Tokyo
Trip Start
Jun 09, 2012
1
6
12
Trip End
Jul 01, 2012
I am wandering in Tokyo despite the fact the pin likes to say I'm in Chuo. After breakfast I stopped at the concierge desk and asked about tours. They handed me a brochure describing seven different tours offered. Am I proud to say that I have been to all the places listed in all the tours. Guess I know tourist Tokyo so I have decided to meander and look at things with different eyes.
I decided to return to the famous Tokyo fish market which opens at 3 am, has an auction at 5:30 am and is closed before noon. Periodically in recent years they have closed the market to tourists but we were welcome today. Two reasons I wanted to return, 1) to see that the Great East Earthquake of 2011 and subsequent nuclear power meltdown didn't totally change the Japanese way of life and 2) to have the best sushi and sashimi in the world, nothing quite like having eel, tuna, salmon, and prawns for breakfast. Am I worried about eating nuclear fish? Not any more than I am about eating the finger lickin good French food. I'll probably die from it twenty years from now, but I've certainly had a good time
Next to the fish market is the wholesale market. I had to see how much cheaper things were there than at the "grocery store". The price drop is not significant.
My next stop was the Shinbashi Enbujo Theater, a 1500 seat venue. I wanted to see Kabuki. They have three shows a day so I thought I would be there early for the 11 am performance and get a good seat. No such luck. All performances for the entire week are sold out. I didn't see one student. These were men and women of all ages coming to cultural theater at 11 a.m. Monday.
Enjoying the sunshine I strolled through Hama-Rikyu Gardens. Three couples, brides and grooms, were in the gardens with their photographers having the wedding pictures taken. I spoke with one mother of the bride and she told me that the wedding isn't until October, but the garden is perfect now for photos.
I decided to return to the famous Tokyo fish market which opens at 3 am, has an auction at 5:30 am and is closed before noon. Periodically in recent years they have closed the market to tourists but we were welcome today. Two reasons I wanted to return, 1) to see that the Great East Earthquake of 2011 and subsequent nuclear power meltdown didn't totally change the Japanese way of life and 2) to have the best sushi and sashimi in the world, nothing quite like having eel, tuna, salmon, and prawns for breakfast. Am I worried about eating nuclear fish? Not any more than I am about eating the finger lickin good French food. I'll probably die from it twenty years from now, but I've certainly had a good time
Next to the fish market is the wholesale market. I had to see how much cheaper things were there than at the "grocery store". The price drop is not significant.
My next stop was the Shinbashi Enbujo Theater, a 1500 seat venue. I wanted to see Kabuki. They have three shows a day so I thought I would be there early for the 11 am performance and get a good seat. No such luck. All performances for the entire week are sold out. I didn't see one student. These were men and women of all ages coming to cultural theater at 11 a.m. Monday.
Enjoying the sunshine I strolled through Hama-Rikyu Gardens. Three couples, brides and grooms, were in the gardens with their photographers having the wedding pictures taken. I spoke with one mother of the bride and she told me that the wedding isn't until October, but the garden is perfect now for photos.
Comments
Interesting read - looking forward to reading more about your aventures...