Early fish and geek heaven
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Early in the morning, Tsukiji market hosts an incredible daily action featuring fishermen, wholesalers, workers, fish specialists and around 15,000 of Tokyo’s restaurateurs. The unlucky hosts are the 450 products of the sea which will begin their road to agony on these grounds: tunas, salmons, crabs, clams, eels, squid, seaweed, lobsters, you name it, it’s there. This is no secret, Japanese are fond of fish and sea food. We wake up early and are immersed with the stench under a light rain. Small motor carriers are circulating at high speed, heavy with white polystyrene cartons containing sea products.
From stand to stand, we are amazed at the number of different fish on display. Tuna comes in big frozen blocks from which only the finest parts will be eaten raw. The rest will be sent for packaging and sold as tuna cans. Most of the fish are still alive though. Workers catch them from fish tanks, make a small cut behind the head and with a small metal stick inserted up and down across the spine, carry out their paralysis. They are sold and get to the restaurateurs still alive, but harmless… we witness as some bigger fish do not give up easily and manage to cut their slaughterers.
There are also big aquariums crammed with fish looking at their fellows being butchered. Soon enough they will be all transformed to expensive sashimi or sushi sets in Tokyo’s finest restaurants. Waking up early to observe this highlight of Tokyo, we miss breakfast at the hotel and had planned to have a fresh sashimi breakfast as recommended. Instead, this whole show leaves us nauseated and feeling horribly sorry. We stop for hot coffee and cookies to recover.
Tsukiji is right next door to Ginza - Tokyo’s 5th avenue. As usual, there are lots of shopping malls with the most eminent brand shops we have ever seen. The Sony building has an amazing range of new high quality audiovisual technologies. We have a great time trying all the nice stuff. Another great architectural structure is the Tokyo International Forum, with very futuristic style. We have lunch in one of the nice restaurants inside and get to see a huge number of young ladies in full kimonos, nice hair styles and make-up. They are all very excited, moving around, taking pictures with each other. We take a few (indiscrete) snaps. On our way out we find out from the information office that they have just graduated and it’s a gathering for handing their diplomas.
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We’re pretty tired, but we nevertheless explore Akihabara on our way back to Ueno. This is known as the ‘electric city’. All kinds of appliances can be found there. We land in a completely different part of Tokyowhere tiny shops selling everything from the electric plug to the latest laptop technology. Very big shopping centres are scattered here and there and stuck all kinds of gadgets and futuristic toys. We gaze in front of the tiny laptops and other computer inventions but unfortunately the electricity voltage is not adapted for usage outside Japan.
We get home exhausted in need of a hot bath.
Tip of the Day:
Tsukiji market is best visited early morning, around 7 AM is said to be best, as there are still a lot of action going (many sellers are there). Past 8 AM, not much is happening.
Don’t expect much bargains in Ginza. All expensive brands are in this neighbourhood. Nice art galleries though.
Sony building is great to visit, even for non-geeks. Opens at 11 AM. In Sony building, one can also buy any ticket to No plays, Kabuki, concert, etc.
06 mai 2008
Cos Play Zuku 2
04 mai 2008
Cos Play Zuku
01 mai 2008
Gothic girls meets traditional wedding
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On Sundays - and today is a Sunday - a most incredible crowd gathers at Harajuku – one of Tokyo’s districts. We’ve seen some pictures of gothic boys and girls with heavy make-up and funny hair styles. On search for the famous Cos-Play-Zuku (teenagers bedecked in goth make-up, a mixture of SM queen arch-vamp, black taffeta, blue lipstick and cartoon nurse exaggeration), we run through a wedding ceremony celebrated in the heart of Yoyogi park, at the entrance of Meiji-Jingu temple. The bride and groom are walking at a steady pace, guided by the photographer, and the bride’s mother. The groom is very elegant in his traditional outfit and the bride wears a heavy bridal kimono and what looks like a traditional hat. None of them is smiling and a lot of attention is on the photographer and the bride. The way she walks, holds her kimono and where she’s looking.
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After a few photo shoots, the whole family stands in a very formal fashion for a general photo in theatre shape. A whole show begins very quietly and meticulously: a make-up artist retouches the bride’s make-up, her mother rearranges her kimono and the traditional hat in a triangular shape, children’s hair is retouched by their mothers, the groom readjusts his glasses and his seating, the photographer then instructs everyone to rearrange their ties and eyeglasses in an orderly manner. What I find really missing is the smile on people’s faces. Even the photographer seems to neglect it.
