It is hard to know where to begin. Tokyo had proven to be a city of extreme contrasts. Not in terms of wealth or diversity, as I might think of in the US, but in terms of capitalism and tradition. An example: yesterday we stumbled upon KiddyLand, a six-story high toy store filled to the brim with kitsh. Tiny umbrellas topped with teddy bears, bobble-headed Pokemon figurines, cell phone charms of all types (some that would dwarf a cell phone), remote-controlled stuffed animals, Hello Kitty paraphernalia galore, the list goes on. Most amusing to us was a set of water bottles for kids with random English phrases: `Gibbon is friend with banana` and Deer in the wood. The deer was humming a little air to herself.` Then, after walking not more than half a mile up the road, we came to Meiji Jingu, a beautiful wooden Shinto temple complex in the middle of a large patch of woods in central Tokyo. It was one of the most peaceful places I have ever been. Today our wanderings took us to the Tokyo fish market, which is the largest in the world. We narrowly avoided being run down by motorized mini-fish carts as we searched for the market amidst warehouses. Hopefully the pictures that we will soon be posting will help to convey the chaotic order (an oxymoron normally, but not here) that prevailed. Interestingly, since the fish were so fresh, we really could`t smell them, or at least not the stinky seafood smell one would generally expect. We definitely saw more varieties of edible marine life there than I have ever seen before.
A few random urbanist observations: The underground here is privatized. Subway lines are owned by different companies. While the subway network is vast, it seems that you have to pay each time you transfer between lines with different owners. I`m not sure yet what I think of this. Tokyo is also quite clean, possibly the cleanest city I have ever been in (though I`ve been told that other Japanese cities are even cleaner!). Much of the city has been rebuilt in the last century, after an earthquake before WWII, and then after the city was fire-bombed during the war. Apparently, though, the American military included several Japanese history buffs, so the most historic parts of the city were spared from the bombs.
Next we are off to Nanja Town, an indoor high tech amusement park. We are actually going to people-watch rather than partake. The live-action scavenger hunt promises to be good.
Ta-ta for now,
Julie
Posted by julescti 
