Japan Day 4: Finding Unexpected Places

I'm getting behind in this blog. Turns out spending all day sightseeing doesn't leave a lot of time for writing about it.

I went walking on my last full day in Tokyo. I walked past the National Diet Building, centre of Japan's government and also featured in many movies as the target of Godzilla's wrath. Apparently Godzilla is big in Japan, with quite a cult following.  Godzilla will feature later today but for the moment all was quiet at the National Diet Building apart from a long line of schoolchildren in identical yellow caps, marching side by side into the building no doubt to learn about their country's government.

No Godzilla here.

The Chidorigafuchi Parkway took me north beside the Hanzomon moat around the Imperial Palace and gardens. Spring hadn't quite made it to Tokyo: the trees along the parkway were still in bud and an army of municipal workers was busy setting up infrastructure for the thousands of tourists who would pour into Tokyo and walk through the tunnel of blossoms along the greenway.

The rowboats are for hire to take romantic paddles along the moat, surrounded by blossoms. I get the sense that everyone is just waiting for the blossoms to officially bloom and put the cold winter behind them.

Every pole had a spotlight. It must be quite a show when the flowers are lit up at night.

There's always one getting in early.

Just at the end of the parkway I found Meile Cafe, which was less of a Cafe than a chance for a fellow to show off his collection of antiques with tea and scones thrown in. How could I resist? There was a small matter of communication but pointing solved that problem and I enjoyed my slightly japanified Devonshire tea on dainty antique china.

Just around the corner I stumbled apon the Yasukini-jinja Shrine, founded by Emperor Meiji in June 1869 to commemorate those who died in service for Japan.

The shrine contains names of almost 2.5 million men including one thousand war criminals of whom 12 were charged with class A crimes. Their inclusion was not without controversy in Japan and led to the last two emperors refusing to visit the shrine. Not having any Imperial reputation to uphold I wandered around the shrine and gardens, marvelling at the size of the trees from which the gateposts were made.

And the doorposts.

There was also a military museum adjacent to the shrine so I looked at that too.

History from the other side: memorial to the kamikaze pilot.

Leaving the shrine behind, I wandered up and down the main street of Kagurazaka, lined with tiny shops selling vegetables, second-hand kimonos, and all sorts of things.  I found a park full of exuberant children and watched a group of women in full kimono dress pose for photos beside an almost-blossoming cherry tree.

A shop dedicated to bonsai.

More kimonos.

Then I added a little bit of panic to my day by catching the wrong train, but it all worked out in the end and I found myself in Shinjuyu which was quite the opposite of Kagarazaka. Shinjuku was loud and crowded, brash and somewhat seedy.  In a culture of conformity those who dressed to be noticed (and I don't mean in kimonos) obviously came to Shinjuku, as did those who wished to be entertained: karaoke bars jostled for attention with pinball parlours and clubs displayed huge banners advertising girls with no clothing and tragically photoshopped faces. 

Above it all loomed Godzilla, roaring electronically at regular intervals, and producing puffs of artificial smoke.  Tourists gathered below and took photos. Yes, I was one of them.

I planned to escape the hubbub with a walk back through the Shinjuku Gyoen National Gardens but alas, my impeccable garden timing continued and I arrived just as the gates shut at 4pm.

So I took myself home instead and packed my bags for tomorrow's adventures.

I finally tried the complimentary drink in my little fridge. It was tomato juice. I cannot fathom the depths of depravity necessary to consider providing tomato juice as a complimentary drink. Or any drink for that matter. And I like tomatoes but some things are just plain wrong.