National Museum, Shibuya and Yokohama (2 days)

  Yokohama, Kanto, Japan
Friday, May 2, 2008

As from the previous entry I awoke to a very slight tremor. My friend Emi said it was only a 1 magnitude so you know it wasnt that big of a deal. It was hot again...it felt like 26C with the humidity and such and was sunny. No jackets required on this day. I was planning on going to Koishikawa Korakuen Garden but decided I need some history today so off I ventured to Ueno Park again and onwards to the National Museum of Tokyo. When I arrived I was informed there was a 40 minute wait for their special exhibit ( a shrine's artwork and statues from Nara) I cannot remember the name and will update this blog when I get it. The line was large but not slow...it was more like a 20 minute wait and I didnt mind because if all these people wanted to see it so should I. There were plenty of scrolls, and the orignal buddhist statues dislplayed...the artwork was magnificent. To cast a buddha in iron and have the slight nuances of the cloth flowing was beautiful.
I then went into the gift shop and bought some items (a book, postcards and picture) and it didn't kill my pocketbook!!! The more I am here in Tokyo the more I see that Canada is so over-priced for what we have...its pathetic really.
So onwards to the rest of the museum (sorry folks no pics here....no cameras allowed). I saw Samurai warrior costumes, scrolls, kimono's, pottery, buddhist statues ranging from 1300 BC until 1950. The buddhas were wierd...it felt like they were staring at you with a slight grin.
Well after the museum I headed off to the opposite trait of tourism...Shibuya. (where they have the busiest intersection in the world and the busiest Starbucks in the world). I have noticed that Tokyo has a lot of busiest:s.
I first thought I was at the famed intersection when I got of the subway but I had to walk a block to it...big difference. The traffic wasnt that bad...the people traffic....another story. Lots of huge video on the side of buildings, lots and lots and lots of teenagers too!
I went to the Starbucks (only tall is served at this one) no Venti's.. I shot some video with my Xacti (the thing is great...fits in your hand) and camera. Busy, busy, busy. Walking further were lots of shops geared toward the younger Japanese culture..I stumbled across this G2 store...several stories high with each floor dedicated to a particular sport....Soccer, Basketball, Baseball. The prices were very very reasonable and so I decided to get my neice and nephew something that I hope they dont sell in Canada from here.
I wandered around aimlessly thru these streets just taking everything I could possibly take in...and there is so much visual stimuli...OMG.
Well then it was off to meet up with Emi at the mall near her house, just behind Kiba Station. I was early and figured I should check it out....it was more of a department store. The food section was sushi heaven... Sashimi sashimi sashimi....and then some! I took pics of it, Japanese Kellogs Corn Flakes etc. Crazy stuff. I finally met up with Emi and we went and ate thick noodle in curry and my god their Chicken Karrage was not greasy, just perfect... Canada has a lot to learn on that one. Barb!
The food was excellent...we then proceed to the bullriding exercise chair...I had to go on it and Emi video taped me...you will see when I get home, the video that is.
I then wanted to buy a black leather pair of New Balance running shoes only $50 dollars...in Canada they would be $100 or more. I am going to buy some more since I am here and its that cheap.
oh and my foot size is 27.5 cm as thats what they go by here.
I am still getting tired way too early....tonite I stayed up until 11pm whoooo!
Friday I woke up early as I wanted to get a good head start on my journey to Yokohama. This time I had to take the subway during morning rush hour...a lot busier....squish, push and such. When the last people enter onto the train they make sure they face towards the doors. I guess cause when its packed you cannot turn around easily as I can agree to now that I have the first true experience of Tokyo rush hour on the subway. They have several traffic guides that wear the white gloves, close the doors on the train and wave a lantern which is flourescent to let the driver know its clear for him/her to proceed. Organized...yes to the hilt. Walk on the left always!!!! We could learn a thing or two from them.
Once I arrived at Nihombashi station I asked the transit guide which train to take to Yokohama...he said 50. so I waited for #50 to show up on the front of the train. Nope. One of the transit guys came out to me and kept saying Yokohama Yokohama as this train was sitting there. I nodded (polite japanese acknowledgement) and boarded the train quickly. Thru the glass I could see the two guys and bowed to acknowledge my appreciation to them and they bowed back and smiled. Bowing is not a must for us westerners, but hey when in rome.....I think it will be strange to go back to Canada now and not bow and say Aaragato Gozaimus. I say it all the time here....I mean Alll the time.
I got on the rapid line to Yokohama and was there in no time. Is there a difference in areas or was this a suburb of Tokyo....I could not tell. But it was different. Once I got off the train at Yokohama I took quite awhile to figure out where the heck I was and what exit I should take. (I got my friend Emis msg too late...but it would have helped if I had checked for msgs) I am not used to text messaging...but I am getting better and thats all they do here!
So I walked and walked and walked. Found a Starbucks got a Mocha and walked. I was going in the right direction according to my text msg and map so that was cool. I ended up at Yamashita park. It was a nice narrow walkway with some japanese garden displays and such. I then was wandering and came across a Yokohama Bay cruise
and decided to take it. It was really hard to know if I was taking the right one as the English was nil. But I thought what the hey and went for it.
As i walked on I was directed to the dining room. (was my food included in the cruise or not ...I didnt know)..until I was given the menu and decided on just a Heineken for 8 bucks...owch. They played really musacey music that I had to leave and go upstairs to the outside for a better experience. It was kinda rainy so the view was not great. But the smell of the ocean was definately predominante which like Vancouver ....I like.
I finished the harbour tour and proceeded to Yokohama's Chinatown.

