How much does that whale meat cost?

Whale meat for sale at Tsukiji fish market

Though commercial whaling has been banned since 1986,  we discovered whale meat for sale at Tokyo's central fish market.  It looked pretty fresh to us and we assume it was haul from one of Japan's notorious "research" whaling programs in the Antarctic Ocean.  In 2010, Australia brought a lawsuit claiming Japan's "scientific research" whaling program was just a cover for commercial hunting. The International Court of Justice agreed, and a couple days after our sighting of fresh whale meat,  The Japan Times reported that Japan would cease their whaling program, though they were "deeply disappointed" by the ruling.

Japan: the land of vending machines

Vending machine in train station in Kyoto

What is the ratio of vending machines to Japanese citizens?  I think it's 1:1.  You can't turn around without bumping into one.  By week's end, I was smitten with these ubiquitous machines. As you put in your money, selections that match your price point light up.  And everything is color coded.  In the machine Samuel is using, the cold drinks have blue buttons, the hot drinks have red buttons. So thoughtful.

But how do they card you? 

Sure, you've got your cold and hot drinks in the same machine, but you've also got bento boxes, ice cream, and beer.  Yep, beer.  See photographic proof above.

Samuel tries his luck at a Gachapon machine

A subspecies of the vending machine is the Gachapon machine, which dispenses a seemingly unlimited variety of toys, figurines, and good luck charms.  For a mere Y200 - Y500 ($2-5) you too can own a manga geegaw.  You don't know what you're going to get when you turn the knob, and you definitely know you don't need whatever it is, but you can't help yourself.    

Another subspecies of the vending machine (not pictured) is what I call the Ramen order-o-rama.  After paying and selecting your desired ramen noodles from the Ramen order machine, you take your ticket to the adjacent restaurant, sit at the counter, and with usual Japanese efficiency, you are speedily presented with your hot bowl of noodles, exactly as ordered.  Take that McDonald's.

World's tallest tower - Tokyo Skytree

The old and new side by side.  Senjo-ji and SkyTree Tower

We went from old to new in the Asakusa district of Tokyo.  First we visited Tokyo's oldest temple, Senjo-ji, then a short walk away, Tokyo's newest attraction, the Tokyo SkyTree.

Crossing the Sumida River to SkyTree Tower.

At 634m, the Tokyo Skytree was certified as the tallest tower in the world by Guinness World Records in 2011, and opened to the public in 2012.  After standing in line for a long time (word to the wise, buy your tickets online), we were whisked up to the Tembo Deck on the 350th floor at breakneck speed.   

Base of the SkyTree tower.

At the Tembo deck you can join hundreds of others circling the floor taking in the view.  The clouds prevented us from seeing Mt. Fuji, but we got a gander of all of densely-packed Tokyo.  Benjamin and Samuel continued up to the smaller Tembo Galleria deck, at Floor 450.  Samuel described it as feeling like "the top of the world."   

Senso-ji temple

Approaching Senso-ji temple grounds via Nakamise-dori street

Our guidebooks warned us that the Senso-ji complex was always busy, and they were right.  The Senso-ji temples are located in the northeast section of Tokyo in the Asakusa district, which has been a thriving hub of Japanese culture since the 14th century.  On this warm April day, the road leading to the temple complex was jammed with pilgrims and tourists.  On the right are shops selling woodblock prints, kimonos, sweets and Godzilla toys.   (You are probably wondering if we ever saw the real Godzilla while in Tokyo, and the answer is no.  Not even a footprint.)

The massive main temple hall is just behind me.  Senso-ji is the oldest and most important temple in Tokyo. This Buddhist temple was founded in 645 C.E. and has been rebuilt over the centuries.  It was leveled by bombs during WWII, so what you are seeing is a reconstruction, but you wouldn't know it to look at it.

Samuel reads his fortune.

For a donation of Y100 ($1) you can get your very own omikuji (fortune).  Insert your coin, then extract a wooden dowel from the silver canister.  The dowel has a Kanji symbol on it that corresponds to one of hundreds of drawers.  Find your drawer, and pull out your fortune.  Samuel had "Regular Fortune" No. 45, which in fractured English informed him that a "satisfactory income" and a coach and horse were in his reach. Better yet, if he was a strong warrior, he could "control the whole country by just one arrow." An auspicious fortune indeed.  

Interior of main hall.  Pilgrims place coins in the large urn.  

The weird wonderfulness of Akihabara

AKB at 9 p.m.at night

After the ancient art of Kabuki, we decided to round out our Japanese experience with a visit to the Akihabara (AKB) district of Tokyo, a weird wonderful mix of manga, arcades, and electronics.  Manga are Japanese comics and cartoons, and it's big business.  We wondered into the first manga shop we saw off the JR train station. It was seven floors of manga books and merchandise, including comic themed snacks.  I was thinking of buying one of these snacks, but the line for the cashier was practically out the door. The store was filled to the brim with well, geeks.

