On the super high speed Shinkansen train, Nozomi, to Kyoto. It leaves every ten minutes! Where are our US bullet trains leaving every 10 minutes?
To pass Mt. Fuji soon.
Spent 2 days in Tokyo staying near The Imperial Palace. Tokyo feels a bit like NYC in another dimension: beautiful, big, clean, efficient, world-class everything - except everyone is Asian and you feel illiterate because reading is a non-option. Of course, we weren’t exactly exploring the city’s underbelly. And no jeans. I think I saw 1 person in jeans in 2 days. And the color is black - very serious stylishly dress. Denim is not the new black here. And neither is brown. Nothing is the new black, because black is not out. And I could not resist snagging a new, down, hooded, long, puffy-coat (whatever they’re called). All the rage.
We took in Asakusa where Old Edo was and the Sensoji Temple. Its awesome market streets were full tiny restaurants, yummy, unidentifiable treat vendors (we had some semi-sweet green tea battered puffs), and stalls full of everything from the chopstick hawker to the Old Man Seaweed Specialist. In front of temple entrances were giant, intoxicating, incense offering braziers. I always feel at home in Buddhist cultures. The offerings of incense, cleansing smudging, taking of holy water, coin offerings tossed over clangy metal bars to awaken spirits - all are completely natural to me. Feels very grounded, connected…
We took a boat ride down the river to the feudal hunting grounds of the Shogun family, Hamarikyu Gardens - a large park full of ancient, expertly pruned conifers (some enormous with wooden supports for their branches), and unbelievably aged wisteria...Gianormous crows swooped, cawing their conversations...D said they were the spirits of the Shogun. I liked that. A lot. Autumn remnants of Japanese maples and other deciduous trees: impossibly fiery red, pumpkin orange, almost hot pink...
Dinner atop the hotel overlooking the lit city and its brightly colored electro signs. Freakishly fresh Asian-Euro fusion…. indescribable tuna tartar, scallop ceviche, mystery fish. Kooky, pimpadelic, lava lampish decor.
Then a walk through the sparkling, uber-shopping district, Ginza. Dizzying spaceship-like convention center; karaoke bars stories high; rows and rows of tiny bars and restaurants tip-top full of people and built-squeezed end-to-end-under the expressway overpass.
Even though I only know a couple of Japanese words and cannot possibly read the language, communication is a non-issue. Actually much easier even than in France where I know plenty French. A little scary navigating the ---
Just passed Mt Fuji, OMG. Amazing. Amazing. Beautiful. Beautiful. Breathtaking. Breathtaking.
--- Tokyo train station with few transliterated signs and 10min to board the train. Whoosh to Kyoto!
TMI alert.
I am a total germaphobe and LOVED the public restrooms where you squat! Very clean and I think we need to get these and do away with the yucky ones we have in the US replete with the recorded sound of running water in the curved door stalls...
And so far, narry a tourist in sight! Weather: sunny, chilly.
