3 November 2018
No train day
A walk through a University to Rikugien and Yanesen
Before we get started, I should mention I again got racially insulted today, thats twice in a week, Japan has changed. A store vendor decided to call me a white dog, and told me to get lost. I also had a guy bump into me who was walking along reading his phone who then screamed at me in Japanese, but I think he might have had mental issues, so I will let that one slide. Store vendor however, he was just an asshole for no reason other than being a massive racist. Maybe its reaction to the new immigration policy saga. Who knows.
Today I made a conscious decision to not go on any train. The last 3 days I have been on every single train in the Greater Tokyo and surrounding prefecture area. This meant a lot of walking, 30,000 steps by 2pm, mainly aimless wandering between a couple of destinations on what I had decided would be a day of rest.
My first destination was a garden, Rikugien. Apparently its something to do with the 6 key principles of poetry, which are rhyming, dissing, talking in an English accent for no reason, using words that dont actually exist, pretending to be smart when you are actually just a drunk student and then rhyming again. Because this park is to do with the 6 principles of poetry, I will only score it 6 out of 10, it was a little brown and disappointing. In a few weeks time it will be open at night when they turn the ancient trees into christmas trees and shine lights on them.
My next destination is where I was racially assaulted and threatened with violence in the street, the old Japanese neighbourhood of Yanesen.
This is a few streets of little shops with no convenience stores cashing in on their newly acquired tourism status. Some of the food places have lines out the front and posters proudly advertising the time they were featured on NHK tv. I did not stay long because I feared for my safety here, I did not realise it was off limits to non Japanese people.
On my loop back from there I headed through Nippori which involved a visit to a cemetery where I studied the sign of rules, and nowhere did it say NO PHOTO, so I took a photo. My day finished with a selection of dainty sandwiches from the excellent Andersen bakery, it was full but when I sat down, people moved and I ended up having spare seats either side of me. Very considerate of the old grandmas to give me so much room!
Another clear day in Tokyo! The fire escape was open so I wandered out and took a photo of this bird glued to the tv antenna to improve reception.
Just a random dragon wrapped around a sword protected by 5 Buddha statues on a street corner.
This is not the actual garden, this is inside the Tokyo university grounds. I was not sure if I was allowed to just go in and wander around, but once I saw old people running about in 1970's tracksuits I decided it was OK. The place was largely deserted, especially this garden area. I fished for turtles for a while.
The university like all universities is a strange mixture of buildings that are old and grand and new and shiny, intermixed in strange combinations with stair cases leading under and above where you need to to.
I passed many many.....many shrines and temples today, I limited my photos to a couple. This one is also a cemetery, but it is not the main cemetery of the day.
Heres another one, not a cemetery, but nice trees. Very bright light.
Japan recycling to China green sword standards. I was impressed by the clear plastic bottles, all lids removed. I went into the store and discussed with the owners what kind of rebate they are getting currently for their hard work in source separation.
Now I am in the proper garden. I waited for a while for a clear bridge shot but it never came, so enjoy WOMAN ON BRIDGE. The water was green.
This area will probably be spectacular MOMOJI in a few weeks time. I like to use all caps when I use words that I find entertaining to myself. Here in my hotel room I yell them out as I type them.
I enjoyed this moss covered trunk for a while.
It was not a highly impressive garden in my opinion, in some ways the university pond was more interesting.
Bonus pic, dirty water.
This was the only red tree in the place, I had to muscle my way through throngs of people with huge zoom lenses to get to the front with my non zoom lense.
There is a small hill to take in the view. I followed about 10 people up, despite being only maybe 40 steps, they all ran out of puff one after the other before the top and started having coughing fits. A woman got to the top and actually laid down on the bench. Others attended to her. They were not that old, so this was confusing, many old Japanese people climb proper mountains.
Looks a bit dead.
Politician or magician? You decide.
Entering Yanesen. There are many funky cafes for beard waxers.
The main tourist street. Be careful here, you are not welcome!
I left quite quickly.
Get your baskets and pots and pans here. They are proud to offer both.
The walk through the cemetery was nice, a couple of joggers went by which I thought was mildly amusing.
I stayed here for a few minutes watching the trains go by, remembering my days of train rides longingly.
Around the Nippori station area this market had sprung up. Many of the vendors are making the stuff for sale right here and now. Which means painting anime figurines.
And here is the skytree. I have not been there yet on this trip, maybe when I return to Tokyo in a couple of weeks time. I have still never been up it.