Benjamin surrounded by 100% Manga

AKB is also home to the AKB48, an all girl group, and "MaidDreamin," a chain of restaurants with waitresses dressed as maids who serve food in the shape of bunnies and other cute creatures.  The restaurants had a few maids stand on the street handing out brochures.  They looked very cold.  

Another billboard clad building in AKB.  Note the advertisement for girl group AKB 48. 

  

The Monkey and the Quiver - Kabuki-za theater

Kabuki-za theater, Ginza district, Tokyo

Today we saw a Japanese Kabuki play first performed in 1838.  It involves a monkey, a monkey trainer, a lady, and the lady's footman. An arrow and quiver also play a prominent role in this one act play, because the lady wishes to have the monkey's skin for a quiver cover.  But all ends well because the monkey is too cute to kill, and the lady falls in love with not only her footman but the monkey trainer too. The whole plot is here, along with some nice illustrations.

Kabuki plays can last three hours, so we did what our guidebook suggested, and just saw one act. If you see a single act, you sit in the very top rows of theater. But the view is still excellent, and the cost, at Y800 ($8) is very reasonable. We also rented audio headphones so we could follow the story in English. And while I thought we'd be surrounded by tourists, the opposite was the case.  Kabuki theater is very popular with the locals, even if you have to stand in the very back.  (Yes, our performance was standing room only at the back of the theater and we felt lucky to get a seat.)

One of several murals in front of the Kabuki-za theater

Kabuki actors are always male. It is a profession that is passed down from father to son.  And in fact, in the play we saw today, a father and son were acting together on the stage. Of course, all the female roles are played by men, and some of the Kabuki players specialize in female parts.  The stage is bright, but stark. The entire focus in on the actors, who are as colorful as peacocks. During the performance, the audience would shout out the family names of the actors.  It was all very entertaining.  

The salmon that ended up being an eel

We do a lot of pointing at pictures when we order our meals in Japan.  Benjamin thought he had pointed to "grilled salmon belly," but he had actually pointed to "grilled sea eel".  So the eel arrived, looking decidedly unsalmony.  But there has to be a first time for everything, and so we ate some eel.  I'm pleased to report it is quite tasty, especially with a little added salt.

grilled sea eel with shredded cucumber

World's largest fish market - Tsjukiji Central Fish Market

Today we saw a lot of fish (and octupi and squid and eel and unidentified shellfish).  We headed out to the world's largest fish market at the edge of the Ginza district.  With the line up starting at 4:30 a.m., we couldn't muster up the energy to get up early enough to see the tuna auction.  We opted for the more civilized hour of 10 a.m. to view stall after stall of sea life.  By the time we got there, the fishmongers were already starting to pack up, but we still saw a lot of interesting creatures.  It turns out you can get a good size octupus for a mere 1,600 yen ($16).

Groceries at the Department Store

Takashimaya Times Square

Veggies I am not familiar with

Fruit at designer prices

Our hotel is in the Shinjuku district of Tokyo, which is primarily a high rise business district. But there is also a department store across the street that appears to sell everything that you could ever need, except maybe an automobile.  It's called Takashimaya Times Square, and it's like a mall, without well, the mall. The building is a block long with 14 floors.  Several stores coexist inside, including UniQlo (think the Japanese Gap), and Tokyu Hands (a little like Target).  And then in the basement is gourmet heaven.  On one end is a pricey grocery store, and on the other end are a series of even pricier gourmet specialty shops, like Godiva.  The most surreal shops for me were the high-end fruit vendors. Two perfect musk melons can be yours for a mere Y23,760.  At the current exchange rate, that's about $237.00.  And no, that's not a misprint.  

Imperial Palace East Gardens

In the midst of modern Tokyo lies the Imperial Palace gardens. This is one of several gates into the public East Gardens, which opened in 1968.  What you can't see is the moat just beyond the gate, which had one lone swan and lots of catfish. We strolled through the grounds, which were in full cherry blossom bloom. The East Gardens also happen to contain the ruins of a 17th Century Edo Castle, and several shogun guardhouses.  It is incredibly quiet and peaceful.

We read in the local paper that a portion of the private royal grounds had been opened to the public for cherry blossom season, and that 30,000 people showed up. We missed all that fun. But we did spot some royalty. Or at least, the royal carriage.  See the picture below for proof.

  

The Art of Tenugui

Wisteria design on left; firefly design on right. 