Far from this very formal ambiance, we merge with the crazy crowds at Takeshita-dori. Young girls in unbelievably cared for outfits and looks are wondering around, happy to pose for Jeremie. Barbie style, gothic style, bunnies, punk fashion. Most boys wear chains, tight trousers, shiny accessories and hair that comes in very eccentric chic and colours. This unusual Halloween party is a not so holy ritual. The themes represented are highly unconventional to us and could be an identification with Manga characters instead of traditional Japanese role models such as geishas, samurais or ninjas.
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The Audi Forum is our next stop to see great cars and a cool panoramic elevator. Jeremie has been a fan of the Audi TT for quite some time until the day he tried it and knocked his head on the hard top.
We then take a walk in the Shibuya area; full of interesting spots and hosting the world’s busiest pedestrian crossings. Centre Gai is a very animated street with game centres, shops, restaurants and fashionable teens. On nearby hills are one of Japan’s extravagant and unique inventions: love hotels - where rooms can be rented by the hour or for the night but with very different themes such as Caribbean, Venetia, Paris, jungles, and, I’m sure, very innovative funky gadgets.
For the rest of the day, we wander around from one shopping mall to another, in what seems to be the world’s highest concentration of shopping centres. We visit 109 men that has great fashion stores, Laforet - full of Japanese fashion designers and Tokyu Hands that has everything for the house, from repair to design and also a lot of useful gadgets (still stared at like inventions by non-Japanese).
Tip of the day
We have lunch in a small restaurant underground, that one can find everywhere in Tokyo. Very decent meals at very decent prices (meal around 1000¥)
Shopping at Shibuya is great. With Harajuku, it is certainly the best place in Tokyo for shopping.
26 avril 2008
Koya San to Tokyo – from zen to crazy!
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A bell sound, then silence. Five other distinct sounds break the silence of Mount Koya. It’s six o’clock, time for the morning service. Out of the room, it’s cool and windy. We kneel in the main temple in complete silence and observe the ceremony. Inside, incense and candles are burning. Few monks arrive but we can’t see them. We hear their prayers in forms of lamentations at first. Then silence. A beautiful voice starts chanting. A drum, rhythmic beats, the chanting continues. A third monk recites mantras at the same time. Another instrument. The feeling is beyond earthly description. More incense is burned and the candles are unlit. The monk who speaks some understandable English then comes to sit with us and the other guests. He mutters something about the meaning of virtue and how we find Japan. Then begins a monologue in Japanese (to Japanese guests) for the next 20 minutes. We can’t really leave the room or sit in a comfortable position until it ends. I try not to look at Jeremie so as not to burst in laughter. Finally, jeremie leaves the room. We soon have our first Japanese vegetarian breakfast: miso soup, tofu, mushrooms, some rice and pickles. Mmm, we’ve had better.
We visit Kompon Daito (the Great Stupa). Inside this uniquely designed stupa is a three-dimensional mandala demonstrating the nondual nature of the Shingon teachings. The little town is very peaceful and the temples are imposing wooden structures though we don’t find much interest on the inside. We wander around the Daishi Kyokai, a beautiful white and brown pagoda. Not a tourist in sight: most of them come in tour buses, at peak times, storm the place and leave right after. We walk towards Daimon, a momamoth gate standing at the main entrance to Koya San. It is flanked on each side by Kongo warriors who guards the mountain.
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A bit later, the transportation race begins. We take our luggage and get the bus to the cable car, to the train; we buy our tickets in Osaka, we barely have 30 minutes to get to the Shinkansen station for our train to Tokyo. We run, carry the bags up and down on the stairs, find the right platform, step in the train, the door closes. The journey continues.
Three hours later, we’re there. Busy finding out where our hotel is and how to get there, we fail to notice the world we got to.
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Tokyo!
Not in my wildest dreams would I have imagined it like this!
Since it’s Saturday night, we head to Shinjuku, a western neighbourhood of Tokyo. At the pedestrian crossing, waves of people of all ages, citizens, tourists, mix and disperse at high speed. I can’t help saying ‘incroyable’ every minute. The fashion, the lights, the tall buildings, everything! I have to say I was not really prepared for this electro-shock. Suddenly, we don’t feel tired at all, even after the earlier run. It’s like another day has begun, we wander around for hours, follow the crowds, then rest. Needy of meat after a few days on tofu and vegetables, we deserve a good steak experience from the top of a second floor bar, observing the crowd.
Tip of the Day:
We stayed in a business hotel, called Villa Fontaine. They have branches in various parts of the city. We chose this one in Ueno because of the great price (8700¥ for a double), good location (close to a JR station which is great given our JR pass), and breakfast included. The only disadvantage is that you are a bit far from the action if you want to go out. Given we just went to our hotel to sleep, this was not a problem for us. If keen to enjoy nightlife in Tokyo (especially staying after the last metro – around 12:30 a.m.) it may make more sense to get a hotel in Roppongi, or Shinjuku). Minimum for a small room in those neighbourhoods is around 15-20,000¥.
