hmm, we probably passed by this more than once
While HM returned to our room to freshen up after our disastrous start, I took the opportunity to drop by the exhibition that was on in the Shiodome Media Tower.
'twas an exhibition on political cartoons
Obama was the hot topic.
Take two: we start off again. This time, we first head to Tully's downstairs in the basement for breakfast. We successfully partake of soft milk bread, a tuna and potato sandwich, and of course, some coffee. Then we take the train to the Imperial Palace. We are thwarted yet again. We weren't counting on being able to visit the palace per se - we knew that the palace was out of bounds to visitors except by prearranged tour -but we thought we'd be able to stroll through the palace gardens. Little did we know that all imperial gardens close on Mondays. How frustrating.
We ended up circumambulating the palace. That's when we realised that the controversial Yasukuni Shrine wasn't that far away. It hadn't been on the cards but we decided to make the best of the situation and our location.
140 years of commemorating those who died for the Emperor of Japan
the Daiichi Torii, made of steel - a symbol of Japan's military might?
Ōmura Masujirō, the Father of the Modern Japanese Army, with a symbol of peace (sort of) perched on his sword
nationalistic propaganda?
At times the shrine seemed no different from the others.
not just for crusty old soldiers of yore
irises in bloom
winning entries in an ikebana competition
unexpected beauty
a shrine like any other
calling on the gods
talismans
But then there was the Yusukan War Memorial Museum, featuring exhibits that celebrate Japan's military achievements, a touchy topic no doubt for other Asians.
a locomotive from the infamous Death Railway
an explanation that made no mention of how the POWs had little choice in the fate ahead of them
Japanese artillery
the pride and joy of the Japanese - the zero fighter plane
Other than that, the shrine seemed innocuous enough. Almost.
almost idyllic
you have to wonder what he's singing about
Irei no Izumi (Soul-Comforting Spring), dedicated to those who have suffered from or died of thirst in battle
We emerged from the past straight into the future.
Tokyo University of Science
HM wanted to accost this oshiare young man
By this time, we had refined our game plan: to visit neighbourhoods that we had never been to before. Next up on the itinerary - Jimbocho aka Book Town. HM was all a-twitter about this. She had the anime, R.O.D. ("Read or Die"), in mind.
Jimbocho was a Japanese bookworm's dream come true. For that matter, it was a pleasure to be surrounded by so many books.
alleyways filled with bookstores
stacks upon stacks
something naughty
for film buffs
books, books...
... and more books
visual kei posters!
hopefully not a dying trade
There were plenty of inexpensive places for a quick lunch, no doubt appealing to the many academics who roam the neighbourhood.
Thai food? Maybe not...
a soba shop - our first for the trip
your friendly neighbourhood noodle shop
We had...
duck soba
soba with pork and egg
From Jimbocho, it was a quick ride to Akihabara aka Otaku City.
at the heart of Akihabara
We found the electronics shops but where were the maid cafes and comics shops we had heard so much about? Either they were in another part of the neighbourhood or were simply less visible from street level. Anyway, we spent some time in Yodobashi Camera, exploring the seven floors of merchandise that would warm any geek's heart. We even bought a laptop bag. We finally left with that overly catchy Yodobashi jingle ringing in our ears... "Yodobashi Camera!" (sung to the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic"). No wonder - it was played incessantly over the sound system, ad nauseum.
From there, we resumed our whirlwind tour of Tokyo, but not before picking up a snack from this place:
literally, Glutinous Rice Street
on the train, we marvelled at how polite everyone was
From the slightly seedy to the posh, from the decidedly local to the cosmopolitan, we went from Akihabara to Roppongi...
Roppongi Hills Mori Tower
a sprawling complex
... and were promptly smothered by the monotony of international brand sameness. It was the peripheral entertainment options that we were engaged by.
art in the park
whimsical touches
even the lift was not spared
There were great views to be had, from the viewing gallery:
Tokyo at a glance
bird's eye view
hey, an outdoor swimming pool
We were endlessly fascinated by the cemeteries:
very neat, very orderly, very Japanese
very small, also very Japanese
Another highlight was the Mori Art Museum.
the exhibition that was on then
Finally, we sat ourselves down...
outdoor seating area
... and put our feet up (well, not literally) for a while.
the tako onigiri we had bought earlier
We washed our onigiri down with a Starbucks coffee and then could not resist checking out L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon aka Joel Robuchon Light hehe.
nicely posh
a chi chi version of the humble croque monsieur or ham and egg sandwich
I surprised HM with some of these
our verdict: Pierre Hermes pwn-ed Joel Robuchon
one last look at Roppongi
In the end, we retreated to one of our happy places, Shibuya, where we couldn't get enough of the quirky and the trendy.
one of our favourite stores selling everything and anything
tempting - multifunctional pouches
face masks galore
When it came to dinner time, youth-oriented Shibuya offered lots of fast food choices. We couldn't remember where the Freshness Burger outlet was and anyway it was drizzling, but there was always...
good ol' Maccas
and creme de la creme of Japanese fast food barring Freshness Burger
Tough choice? Not...
this particular outlet had a 'fine dining' concept
check out the fanta melon drink!
a cross between a jambalaya & a minestrone soup
hambagga
cheezubagga
even the placemats were different
As we were leaving Mosburger, we spotted this across the road.
ooh...
We had to have some so across the road and through the drizzle we dashed.
one of the bigger outlets, we would imagine
made fresh
It was closing for the day but there were still people queuing so we joined the queue and bought a little something before heading "home" to pack and rest for the flight home.
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