My Tokyo colleague gave me the most beautiful gift last night - the two Tenugui cloths pictured in detail above. Tenugui is a piece of dyed cotton cloth that was once used in Shinto rituals, as far back as AD 794. Cloth was so precious back then that very few owned Tenugui.  That changed in the Edo period (1592-1868) when cotton began being cultivated in Japan and everyone could own Tenugui.  The cloths became so widespread and popular that design contests were held and a new dyeing technique, Chusen, was developed, that is still used today.

I looked at a chart for the process of Chusen and while I don't fully understand it, I can tell you that it involves long narrow bolts of fine cotton fabric, paper stencils, a fabric roller, lots of starch, and a compressor.  There is no "wrong side" for Tenugui, as the dyes are applied from both sides. The finished cloth is about 34 cm by 90 cm  (about 13" x 35") with finished edges and unfinished ends.  The helpful brochure that came with the cloth said that I can use my Tenugui  any way I choose ("people have free minds of how to use Tenugai").  That could include as a "wiping tool", a dishcloth, a book wrap, a napkin (offered to important guests), a covering cloth, interior decoration (wall hanging), and "seasonal greetings."   Many designs are seasonal in nature.  The cloth pictured on the right is a Summer season design, with flowers and fireflies. I plan on using my Tenugui as wall hangings, as they are too beautiful not to display.

Note: The Tenugui from my colleague came from Kamawanu Co., Ltd., a very popular provider of Tenugui in Tokyo.    

Have bento box, will travel

The perfect train meal

Today we left Osaka and traveled to Tokyo aboard the express train Hikari shinkansen.  But first we dashed into one of the many express food shops that fill every large train station. There are even shops on the train platforms themselves.  While we were not quite sure what was in this bento box, our taste buds were not disappointed.  Everything was delicious.  In fact, everything I've had to eat in Japan so far has been exceptionally good.  Our trip took three hours with a few brief stops.  We just let the countryside roll on past us. Much to our delight, we had a spectacular view of Mt. Fuji, which I attempted to capture on film, though shinkansen trains travel at 150-200 mph.

And I couldn't help myself when I saw this children's sticker book all about the bullet trains of Japan.  I just had to have one.  Based on shape and color, we rode the 50000 VSE series. See the front cover below.

 
 

Toyota plant tour

Today was car day, but we made the trip there by train.  Four trains actually, plus a little walking. But we finally made it to the Toyota plant tour in Toyota City.  Here's the gang in front of the Toyota Kaiken Museum, where the tour started.  We were invited to tour the museum first, which included the current line up of Toyota cars, all shined and sparkling.

As an added bonus, the museum features a trumpet-playing robot who performs a very decent rendition of "Somewhere over the Rainbow." Shortly after the song, we noticed a celebrity in our midst.  The Rev. Jesse Jackson arrived with a delegation to talk about increased minority participation in Toyota factories and as suppliers.  You can see the photo op being organized below.

Can you spot Rev. Jesse Jackson? 

 So, after that bit of excitement, the tour group boarded a bus and were whisked off to the Motomachi plant, one of twelve Toyota plants in Japan (there are 52 plants worldwide).  At this point, we were informed we couldn't take food, cameras or cell phones on the tour with us.  So no more pictures folks. I can tell you that this particular plant can produce over one hundred cars a day, operating with two shifts of workers each day. If my memory serves me correctly, there are 1400 employees at the plant, though only 135 are women (hmm...maybe Jesse Jackson should say something about that too.).  We started with the non-human staff first, watching a long line of robots welding car parts together, as if in some kind of synchronized dance. There were even robots vacuuming up welding dust.  Robots perform more than 90% of all welding required. We then moved on to the assembly line, which is operated by humans.  The cars roll slowly by on huge conveyor belts while Toyota workers add this part and that part with stunning efficiency. If there is a problem, a worker has a duty to stop the line and fix it before production resumes. It is all part of a highly developed production system that has been emulated all over the world.    

The tour is free, but does require reservations. .    

Kyoto streets

Gojo-zaka street, leading up to Kiyomizu-dera Temple

Kimono-clad ladies at the top of  Gojo-zaka street

It was a busy weekend for temple-hopping in Kyoto.  The crowds were out in force despite some drizzles. Shops selling beautiful traditional crafts, including fans, ceramics and fabrics, were interspersed with candy shops and food vendors, including a stand that sold whole speared cucumbers marinating in pickle juice. At only 100 Yen ($1), the cucumber sticks were absolutely delicious.

