A busy day in Tokyo

I was awake early and, despite my best intentions to lie in, I was on the subway across the city before 7:15

Matt mentioned the Meiji Jingu, yesterday, It opened early so my final tourist day started there. Established in 1920, the Shinto shrine honours Emperor Meiji, the first emperor of modern Japan who helped transform the nation into a major world power, and his wife, Empress Shoken. The original building was destroyed in the war and rebuilt in 1958, entirely funded by public donations. The shrine is a popular wedding choice and, as I arrived, wedding photos were being taken, the bride and groom looked amazing in traditional dress.

The shrine sits in a forest with roughly 120,000 evergreen trees donated from all over Japan and is a real haven in the middle of the city. There is also the Empress’s garden. Lucky for you I was on a walk through not a detailed visit! As I left, it was interesting to see the barrels of consecrated Bourgogne wine gifted by celebrated wineries in France. The gift was consecrated in the spirit of peace and long term friendship.

Next stop, the Imperial Palace and gardens situated right in the heart of Tokyo City. I wandered the gardens, the most recent restoration of the Ninomaru Japanese Garden was in 1960 and the youth of the garden showed in the . I found a shady bench and watched the world go.

As I walked to my third stop of the morning, it turns out that Saturday morning is a good time for a run round the grounds of the imperial palace. As an aside, I only found the site of the old Edo Pakace, no sign of the current one. I obviously wasn’t trying very hard

Next stop was Sumida Hokusai Museum, If you don’t the name, Katsushika Hokusai, you will know his most famous painting The Great Wave Off Kanagawa. Hokusai was born in Sumida in 1760 and spent almost his entire life living here. The collection features works created through his like and his relationship to Sumida. Photos weren’t allowed but he illustrated books with such precision – almost an 18th/19th Century version on Manga but without the colour. His paintings are beautiful but the books were simply stunning. My thanks to the internet for some pictures for you all.

After a leisurely lunch in the Edo Tokyo Museum, next door, it was time to catch up with Matt in the Kappabashi Kitchen District. I was a bit weary and decided to save the museum for next time. My walk took me past the Yokoamicho Park and I was drawn in by the Tokyo Memorial Hall and the monument in memory of the victims of the Tokyo Air Raids and to the pursuit of peace. The names of all who died in the air raids are interred inside the monument.

Next I discovered The Great Kano Earthquake Memorial Museum, remembering the 1923 earthquake which flattened Tokyo. It was most amazing, understated place and free. Established in 1931, the first floor is dedicated to the earthquake and the second to the bombing of Tokyo in the war. Both floors follow the same structure – the immediate aftermath, how the city rebuilt and stories and pictures from primary school children who lived through the event. Many of the photos showing the devastation had clouds of smoke painted on, afterwards, for dramatic effect. Many of the exhibits had an English translation and it was interesting to see how the U.S came to Japan’s aid in 1923 before war was declared over oil less than 20 years later. The exhibition makes it very clear how unwise Japan had been to declare war on the U.S. I pretty much had the place to myself, it’s the best museum I’ve visited in Japan and I could go on and on about it.

After a lovely walk through some peaceful streets and across the river, I arrived at Kappabashi and it was heaving. My day must have been so peaceful because everyone was here! We were on a mission for shark chopstick rests which we’d seen last week. It was tortuous but slowly the crowds cleared and we found them, the shop was so busy that Matt still had to queue for 10 minutes to pay

There are no photos of our final evening meal, Pork Katsu, in Shinjuku. We were too hungry for that. Now it’s time to pack for our flight home tomorrow.

I was worried that I’d find Tokyo too overwhelming for my final day but I’ve really enjoyed mooching and, generally, being ahead of, or away from, the crowds. Matt and I agreed that we wouldn’t stay in Shinjuku again, it’s a bit much for both of us.