Chapter 3
Day 3
Tokyo - From Asakusa to Shibuya
The third day of travel started in perfect relax. We woke up late and after a huge breakfast in the hotel (the price of the room was inclusive of the breakfast), we headed to the centre. Along the way we followed the advice that we found the previous evening on internet about the cash withdrawal at the post office. That was a thrilling moment, but when the machine gave me the cash, that was awesome. By good luck, now we knew how to withdraw money.
Today exploration of Tokyo started in the Shibuya neigbourhood. Probably this was the most trafficked and chaotic neighbourhood that we ever visited in Tokyo. The metro station is huge and looks like all the inhabitants and the workers of Tokyo were passing by here, in every very moment of the day.
Outside of the station there is a statue that the guide books highlight as an important point of interest. It’s the statue of the dog Hachinko, that we kept on calling Pachinko. The statue should represent this dog as a symbol of faith and devotion toward his own owner, however, this statue is just 50 centimetres tall and hidden in a not-very-clean corner at the side of the square outside of the station. Anyway, the animal looks like still standing there waiting that his owner will come back. In the meantime is just posing for picture of the tourists.
Today exploration of Tokyo started in the Shibuya neigbourhood. Probably this was the most trafficked and chaotic neighbourhood that we ever visited in Tokyo. The metro station is huge and looks like all the inhabitants and the workers of Tokyo were passing by here, in every very moment of the day.
Outside of the station there is a statue that the guide books highlight as an important point of interest. It’s the statue of the dog Hachinko, that we kept on calling Pachinko. The statue should represent this dog as a symbol of faith and devotion toward his own owner, however, this statue is just 50 centimetres tall and hidden in a not-very-clean corner at the side of the square outside of the station. Anyway, the animal looks like still standing there waiting that his owner will come back. In the meantime is just posing for picture of the tourists.
Shibuya
Across the square outside the station there is the famous “Shibuya Crossing”. This is the famous crossroad in the centre of Tokyo where armies of tourists and Japanese people at every green light, in the attempt of crossing the road, face each-other. If you look it from an higher spot, like a restaurant or a station passageway, you’ll think that these people look like armies at the frontal assault. When the pedestrian light will turn red, all the people will be already on the other side of the street, and with Japanese precision, the road will be empty for the cars.
We entered the crossing, we faced the horde of people coming against us, and we reached the other side. Then we did it again and one more time too. While we were in the crowd we understood that this could be a nice spot to picture the local people. So, we found a nice spot and using the zoom of our cameras we did our best to picture as many Japanese people as we could.
We entered the crossing, we faced the horde of people coming against us, and we reached the other side. Then we did it again and one more time too. While we were in the crowd we understood that this could be a nice spot to picture the local people. So, we found a nice spot and using the zoom of our cameras we did our best to picture as many Japanese people as we could.
Yoyogi Koen Park
We left the station area and we headed north following the street which flanked the Yamanote metro line. This area, as much as we got far from Shibuya, the more it became less noisy. Soon we reached the beautiful Yoyogi Koen Park. This park is absolutely huge. That days there were many kids from an high school and, observing them, we noticed that they were split in about twenty different small movie sets. There were camera men, helpers with silvery light reflectors, boys and girls dressed as hosts of some show some of whom were dressed normal while others in traditional way, then there were make-up artists, hairdressers and some other, perhaps the zero-skills ones were delivering water bottles to the rest of their team. We wondered if this could have been some sort of “class work” of a cinema school?
The park itself is split in several areas, some of them with nice gardens, ponds and bridges. Some areas were perfectly cared after and it felt like “Hei, Japan looks just like in postcard!”, while some other, rather few areas, were looking a little neglected. We went toward the centre of the park, where rises probably the most important temple of Tokyo, the Meiji Jingu Temple.
The park itself is split in several areas, some of them with nice gardens, ponds and bridges. Some areas were perfectly cared after and it felt like “Hei, Japan looks just like in postcard!”, while some other, rather few areas, were looking a little neglected. We went toward the centre of the park, where rises probably the most important temple of Tokyo, the Meiji Jingu Temple.