24 avril 2008
Koya San
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At around 7am Mrs. Tani is getting busy preparing breakfast in the kitchen. ‘Rita-saaan’ she calls out for me to say goodbye and offer us a souvenir gift: a box of 2 nicely designed chopsticks. I don’t know what to say when faced with such kindness.
Koya San is our next destination. A succession of transportation means is required to get there: we catch a bus, to jump on a train, grab a metro to take another train, and eventually board a cable car that gets us to the famous city. Koya San (Mont Koya) is a raised tableland covered with thick forests and surrounded by eight peaks. The eight peaks are thought to represent the eight petals of a lotus in bloom, which is suggestive of the core mandala with its eight deities arrayed on the eight petals of a lotus.
The major attraction is the monastic complex, which is the headquarters of the Shingon school of Esoteric Buddhism. In the year 804, Kobo Daishi (Kukai) crossed the sea of China in search of Buddhist teachings. In the capital of Tang Dynasty China he received full transmission of a lineage of Buddhism relatively unknown in the Japan of his day called Shingon Buddhism. He returned to Japan in 806 and began teaching. In 816 he was granted permission from the Imperial Court to build a monastic complex deep in the mountains at Mt Koya, isolated from the capital and its distractions. Kobo Daishi lived and taught at Mt Koya for many years until he finally entered into eternal meditation in 835.
Koya San is a superb place to visit, not just for the natural setting of the area but also as an opportunity to stay in temples and get a glimpse of long-held traditions of Japanese religious life.
At our guest house temple, we deposit (get rid of is actually more accurate) our bags and are told to come back at 4, in time for check-in. We have a walk in the cedar tree forest that hosts the Okuno-in, famed cemetery where members of important families from all over Japan want to have their remains buried or at least, a lock of their hair in the care of the …. temple. Statues in many shapes and sizes are scattered along the walking trail and across the woods, sometimes giving an indication whether the deceased was a man, woman or child. Pilgrims are walking with sticks and tingling bells. Close-by lies the bridge Mimyo-no-hashi. Worshippers ladle water from the river and pour it over the nearby Jizo statues as an offering for the dead. Hundreds of thousands of lives are marked and celebrated at this cemetery. The weight of those lives is somehow reflected in the majestic trees and the respectful silence.
On top is the Toro-do (Lantern Hall) where we are led by the delicate smell of Japanese incense. Religious chants fill in the background and our minds. Toro do houses hundreds of lamps, including two believed to have been burning for more than 900 years.
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Kongobu-Ji is the headquarters of the Shingon school and the residence of Koya-San’s abbot. The name Kongobuji was originally intended to refer to all of Mt Koya and its many subtemples. The original temple at this site was built in 1593. The main hall’s Chiro-ma room has ornate screens painted in the 16th century. The Yanagi-no-ma (Willow room) has equally pretty screen paintings of willows. The rock garden is interesting for the sheer number of rocks used in its composition, giving the effect of a throng of petrified worshippers eagerly listening to a monk sermon.
We wander around in search for a bus, but we seem to miss the very few ones that are still running. Roads are deserted. We try with no avail to stop a car hitchhiking style… some cars stop to help us, but finding out we want a 5 min ride, simply say ‘no, no’ despite their nice smiles and walk away. This looks a bit strange to us. Maybe it’s just not the practice in Japan.
We walk back to our temple guest house at the beginning of town. The attentive monk explains the rules to us (and there are many…) We take a deserved Japanese hot bath that relaxes our feet and senses.
Vegetarian rules are a must in this Buddhist temple. We discover yet a new side of Japanese cuisine but we find it largely tasteless unless you dose well the wasabi.
For the first time since we are in Japan, we sleep early in our little tatami temple room.
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Tip of the day
Given Koya San’s location, expect temperatures to be significantly lower than in Kyoto.
We stayed at Haryo-In, a temple functioning as guest house. This temple is the only one slightly cheaper than others (6,500¥ per person, dinner and breakfast included, as compared to 10,000¥ for all others). The temple is nothing to write home about (room is basic and dinner is nothing exceptional either). It may be best to stay in more comfortable ones.
One needs to take the bus to go from the station to the city. Don’t take day pass (800¥), as it will not be really used, and there are an average of 2 bus an hour. The city is quite compact anyways.
Must see in Koya San include Kongobuji temple and Okuno-in cemetery.
