| Tokyo, Japan |
On the following morning we went by subway to the very nice Imperial East
Garden, which was closed the previous day. From there we took another subway
to the Asukasa area to have lunch at a tiny sushi restaurant next to the Keisei
train station, which we had enjoyed on a trip to Japan four years earlier. The
restaurant had counter seats for us and about eight other customers., plus
space for about four customers at two almost microscopic tables We ordered
by pointing to what other customers were having and using sign language. The
delicious fresh sushis we placed directly onto the counter in front if us (no
plates) and like the other customers we ate them using our fingers. This
restaurant obviously got foreign customers very seldom and the staff and
customers were very amused by our presence and good-humored ineptitude;
everybody had a few good laughs.
After lunch we walked to a nearby long covered walkway bordered by many
booths primarily selling religious artifacts. At the end of this arcade is the very
large wooden Asukasa Kannon Temple, one of the leading religious shrines in
Japan. Just outside of the shrine was the usual flame for lighting incense sticks,
prayers on paper hung on the walls and trees by the devout, etc. Then we took
the subway back to the Sawanoya Ryokan.
Garden, which was closed the previous day. From there we took another subway
to the Asukasa area to have lunch at a tiny sushi restaurant next to the Keisei
train station, which we had enjoyed on a trip to Japan four years earlier. The
restaurant had counter seats for us and about eight other customers., plus
space for about four customers at two almost microscopic tables We ordered
by pointing to what other customers were having and using sign language. The
delicious fresh sushis we placed directly onto the counter in front if us (no
plates) and like the other customers we ate them using our fingers. This
restaurant obviously got foreign customers very seldom and the staff and
customers were very amused by our presence and good-humored ineptitude;
everybody had a few good laughs.
After lunch we walked to a nearby long covered walkway bordered by many
booths primarily selling religious artifacts. At the end of this arcade is the very
large wooden Asukasa Kannon Temple, one of the leading religious shrines in
Japan. Just outside of the shrine was the usual flame for lighting incense sticks,
prayers on paper hung on the walls and trees by the devout, etc. Then we took
the subway back to the Sawanoya Ryokan.
Tokyo - 17 to 21 September: After an overnight flight from USA arrived
at Tokyo’s Narita Airport about !:30pm. Got Japanese yen from the airport
ATM. We then took the Kaisei Line train for a little over an hour to Tokyo’s
Ueno Station, from where we took a taxi to the Sawanoya Ryokan
at Tokyo’s Narita Airport about !:30pm. Got Japanese yen from the airport
ATM. We then took the Kaisei Line train for a little over an hour to Tokyo’s
Ueno Station, from where we took a taxi to the Sawanoya Ryokan
The Sawanoya resembled typical Japanese ryokans (country inns); change
from shoes to slippers near the front door, change from slippers to socks or
bare feet at the door of our room, change to special bathroom slippers at
the door of the communal bath/toilet. The floor of our room was fully
covered by tatami mats, futons folded on the shelf, no other furnishings.
The Sawanoya is not a real traditional ryokan but has for foreigners adopted
some simplified characteristics of a true ryokan. A day or two after leaving
the Sawanoya I found (and felt) bug bites all over my body; I believe I must
have acquired some insect life at the Sawanoya. The Sawanoya Ryokan is
located in one of the pleasant older parts of Tokyo which were not totally
destroyed during the bombings of WW2.
from shoes to slippers near the front door, change from slippers to socks or
bare feet at the door of our room, change to special bathroom slippers at
the door of the communal bath/toilet. The floor of our room was fully
covered by tatami mats, futons folded on the shelf, no other furnishings.
The Sawanoya is not a real traditional ryokan but has for foreigners adopted
some simplified characteristics of a true ryokan. A day or two after leaving
the Sawanoya I found (and felt) bug bites all over my body; I believe I must
have acquired some insect life at the Sawanoya. The Sawanoya Ryokan is
located in one of the pleasant older parts of Tokyo which were not totally
destroyed during the bombings of WW2.
On the day after our arrival we took an early morning subway ride to Tokyo’s gigantic
wholesale fish market, a bustling group of buildings filled with stands offering a huge
variety of seafood.
wholesale fish market, a bustling group of buildings filled with stands offering a huge
variety of seafood.
After exploring the area around the
fishmarket took the subway to the
luxurious Palace Hotel, where we used
their high-tech deluxe toilets
equipped with heated seat, sound
effects, automatic seat washing and
drying, a switch to adjust water-
quantity per flush, and topped with a
water-saving sink draining into the
flush-tank
fishmarket took the subway to the
luxurious Palace Hotel, where we used
their high-tech deluxe toilets
equipped with heated seat, sound
effects, automatic seat washing and
drying, a switch to adjust water-
quantity per flush, and topped with a
water-saving sink draining into the
flush-tank
Tokyo Fish Market.
To the right, one of the Palace Hotel's
high-tech deluxe toilets.
high-tech deluxe toilets.
Across from the Palace Hotel we tried to enter the Imperial Palace’s East
Garden but learned that it was closed on Fridays. Then we went by subway and
on foot to the Tokyo National Art Museum (devoted solely to Japanese art),
where we stayed a couple of hours.
Garden but learned that it was closed on Fridays. Then we went by subway and
on foot to the Tokyo National Art Museum (devoted solely to Japanese art),
where we stayed a couple of hours.
Asukasa Kannon Temple Pagoda,
A shrine at the Asukasa Kannon Temple.
A small neighborhood shrine.
Below are two scenes typical of the old section of Tokyo in which we stayed,
On the left, a traditional house
squeezed between two modern buidings,
squeezed between two modern buidings,
To the right, a theater building
constructed in traditional style,
constructed in traditional style,