Our man in Tokyo!

Our man in Tokyo - aka Ross - met us at Tokyo station a few minutes after our Shinkenson pulled in - I was talking on the mobile phone to him one minute and the next minute he was there with us!! After cuddles all round the three of us headed off to our hotel in Ginza - advertised as an 'elegant and stylish city where a retro-modern atmosphere still lingers in the air'.

As it's autumn here, the sun sets not long after 5pm and it seems to get dark very quickly so by the time we headed off to catch the Yamanote line train to Ebisu, Tokyo's night lights were aglow. Once there Ross took us to one of his favourite yakitori (meat on a stick) bars where we met some of his friends and way too much food and drink passed our lips. When it was time to leave, as Ross lives a few stops away from where we are staying we said our goodbyes on the train - it was a bit of a challenge walking back from the station to the hotel but we made it!!

After three nights in Ginza, we left Tokyo for the countryside in the Shogawa River Valley located in the remote mountains that span from Gifu to Toyama Prefectures. On our return we moved to a hotel in Ueno for three nights - an area encompasing museums, art galleries, a zoo and a huge park which is the largest in the city.

Tokyo trains come and go here there and everywhere, there are numerous different lines and they are THE way to get around. The stations themselves are almost like mini cities - it takes some skill to actually get out onto the streets! The efficiency is something Japan can be very proud of - they could certainly teach Australia a thing or two. All employees wear uniforms - pink for those who clean the trains to smart 'airline pilot' type uniforms for the Shinkansen staff, complete with hats and very white gloves. How do they keep them looking so clean? Shinkansen staff wait, and bow, as you alight the train and then bow every time they walk in and out of the carriage. At stations it's always easy to find someone to ask a question if need be. One morning at Tokyo station I noticed two neatly uniformed staff members - each wearing an 'On Alert' arm band - perusing commuters as they came through the turnstiles.

The city has a population of about 12 million, more than half of the total population of Australia so Tokyo is simply teeming with people many of whom seem to have been shopping till they dropped - the shops certainly appear to have plenty of customers. But we've also seen more homeless in Tokyo. It was heartening to see that at various public parks notices proclaimed “Shelter for people who cannot go back home” and around Ueno Station the homeless are all ready with their belongings and makeshift beds - most made of cardboard - as the sun begins to set. Those who are homeless certainly appear to be well organised.

Since we've been in Tokyo we visited many different areas and places of interest including the Sanyo building, Hibiya Park, the Imperial Palace East Gardens, Wadakura Bridge and the nearby Water Fountain Park and Shibuya where we managed to find Kiddy Land and spent a fortune on the grandkids. We walked through all seven floors of toys, toys, toys,and gadgets, gadgets gadgets where Kev had to stop this big kid from going too berserk! Our walks took us through parts of Harajuka and Omotesando where we passed yet more shops - Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Armarni, Burberry, Chanel and the like - all way too expensive for us.

And while in Tokyo we've eaten our way through some very different styles of Japanese food - sushi, shabu-shabu, yakatori, churrasco and anything else which took our fancy.

It was Thursday when we left Tokyo for the village of Shinakawa-go which necessitated catching a Shinkansen to Nagoya, then a limited express train to Takayama. The final leg was done by bus - a journey which took us through many tunnels under the mountains; the longest of which was eleven kms. The decision to visit the village was done solely on the recommendation of two Australians we met at Kyoto station. It sounded good and they said not to miss seeing it, that the autumn colours were the best they'd seen, the area was extremely picturesque and that the village had retained the style of old Japan. That's the beauty of not booking beforehand - you can make last minute decisions as the mood takes! Well it was definately worth visiting. Shinakawa-go has been placed on the UNESCO World Heritage list and consists of wooden houses with very sloping thatched roofs which enables them to bear the weight of the heavy winter snow. Many roofs have grass growing on them. The village is nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains, some already white capped with snow. The temperature was cool but pleasant during the day but pretty nippy at night - not enough to discourage an after dinner stroll though. The place we stayed in was typically Japanese so we were back once more sleeping on a futon on a tatami mat. We met the other guests at dinner, two Japanese couples, one couple from Hong Kong and a Japanese photographer who was travelling around Japan taking photos. The food was superb, all set out for us on trays on the low tables Japanese use as we sat cross legged (or tried to!!). During our stay we climbed to a lookout over the village and spent some time exploring the Folk Museum there. The Japanese poet Kinichirou Unno's poem "Nameless but Beautiful" describes the area.
"Even deep in the mountains, because it is my birthplace this is paradise on earth.
Even if the glow of the hearth is thin, it speaks lovingly of ancient times and immortality.
In this hamlet, old age is gradually reared and the young man never leaves."

We're now back in Tokyo, staying in Ueno. Tomorrow we plan to visit Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum. Then while I visit one of the Art Galleries Kev is going to the Ueno Zoological Gardens. It will also be our last time with Ross so it will be a bit sad. Meanwhile on a happy note, our gorgeous grandson Rupert will be two years old - HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUPERT!!

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