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Published: September 9th 2008
I traveled, I got culture, I spent money, I made new friends & I took a bazillion photos. I feel like I can come home now with a clear conscience. 😊 Well, after Kyoto, I guess.
Today I went on a sponsored tour as part of the Int'l Dietetics Congress (the "reason" we're here) and ended up back in Tokyo. There were about 25 of us from at least eight countries. I talked to folks from England, Jamaica, USA, Canada, Turkey, Italy, Spain and Germany. There might even have been more, but I didn't talk to everyone...gave it my best effort, though. Mostly it was spouses of nutritionists, but there were also a few nutritionists who were playing hooky from the conference. My girls said they were going, but when I got back it turns out they only went to one session. And they were both asleep at 5:30 when I came home. Talk about slackers!
Not me, though. I went like crazy-cakes today. We explored "Edo" which is the old name for Tokyo. And, interesting fact, Tokyo means east capital (to=east, kyo=capital) and the name change came with the Tokugawa shogunate. "Exploring" Edo simply means being smack in
the middle of Tokyo. It was awesome. They had a big, air-conditioned charter bus for us. The hostess, Yoshi, was super informative and very funny. Her English was awesome and she kept up a running chatter the whole 50 minutes to Tokyo.
Our first stop was the Edo-Tokyo Museum. From the website: The Edo-Tokyo Museum shows how the 15th-century village of Edo grew to be Tokyo, one of the largest cities in the world. The museum, established in 1993, recounts this story of remarkable growth through life-size replicas and detailed scale models. There is a life-size reconstruction of the Kabuki Theater, and reconstructions of Edo Castle and Nihonbashi Bridge.
So cool. We spent most of our time on the Edo side and Yoshi guided us around. I got chummy with several of my tour-mates and we took turns taking pics of each other. The history is pretty amazing (Edo already had 1 million people when London & Paris only had 500,000 and there was a great system in place for piping and purifying water) and depressing in that everything was wooden (not a whole lot of rock in Japan) and so the city has basically been rebuilt many,
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Our very cool tour guide, Yoshi.many times.
We were on our own for the Tokyo side so I just set off (like I tend to do). Was about halfway through when I realized that I had started at the end and was going against the traffic and backwards in time. Aha. Stayed my course and feel quite happy with the cross-connections I made. 😊 Whole big sections on WWII and its effects on the city, good and bad (mostly bad but it and the Great Kanto Quake did lead to major rebuilding efforts and a betterment of quality of life for many of the residents).
I quite loved the sections that discussed western influence (not just US...as Yoshi said, the youngest and brightest were sent out to bring back technological information from many countries...learned transportation, etc from the Brits, that's why they drive on the "wrong" side of the road) on the home life and fashion. Please see the "permanent" picture. I would never have had a perm in my life if that was the only option.
I'd dearly love to see an actual kabuki show, but I don't know if that will be possible. Next best thing: there was a full-size
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Tokugawa Ieyusa. kabuki stage set-up and Yoshi told us the story of the high-class prostitute who was wooing the scary old guy...a leader of some sort. Her power was so much that she chose who to accept and who to reject and the first visit (and payment) was for introduction and dinner. Only by the fourth visit or so would the visitor gain access to the bedroom. There was more, but I forget. The funniest bit of this section was the Turkish tourist who said, "they're also called geisha, right?" Oh boy! Did we ever get set straight on the BIG BIG difference between geisha and prostitute. Not the same at all...though some prostitutes try to pass themselves off as geisha. Seeing Yoshi's reaction was pretty great. Big eyes and a bit of sputtering...beware of insulting national icons...please!
Also a fun section on literature in the Edo side. I now have some photographic proof that manga goes way, way back. Awesome. Got shots of a book produced in the 17th century that was banned for satirical content against the gov't. My oh my.
Next was the Sumo Museum. From the website: The museum underlines the role of Sumo as the
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Water filtration and purification system. From waaaaaay back. Japanese national sport through collecting and maintaining artifacts and supports historical studies. Facilities include more than 150 square meters of exhibition space, a library, a study and over 160 additional square meters of storage space for artifacts not on display.
Now, we were told this museum was little. I don't think any of us were ready for how little. It is seriously only one room with wall mounted pictures and some artifacts in the middle. Pretty ironic given the stature of the subject material...and the fact that sumo is the national sport of Japan. Still,iIt was very cool. A big screen in the corner was showing recent sumo matches. One whole wall was photos/pictures of all the Grand Champions (Sumo's highest title). The highlight of this visit was the sumo wrestler who sped by us on a bicycle. I'm so disappointed that I didn't get a picture! It was a sight to see. I got a great book which explains sumo to all us uninitiated. There is a huge sumo tournament starting when we get back to Tokyo on the 14th. Rachel is stoked, so we might end up at a match. 😊
Paparazzi alert: There were several
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Bath time is family time! Japanese press guys lurking about outside the museum, which is attached to the training facility. Apparently, there is a scandal going on right now with two of the wrestlers. A couple of sumo wrestlers from Russia (?!?) were recently busted with marijuana! Big news. Lots of guys with cameras lazing about chain-smoking. Thankless job, that.