Meiji Jingu Temple
The main access road is marked by a huge Torii Gate with its pure curved lines and so beautiful that looks brand new. This road is flanked my tall trees and all the surroundings look like we were hiking into a forest. At about half way on the both sides of the road there were aligned in open air shelves many Sakè and Wine barrels. This weird exposition was meant to show a sort of “friendship” between the city of Tokyo and the French city of Bourgogne.
The Temple is quite big and it’s made of many different pavilions and gardens. This place, beside being one of the most important touristic spots of the city, it is also one of the Japanese favourite places to celebrate traditional weddings. While we were in this temple, we had the good luck to witness two different weddings. In both cases the groom had an elaborate dark kimono equipped with a fan, while the bride had a white dress with a huge hood. The hood reminded me of a spaceman, and at times, the brides looked like very beautiful alien princesses from a Sci-Fi movie. Japanese people looked happy of seeing us wandering around and in spite of the new weds that looked quite nervous, all the rest of the families looked happy of being pictured by the tourists.
The Temple is quite big and it’s made of many different pavilions and gardens. This place, beside being one of the most important touristic spots of the city, it is also one of the Japanese favourite places to celebrate traditional weddings. While we were in this temple, we had the good luck to witness two different weddings. In both cases the groom had an elaborate dark kimono equipped with a fan, while the bride had a white dress with a huge hood. The hood reminded me of a spaceman, and at times, the brides looked like very beautiful alien princesses from a Sci-Fi movie. Japanese people looked happy of seeing us wandering around and in spite of the new weds that looked quite nervous, all the rest of the families looked happy of being pictured by the tourists.
Japanese Wedding
Japanese wedding customs fall into two categories: traditional Shinto ceremonies, and modern Western-style weddings. In either case, the couple must first be legally married by filing for marriage at their local government office, and the official documentation must be produced in order for the ceremony to be held. Traditional Marriage Traditionally, marriages were categorized into two types according to the method of finding a partner—miai, meaning arranged or resulting from an arranged introduction, and ren'ai, in which the principals met and decided to marry on their own—although the distinction has grown less meaningful over postwar decades as the proportion of miai matches has dwindled. The Japanese bride-to-be may be painted pure white from head to toe, visibly declaring her maiden status to the gods. Two choices of headgear exist. One, the watabōshi, is a white hood; the other, called the tsunokakushi, serves to hide the bride's 'horns of jealousy.' It also symbolizes the bride's intention to become a gentle and obedient wife. Traditional Japanese wedding customs (shinzen shiki) involve an elaborate ceremony held at a Shinto shrine. Japanese weddings are being increasingly extravagant with all the elaborate details placed into thought. However, in some cases, younger generations choose to abandon the formal ways by having a "no host party" for a wedding. In this situation, the guests include mainly of the couple's friends who pay an attendance fee. Couples are officially married once they have successfully submitted the required documents to the city hall registrar to change their status in their family registries. No ceremony of any kind is required under Japanese law. Western-style ceremonies Western-style wedding ceremonies are currently very popular in Japan. These ceremonies are modeled on a traditional or stereotypical chapel wedding. In recent years, the Western-style wedding has become the choice of some couples in Japan. An industry has sprung up, dedicated to providing couples with a ceremony modeled after western weddings. Japanese Western-style weddings are generally held in a chapel, either in a simple or elaborate ceremony, often at a dedicated wedding chapel within a hotel. The "ministers" of these marriages are often not actual Christians. In general, even true Christians administering the marriage are discouraged from actual proselytizing. There is no perceived contradiction in participating in a Western wedding with Christian iconography. Japanese people are culturally Buddhist and Buddhism still remains the religion of the majority. Most couples choose their wedding style, not for any religious reason, but rather as a fashion statement. For further details: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marriage_in_Japan |
Harakuju and Shinjuku
From the temple we went to the Harakuju station where we took a train of the Yamanote line for Shinjuku. This new neighbourhood was made of some huge clean street from which departed many smaller messy ones.