22 avril 2008
Magnificent temples
Kyoto is cloudy and particularly cold today. This is our last day and we keep the best for last. Sanjusangen-Do attracts lots of Asian and western tourists. The venerated Kannon surrounded by 1000 statues of Buddha is a unique sight. This is a new Buddhist deity for us, but seems very popular in Japan. It is said that the founder of Canon was inspired by Kannon and has merged cameras with the adored deity. In formidable precision, the 1000 golden statues (with around 36 hands each) stand on theatre style stairs surrounding the big statue of Kannon. The (mostly fear-inspiring) statues of heavenly guardians and generals are stunning in creativeness.
For lunch we treat ourselves to Aunbo restaurant. We try different lunch settos featuring pork, horseradish soup, uncooked tofu, haring and aubergines. Though the setting and preparation do not lack style and delicacy, we don’t find the quantities sufficient and get stuffed on the rice.
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Along the way to Kiyomizudera temple, souvenir shops are scattered. Higashiyama is a very pleasant neighbourhood with traditional architecture and paved pedestrian streets. Many Japanese tourists wander around in the sweet shops or head to the temple. Around the temple complex, geishas are walking in their high shoes, with their complete sophisticated outfit and heavily powdered. They’re not camera shy and gladly pose for Jeremie…until they understand this will last some time. We follow them around and encounter other groups heading for their respective tea ceremonies or just happy to attract interest.
Some time later we wander around (and get lost) in Teramachi arcade (north of Shijo). Even in this low key shopping area, we’re amazed at the (high) prices, especially for incense and pottery. In China or any other neighbouring country these would not be worth one tenth of the price…
The entertainment centre next door, hosts the usual stuff: pachinko on the ground floor, violent fighting games on the second, sports and car racing games on the last floor. It’s invariably noisy and smoky.
Tip of the Day
Lunch at Aunbo (2600¥ lunch set), a very nice traditional surrounding for a quite innovative food. Food is fine but I guess we were expecting something of higher standard. The restaurant is close to Yasaka shrine.
20 avril 2008
Delicious food
We wake up to the sound of water dripping from the trees. The small garden next to our room is soaked. Rainy day. We take our time, waiting for the rain to stop. Finally we take our umbrellas… Daitokuji temple is almost empty. It’s like a small town of old houses, beautiful trees and…small temples. Stoneways aligned with fine sorts of trees and plants lead to individual houses or small temples. The rain continues without a halt and we hear prayers in the background but we cannot enter.
Shintoism is the most followed belief and philosophy in Japan. It is close to animism with a high veneration for ancestors. Shimogamo is a Shinto shrine. The particularity of shrines is that they don’t have pictures or statues, but lots of beautiful vegetation, a mirror, a sword, or a crystal ball at the altar. Stones, white or black pebbles, water and trees are a common sights in the surroundings.
Japanese friends recommended more than once Yudofu (tofu cooked in a pot) as the divine speciality of Kyoto. Japanese cuisine has a lot to do with finesse, delicate manners, subtle smells and wonderful tastes. This six course lunch has it all (though we’re still working on the manners: kneeling on tatami mats is not particularly comfortable). We start with sesame tofu topped with wasabi sauce, sweet miso dengaku that has an exquisite taste. The main dish is boiled tofu (yodofu) and is savoured with spices, a separate sauce and herbs. Yam potato soup (excellent), and vegetable tempura are also served.
Loads of tour buses stand waiting in front of the Kyoto handicraft centre. There are some nice gifts to be bought. We spend some time looking at the waterblock prints and paintings. I buy a nice red kimono.
As the rain never stops, we walk around in Shijo, a covered shopping street. Young ladies in micro skirts and sandals do not seem to be worried about the cold temperature or the wind. Close by, other men and women are walking in small steps, dressed in elegant kimonos and traditional shoes. Tradition meets the future in this big washing machine. For a Lebanese, this would look like an old man in cherwal from Akkar shopping in ABC Achrafieh…
Another aspect of Japan made it through a world trip: sake! Pontocho might be the place with lots of bars and izakayas lined up, but we learn that sake is for older people. Instead, on our first night out, we try casual drinks: young ladies drink cassis based cocktails (I do the same) and Jeremie tries chuhai (shochu – a distilled spirit made of potato and many other raw materials - with soda and lemon). Not really that great, so we shift to vodka orange… Meanwhile, yakitori and small delicious things are served.
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Tip of the day
One day pass for bus costs only 500¥ in Kyoto.
Entry to both temples are free. Entry to sub temple is around 400¥ each.
Lunch at Okutan, a fine restaurant just outside the grounds of Nanzen-jiSet lunch with 6 courses at only 3100¥. Highly recommended.