Ben and Samuel in Ishibei-koji street

Shimbashi-dori street, fully lit

Our Lonely Planet guide directed us to two streets in our walks that it claimed were the "most beautiful street in Kyoto" (that would be Ishibei-koji) and "arguably, the most beautiful street in all of Asia" (that would be Shimbashi-dori).  Ishibei-koji was a street we almost missed, tucked off of one of the many pedestrian-only streets in Kyoto.  Ishibei-koji is more of a winding alley that leads to residences and a traditional Japanese hotel.  Ben and Sam stand right near the hotel.  Later that evening, we walked down Shimbashi in the Gion district (often referred to as "Geisha district").  It was brightly lit and jam packed with visitors raising cameras to the spectacular cherry blossoms overhead. The street was ringed with upmarket restaurants and shops. Not having seen every street in Asia, I can't say whether it was the most beautiful, but it certainly took my breath away.      

 

Spring in Kyoto

Kimono clad women at Kiyomizu-dera temple

Shrine adjacent to Kiyomizu-dera temple

If we could just take away the modern crowds and concentrate on the traditionally garbed tourists to Kyoto temples, we would be transported back four hundred years.  By chance I captured a few such kimono-clad visitors separated from the crowd.  (And for those spoil sports who might notice the 21st-century camera in the second picture, just keep that to yourself.)

Kiyomizu-dera Temple - Kyoto

Kiyomizu-dera has amazing views of Kyoto

Incense burns on the main hall veranda

Benjamin and Samuel drink from the "Sound of Feathers" waterfall

Today we explored Kyoto and visited one of the most famous temples in this city of temples.  The Kiyomizu-dera temple was founded in 780, with the current buildings constructed in 1633.  The huge veranda of the main temple swarmed with pilgrims and sightseers, the air filled with incense.  Benjamin and Samuel used long-handled silver cups to drink from the falls immediately below the temple.  The water supposedly grants you health, longevity and academic success.

Conveyor belt sushi

Squilla sushi

We had experienced conveyor belt sushi in the states, but we were delighted to find the real thing in Osaka. For those not familiar with the procedure, the diner sits and the food circles slowly about you on a conveyor belt, while gentle classical music wafts in the background.  You grab a desired plate from the belt as it moves past.  How does American conveyor belt sushi different from the Japanese?  Well, for one thing, we don't have "squilla" in the states (top photo).  It seems to be in the prawn family, but it's purple.  There was also "yuba." That was a new one for us too. When we had eaten our fill, we signaled the wait staff to add up all our plates.  There is a tracker on the bottom of each plate and our waitress simply swiped an electronic device over our plates to add up our bill.

Cherry blossoms

This is a picture of people taking pictures. And why not?  It's cherry blossom season in Japan. Locals were out in full force at the Osaka-jo Park this weekend with cell phone cameras in hand.  The park has an astonishing 4,500 cherry trees and 1,250 Japanese plum trees.  If I understood the plaque correctly, the trees in this photo were grown from seeds that had been contained in a time capsule.  Perhaps that's why the blossoms were of particular interest.  The trees were next to another time capsule, to be opened in 5,000 years.  Now, that's insanely optimistic or just plain audacious. I can't decide. But I hope there are still plenty of cherry blossoms when the time comes.

Osaka Castle

Sengan-yagura Turret

After sleeping in and enjoying an udon/tempura lunch, we headed off to Osaka-jo Park, a 270 acre, four hundred year old complex of castles, moats, turrets and 4,500 cherry trees.  An older Japanese lady from the Osaka Volunteer Guide Council greeted us in English, handed us a brochure, and urged us to tour the grounds "in order."  We're not sure we did that, but we do feel guilty if we didn't.  Here I am in front of the oldest surviving structure, a turret designed to protect the Otemon (main) gate.  The stone walls you see behind me are just as old, built between 1620 and 1629. 

Benjamin points at massive stones in Masugata Square

Osaka-jo has been built and rebuilt for 400 plus years.  One thing that hasn't moved are the massive stones used to build some of the walls. That stands to reason, as the largest weighs 108 tons.  Here Benjamin points in the general direction of two additional massive stones, imported from Okayama.  We're just outside the inner gate here, which was cleverly designed to trap anyone that had managed to get past the main gate.  Now what seemed like all of Osaka was flowing through this gate unimpeded, enjoying the cherry blossoms and a balmy weekend day. 

Ice cream break in front of the Main Tower

The most magnificent structure in the whole park is the Main Tower, originally built in 1626 before it burned down in 1665. The good news is that the present main tower was reconstructed in 1931, financed by donations from the citizens of Osaka.  I've read that it's mostly concrete, but it sure looks authentic to me.  Housed inside is a museum honoring the first castle builder, and feudal warlord, Hideyoshi Toyotomi.  He was born poor, the son of a farmer, and according to my Fodor's guidebook, was referred to as Mr. Monkey because he was "small and uncomely."  That didn't stop him from being the first warlord to unite all of Japan and end decades of civil war.