Wow....quite the spot. Lots of teenagers and narrow streets. I decided to have lunch here. I picked a place that the picture of the food looked reasonable and cheap. The girls who served were not caring at all....other people had to ask for service (the teenagers beside me) I just smiled and agreed. But for 7.80 yen I got a chowmein type dish, rice, corn soup and a sugar dessert.
Ok..I left and just walked around Chinatown...taking pics
...takig vids....and just wandering. It was kinda spitting rain so my plastic bag over my camera did the trick. It never lasted for more than a few minutesl.
As I was leaving the Chinatown section I noticed a crowd of teenagers staring. I proceeded towards them and most of them left except for one sweet sweet girl who was worried about the man who was laying below her on the sidewalk. He was conscious and was probably drunk...but I didnt know...didnt know the language to find out. he was just curled up on the street. I felt for the young girl, she must have been around 14ish and was definately worried for him. An older Japanese business man came up and said he was going to the Police station as it was only a block away. There were people just walking by but staring as to what was going on. I was trying to ask the young girl if she could ask the man if he was hurting in any way...but the language stood in the way. She was at one point wiping her eyes from her crying and I went and hugged her and said Okenki Des (how are you) and patted her on the bad and consoled her. She was such a nice girl. All the other teenagers just kept walking.  Soon the ambulance arrived, the police and I asked if she needed anything...she didnt understand but I knew she knew I was seeing if she was alright and kept saying aragato gozimus. The authorities arrive fast....they wear grey grean gear, face masks, gloves and are very good. Everyone for the most part are very consoiderate of one another.
Okay and then from there........woah.
I wandered the streets until I got to the giant ferris wheel, then went into some mall and went into the subway station at Minobashu?? I had a little Passmo fiasco and had to pay for a ticket I didnt need but hey the train went to Shibuya....and I was at least familiar with that station so there ya go. I went and bought a spider tripod and a optical mouse for my friend Emi....she had a ball mouse and it didnt cut it and its the least I can do for her and her moms hospitality.
Well thats about it until tomorrow.....the blogs will get less as I am off to Kyoto on Tues and dont know how the computer stuff is..and quite frankly...dont care....I am here. In Tokyo.
I never thought about coming here before I met Emi...now I cannot understand how one can not think about it. It just lets you expand your knowledge and love for the world we live in.