TOKYO

23rd - 25th Oct 2019

Tokyo Underground map.

Train from Hiroshima to Tokyo via a change in Osaka. I arrived at Tokyo Main (centre-east of the city) at 7.10pm and booked into the APA Kodemmacho Ekimae hotel, which was rather more expensive than the other APA hotels I had used, probably just because it is in Tokyo and approaching the weekend of the World Cup Rugby final. It is near the Kodemmacho underground station not far to the north of the railway station. I used the underground system (above) with one change at Ginza to get there, and it is not as complicated as it looks...just follow the well signposted coloured lines. Not much time to do anything that evening apart from investigating one of the little bars in the area. Some are very small and if all the seats are taken they won't let you in!

I only had one full day in the vast metropolis of Tokyo so decided to visit the Imperial Palace. This is walking distance just to the west of the Main railway station (frontage left).

Well, what a performance that was! I was told I had to be there 30 minutes before the escorted (no solo wandering allowed) tour started at 12.30pm. There is a limit of 300 for each tour. 300! I got there at 11.45 and there was a long queue forming (no seats) along the edge of the square outside (right). At 12.30 an official came down the line and handed us registration forms to fill in and to check our passports. At 1.00pm  we filed past a desk where our passports were checked again (fortunately I had brought mine with me). 

......and then led across a bridge into a large reception room with desks and chairs (left). We sat and waited, and waited. There is a souvenir shop selling all kinds of expensive tat.  Eventually a series of 'hosts' gave briefings in Japanese, Spanish and English...some of which was intelligible.

The tour was to last about 1¼ hours.

At long last we (the English speaking group) were led outside and introduced to our charming lady guide (right). She spoke English, I think, but very quickly and with such a heavy accent that, frankly, she might as well have been speaking Martian.

We were shown the fortified (ex-Imperial) guardhouse at the entrance. This was designed to confuse attackers by looking the same all the way around (I think is what she said). Can't quite see how that worked as it was at the corner of the tall walls, but hey ho. She also pointed out some inscriptions in the wall which were imposible to see.

We were then shown an 'administrative' building (right), the significance of which rather escaped me.

Then on to stand outside what I took to be a large maintanence shed (left) next to an open concrete area. It was here, we were told, that three days ago they had carried out the 'Coronation parade' of the new Emperor (Naruhito) when 600 (I think) foreign dignitaries had been present.

......but no, this building is the Palace! I think it must rate as being the most singularly unimpressive Palace in the world, by 1000 Japanese miles! We were not alowed inside it, or any other building for that matter.

Right: The 'statue' of a pine cone in the corner of the square. The pine cone signifies 'strong character' in Japan.

Left: A 'nijo' bird statuette on the roof. Nijo birds are also significant for some reason but I was rather losing interest by this stage.

Right: The 'Spectacles Bridge' over the moat. So called because, when (or if) the sun is shining from the correct angle, it looks like a pair of spectacles with the reflections in the water. It is considered one of the three most significant bridges in Japan. Doesn't say much for the rest!

Left: The roof of one of the guardhouses which has birdy, or maybe dragon, statues at each end. Forgotten what they are called, but are common on lots of Japanese buildings and have some significance or other. As far as I could see it was just another popular resting place for pigeons.

Right: Another, final, view of the 'Palace'. I wondered who designed this? I note that there is a website called 'shoddyhomes.com' and suspect they might have had a hand in it.

We bid a fond farewell to our guide with a bit of bowing and finished the tour at 2.45pm. To be honest, it was not terribly impressive. At least it was free! Perhaps I could have used the 3 hours more productively.

There are some impressive gardens surrounding the Palace but not enough time for me to see them.

Then on by the Japanese Rail (JR) Internal Circle line, separate to the Underground but free to those with JR Railcards, to the Shibuya district in the west of the city. This is a busy and trendy area of Town and has a famous landmark; the 'Shibuya Crossing' also known as the 'Pedestrian Scramble'. The Shibuya Underground/Rail station is a complete maze of passageways and levels but, with the help of a local, I managed to find my way out in the right direction. Left:: The crossings with traffic halted.




Right: The pedestrian crossings. A poor photo taken from an upstairs window of a Starbucks café opposite. Better ones on the Internet I'm sure.

As per all Japanese road crossings the pedestrians are remarkably disciplined. The traffic stops and then thousands (I'm told thousands) of people cross in orderly fashion, almost in ranks, from 10 directions over 5 crossings.

I had intended to go to visit the famous Senso-ji temple, Tokyo's most visited  Buddhist shrine (with a golden image of Kannon...see Kyoto) which was quite nearby but time was pressing and I would have got lost having to use the Shibuya station again and I'm not that fanatical about visiting temples anyway. So I took the easy way out and found a JR Circle line to the Shinjuku/Kabukicho district (north of Shibuya). This is the really trendy part of town with bright lights and clubs, pubs and restaurants (left).

I was tempted to go into the 'Robot Restaurant' here (right) which advertised a show and robot served dinner. It looked fun, but the price was extortionate (¥7000) so I resisted. Instead I wandered around looking for an interesting restaurant (it was now 7.00pm) and after consulting my trusty guide book got lost again.

Left: A weird looking hotel with a 'Godzilla' theme which seems popular around here. I am told Godzilla was a protector of Japan but haven't a clue why.

So I ended up in another Oirish (British) Bear...and had a delicious meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes and veg plus a pint of Kilkenny beer. I'm afraid I never got the hang, or taste, of Japanese cuisine. I don't like sushi things, raw fish or boiled white unknown vegetables. Call me unadventurous, but I know what I like. Sorry Bernie, no Pie 'n Mash which would have been quite acceptable, but it doesn't seem to have caught on here yet.

Left: Inside the British Pub in Kabukicho district. Replay rugby on the TV.

Back to Kodemmacho and a late call in at a local little bar, the Eclipse. This proved amusing because there was a very sociable barman and a couple of Japanese businessmen in who spoke some English. One of the businessmen had worked in Edinburgh at some stage. We exchanged interesting experiences and I was generously presented with a bottle of saké plus a traditional wooden saké drinking vessel as a gift. Very kind of them. They are, on the whole, a very polite and decent people. I was impressed.

Not half enough time to see many of the myriad sights in Tokyo, but at least I got a feeling for the place. It is a vast city of 23 million people and innumerable places to visit.  Definitely worth another visit.

That was my very limited experience of the city. Got to catch the 'plane back to UK tomorrow.