48 Hours in Tokyo (Part Two). December 20, 2016

Greetings from Tokyo –

At the moment Mike is en route to Ikebukuro (a neighborhood we visited yesterday, before knowing that that is the location of the main office for the train system’s lost and found) to try to reclaim his computer bag (if indeed, the bag the train folks found is really his bag as opposed to another person who lost a computer; couldn’t get information on the phone; Mike had to go in person), and I’m going to be heading soon for a few different neighborhoods so this message is likely to be intermittent.

By the way, if you do like knowing about my travels you can find daily journals to many different countries on my not-quite-published blog site (not fully published because I’m still putting up photos in my “spare” time.. so parts are sort of un-adorned – or at least many trips don’t yet have visuals. I tend to shoot between 500 and 1,000 images on each trip… remember I studied photography!.. so it’s a process of selection that never seems to find its way to my to do list)… Anyway the site is https://fernstravelnotes.wordpress.com

So, following breakfast at the hotel (to save time)… I had the Japanese breakfast; Mike just eggs… we began our day by walking through underpasses (the city has tons of underpasses that link buildings and subway stations.. and naturally it’s like retail heaven under there… with numerous department stores having their lowest floor level at the subway level… and then on bridges that go over freeways and create another set of above-ground street plazas) to get to the Tsukiji Fish Market.

Didn’t quite get there in the wee hours of the morning when things are truly hopping with tuna auctions and the like, but early enough to still see some action. For those of you who know the Fulton Fish Market in NY.. it’s like that but its five times bigger… It’s the largest in the world (and Fulton is second). Strolled around and was tempted to stop in the tiny (4 and 5 seat “restaurants” that serve sushi to waiting lines of young people (and some older folks too), but we were not hungry yet (it was only about 10:30 am)..

Walked to find the train station at Tsujiki and headed on the Hiibya line to Ueno. Given the short time here we opted to totally ignore museums and other famous sites, unless we stumbled upon them.. and instead to go to a variety of neighborhoods.. some because we heard of them and others quite random by emerging from various subway stops.

First neighborhood – after Tsukiji — we went to was Ueno. Naturally we got a little lost when we emerged from the subway… Asked several people, but English is actually less common than you’d think. I do think that many people know some English but are shy to use it (they learn it in school); but hey, my Japanese is “quite weak” or rather non-existent. Anyway, went into an optometrist’s office and while he didn’t speak English, we showed him where we wanted to go in the neighborhood and he gave us hand directions.

We walked a few blocks and wound up in this cacophony of tiny shops all or most under the overhead train. .. a busy market street that is under the Yamanote Train Line… that stretches from the Okachimachi and the Ueno stations. I think the street is called Ameyoko and it’s quite busy with vendors announcing sales and yelling about specials (or so I think). The area has apparently become known for its many candy shops – one next to the other… and also for lots of teeny noodle restaurants (we frequented one that was a bit larger than others.. our restaurant sat about 18 people. Yummy…  Given that it’s so close to the holidays, lots of people were buying candy.

We strolled to the next train station and then headed to Ikebukuro, another neighborhood – this time we took the JR Yamamoto Line.. strolled around what has apparently been considered a very un-trendy neighborhood but is rapidly changing and it’s lower prices has attracted an artsy crowd to create some pretty bizarre cafes and foods and also an 8^th floor place where you can watch cats get fed (!!?) We passed.

But as we strolled we saw some signs for Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan – a former girls private school designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in the 1920s. It’s been restored (after having been closed) and is now open to the public and also used for weddings and other events. It’s really a wonderful example of Wright’s work .. there’s a dwindling number of buildings by Wright in Japan, especially the loss of the Imperial Hotel. We strolled the grounds and were able to walk freely within the building. I fell in love with the chairs in the dining room and learned that you could buy one for about $570… and I learned that in the states that chair goes for $1,000.  A little above my spending limit, but they were fantastic.. dark wood with a tiny trim of lipstick red.. which was also on the matching tables. Great shape and wonderful proportions…

From there we strolled back to the station and headed to the hotel to be ready for dinner with friends.

We got picked up by Jun and driven to his parent’s house, now occupied by Jun’s sister. Jun’s father was a classmate of Mike’s at Harvard and we stayed friends all these many years. He passed away after a terrible battle with stomach cancer. We had drinks and snacks at the house and then headed to a fantastic sushi restaurant… near the house in the Jiyugokan neighborhood… with about 10 seats at the sushi bar (where we sat).. I was in heaven. We then strolled the small shopping district near the restaurant. The area is a sort of planned development from the 20s with a train station, buses, and pedestrian streets. Then we headed back to the hotel.. and collapsed at about midnight.

Since some of you asked, we are at the Park Hotel in the Shiodome area. The hotel is fine with nice public spaces. Rooms are small but OK… The hotel begins on the 25^th floor of the building.

Tomorrow we head to Yangon, Myanmar… On the plane I’ll write the travel notes for Wednesday, December 21 – Mike’s birthday…

But I will tell you the good news… sort of like a birthday present for Mike.. He went this morning to the train’s lost and found at the Ikebukuro Station – they had his computer bag – everything intact. We are still in shock. Left on train, bag and computer traveled through the full line .. apparently several times, and no one touched the bag which was on the floor in front of the seat.. quite visible. That is truly not a NY or London or other city experience. !!

Until tomorrow..

Fern (and I’m told that I should be signing as : ファーン。マイク (which I think is actually Fern and Mike)…