We started to wander around and we ended into a sort of pedestrian street with many trees. We were hungry, so we decided to stop by one of the many restaurants and to eat there. We were greeted by a waitress that took us to our table near a window and gave us to glasses of cold water. Then, much later, she came back asking what we wished. We didn’t understand a single word of what was written, so we decided to decide by the pictures of the food. I took a dish of noodles dressed with shrimp mixed with vegetables and Lula took a dish of noodle soup. The girl smiled back to us and vanished. Some minutes later she came back with our food and with her Japanese English she asked me “Is… You… Genovese?” (are you from Genova, Italy?), I was shocked, how could she know? So, I answered “Yes, how do you know?”. She laughed and she gave me the green noodles dish and Lula received her noodles soup. I couldn’t believe. Without knowing I just asked for a dish of Pasta with Pesto Sauce (the traditional pasta of my city) added with shrimps (ok, this is a blasphemy)! By the way the pesto from this dish tasted all but of Basil… The taste reminded me of mint with shrimps… Actually, it felt like it was pasta dressed with a “Shrimp Mojito”. Anyway, perhaps it was for the friendliness of these Japanese guys, perhaps the place, perhaps I was simply hungry, but I enjoyed it very much!
Once that we gained new strengths we went toward the next place that we wished to visit, the Taisoji Temple, and along the way, we even found a shop of the famous Italian Ice Cream Parlours “Grom”. It looked like Japanese people loved that ice cream so much that there was a queue even on the pavement.
The Taisoji Temple is quite small, but seen that it’s not much visited by the tourists, it gives a better sensation of peace and spirituality. Just behind the temple there is also a Japanese cemetery that can be visited. I felt quite strange to wander around that cemetery with the “tombstones” made only by wood planks with over carved the name of the dead with this place surrounded by such tall buildings, I think that it was lacking the sense of peace and isolation granted by the high walls of the Italian cemeteries.
We started to wander around and we ended into a sort of pedestrian street with many trees. We were hungry, so we decided to stop by one of the many restaurants and to eat there. We were greeted by a waitress that took us to our table near a window and gave us to glasses of cold water. Then, much later, she came back asking what we wished. We didn’t understand a single word of what was written, so we decided to decide by the pictures of the food. I took a dish of noodles dressed with shrimp mixed with vegetables and Lula took a dish of noodle soup. The girl smiled back to us and vanished. Some minutes later she came back with our food and with her Japanese English she asked me “Is… You… Genovese?” (are you from Genova, Italy?), I was shocked, how could she know? So, I answered “Yes, how do you know?”. She laughed and she gave me the green noodles dish and Lula received her noodles soup. I couldn’t believe. Without knowing I just asked for a dish of Pasta with Pesto Sauce (the traditional pasta of my city) added with shrimps (ok, this is a blasphemy)! By the way the pesto from this dish tasted all but of Basil… The taste reminded me of mint with shrimps… Actually, it felt like it was pasta dressed with a “Shrimp Mojito”. Anyway, perhaps it was for the friendliness of these Japanese guys, perhaps the place, perhaps I was simply hungry, but I enjoyed it very much!
Once that we gained new strengths we went toward the next place that we wished to visit, the Taisoji Temple, and along the way, we even found a shop of the famous Italian Ice Cream Parlours “Grom”. It looked like Japanese people loved that ice cream so much that there was a queue even on the pavement.
The Taisoji Temple is quite small, but seen that it’s not much visited by the tourists, it gives a better sensation of peace and spirituality. Just behind the temple there is also a Japanese cemetery that can be visited. I felt quite strange to wander around that cemetery with the “tombstones” made only by wood planks with over carved the name of the dead with this place surrounded by such tall buildings, I think that it was lacking the sense of peace and isolation granted by the high walls of the Italian cemeteries.
Dinner with a Dear Friend in Shinjuku and evening in Shibuya
It was still early when we had to take the metro back to the hotel. In fact, the same evening we should meet our Japanese friend and we needed to go back and get ready for the evening. From Shinjuku we took the Yamanote line and then the Ginza line. The journey lasted about 45 minutes and along the way we noticed that most of the people on the Yamanote were sleeping. They looked like hypnotized. Then the need of sleep took over us too. In this way we fell victim of what later we called the “Yamanote Effect”.
As soon as we entered our hotel room my phone rang at the sound of an incoming message. It was from Megumi and with that message she was giving us the direction to meet that evening. I couldn’t believe, it would be in Shinjuku, East Exit. We were just arrived from Shinjuku and we should make all the way back.
We rushed and less that I thought possible, we got showered, got dressed, bought a gift for Megumi and we jumped on a train, first one of the Ginza line and then again a Yamanote one, ready for a 45 minutes journey. Needless to say that along the way, we fell asleep. We woke up at the Harakuji station, just the one before Shinjuku.