We had a fabulous lunch in a building built to look like a giant mug of beer. Beer is quite popular here. Don't think you can get it out of a vending machine, though. They used to be freely available and on the honor system, but recently machines have come out where the 20+ year olds have to scan a card which proves their age. Same for the cigarette machines. So, foreigners (and delinquent teens) are plumb out of luck. 😊 Also, interestingly, the lunch was included in our tour package, but drinks (even the Asahi beer!) were not. We pretty much all opted for water. 😊 Got some cool shots of Tokyo from up there...we were on the 22nd floor. Engaged in a spirited debate about Obama & McCain w/a tableful of Canadians & Americans. We have decided that Obama will win, but
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Manga from waaaaaay back! the margin will be scary small. Let's see if that becomes true. 😊
Our final destination of the tour was the Sensoji Temple in Asakusa (not to be confused with Akasaka, where we stayed the first day.) From the website: Sensoji is the oldest and most impressive temple in Tokyo. The main hall was first built in 645 to house a tiny golden statue of Kannon, the goddess of mercy, that had been repeatedly hauled up in fishing nets despite being thrown back into the river. The temple precincts bustle with people praying, buying fortunes, shopping or sightseeing.
This shrine was pretty amazing. I took a ton of photos. Apparently, there used to be many of these shrines with shopping arcades of traditional Japanese wares all over Tokyo. Through fire, earthquake, and bombings most were destroyed. This is pretty much the only one still in existance as it was. There is only one building on the site that is original. The rest is rebuilt...as so much of Japan is.
So, I did all the traditional shrine visitation stuff. I threw change in the grate and clapped my hands. This symbolizes the 1/2 of your body that is
your own and the 1/2 that is not, coming together. I fanned the spiritual smoke over the bits of me that could use assistance. It's really to cure ailments, but Yoshi suggested crows-feet elimination and/or breast augmentation...I focused on my head in the hopes of migraine eradication. And then for ￥100 I chose a fortune. Put the money in, shake the can, match the marks on the stick to the marks on the drawer. If it is a good fortune, keep it. If it is bad, leave it (tied to a post) and pray for it to be changed...or exchanged. Yoshi says that Japanese are very flexible. She also asked that we spend as much money as possible shopping at the shrine stalls to help the "ailing" Japanese economy. There's even an expression that dates from the Edo period that is something like "why save for tomorrow, spend what you have today!" I freaking live by this tenet. I'm fitting right in here! 😊
An interesting note about the shogunate. Pilgrimages to the capital were required of the nobility every year. Nobility-san traveled with family to Edo and home again alone. Such travel was required because it was expensive
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I want to go sailing! and kept the nobles from saving money and potentially uprising. Family was "kept" in Edo as hostages, basically, to keep nobles in line. Fun times.
This is the never-ending post! One more thing & then I'm exhausted & want to sleep.
I finished my day at the Yokohama Maritime Museum. Mom, I visited this place just for you! They have an awesome vessel in permanent dockage that is used for training simulations. It was in continuous usage for many years before its current placement. The museum is cute and very tech heavy. Great displays of Japan's exports...several to Seattle, of course! And a very thorough history of Japanese maritime.
I finished up with a visit to Starbucks (where I've been more (twice) on this trip than I usually do in a month at home!) for a caramel frap. I was going to go for whatever the local flavor was, but this is a tourist town with tons of American stores & everything on the menu was pretty standard. So sad.
The girls are having a spa night out. Replete with massage and communal bathing experience. Hopefully, I can do this in Kyoto, but for tonight, I
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Check out this hair! What great styles...I want one! had to pass. I think Rachel is going to let them walk on her (a technique Mardell lets her kids use...maybe they have a future as massage therapists?) and Samia wants a deep tissue Japanese massage on her back. Yikes! I had a steaming hot shower which purty much released the knots I had....and it was free. 😊 Guess I'm just not the high-class kinda person what wants to pay for pampering. I feel pretty pampered having this hotel room to myself, with the Japanese tv (which I finally figured out how to get English on some of the channels...thanks, Kate!) on in the background and beauteous air conditioning going full strength.
Laterz, gatorz,
Rae
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Dad
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Hi
Hi, Am enjoying your running comments and pictures. Wish I was there, but will have fun hearing all about it this fall.