Megumi was waiting for us exactly in the spot that she told us, and once outside of the station she guided us along a number of alleys and streets until we reached a mall. Here we went deep in the underground floors until we reached a restaurant that she knew. The restaurant had several private rooms with bamboo and rice-paper walls, with bamboo sliding doors. Both me and Lula felt like being in one of those Japanese cartoons! We expected that from a moment or the other could enter the door Ranma or Lamù. Soft light and lounge music gave a further sense of relaxation in such a beautiful place. Megumi ordered a range of different servings in a way that we could taste as many things as we could. By this way, we were given omelets with vegetables, skewers, vegetables cooked in many different styles and still many other specialties both of fish and meat. Among all these, the one that I found more surprising was a skewer with vegetables and chicken cartilages. In the beginning I was doubtful, but then, when I tried it, I discovered that it was crunchy and good.
Megumi was a good company and we spoke a lot about Japan and Italy too, but when we went out of the restaurant she excused herself as she had to come back home as the next day she should get up early to go to work.
We walked her to the station and then, after having said a “See you again” to Megumi, we took a metro train too and we went to Shibuya. Once in Shibuya we went searching for a place where take one more drink. In the beginning it had been quite hard. In fact, we were Italians thinking in Italian way. In spite Tokyo is a lively city, many clubs and bars are indoors, and we were searching them at the street sides like we were in Italy. So, after a long search, in the end, we found one where we had two wonderful Mojitos!
It was already late when we took the Yananote train and then probably the last train of the day of the Ginza line. Along the journey we both fell victim of the “Yamanote Effect” again.
During this day of exploration, Tokyo surprised us in many ways as she did in the first day. So, for the next day we planned a change of surroundings as we were going to visit the coast and we couldn’t wait to swim in the ocean.
Good Night Tokyo
Oyasuminasai Tokyo
As soon as we entered our hotel room my phone rang at the sound of an incoming message. It was from Megumi and with that message she was giving us the direction to meet that evening. I couldn’t believe, it would be in Shinjuku, East Exit. We were just arrived from Shinjuku and we should make all the way back.
We rushed and less that I thought possible, we got showered, got dressed, bought a gift for Megumi and we jumped on a train, first one of the Ginza line and then again a Yamanote one, ready for a 45 minutes journey. Needless to say that along the way, we fell asleep. We woke up at the Harakuji station, just the one before Shinjuku.
Megumi was waiting for us exactly in the spot that she told us, and once outside of the station she guided us along a number of alleys and streets until we reached a mall. Here we went deep in the underground floors until we reached a restaurant that she knew. The restaurant had several private rooms with bamboo and rice-paper walls, with bamboo sliding doors. Both me and Lula felt like being in one of those Japanese cartoons! We expected that from a moment or the other could enter the door Ranma or Lamù. Soft light and lounge music gave a further sense of relaxation in such a beautiful place. Megumi ordered a range of different servings in a way that we could taste as many things as we could. By this way, we were given omelets with vegetables, skewers, vegetables cooked in many different styles and still many other specialties both of fish and meat. Among all these, the one that I found more surprising was a skewer with vegetables and chicken cartilages. In the beginning I was doubtful, but then, when I tried it, I discovered that it was crunchy and good.
Megumi was a good company and we spoke a lot about Japan and Italy too, but when we went out of the restaurant she excused herself as she had to come back home as the next day she should get up early to go to work.
We walked her to the station and then, after having said a “See you again” to Megumi, we took a metro train too and we went to Shibuya. Once in Shibuya we went searching for a place where take one more drink. In the beginning it had been quite hard. In fact, we were Italians thinking in Italian way. In spite Tokyo is a lively city, many clubs and bars are indoors, and we were searching them at the street sides like we were in Italy. So, after a long search, in the end, we found one where we had two wonderful Mojitos!
It was already late when we took the Yananote train and then probably the last train of the day of the Ginza line. Along the journey we both fell victim of the “Yamanote Effect” again.
During this day of exploration, Tokyo surprised us in many ways as she did in the first day. So, for the next day we planned a change of surroundings as we were going to visit the coast and we couldn’t wait to swim in the ocean.
Good Night Tokyo
Oyasuminasai Tokyo