Michael Powell's Blog, page 85
May 29, 2014
Ameyoko Shopping Street
On the eastern side of Ueno Park, in the streets around and underneath the elevated tracks of the train station, you’ll find the Ameyoko Shopping Street: a great place to come when you’re in the market for… well, anything. Fish, veggies, shoes, leather jackets, discrete lady-companions, clothing, souvenirs and luggage are just a sample of what’s on offer.
Ameyoko is an especially fun place for those who enjoy being crushed half to death. When we visited on a Saturday evening, the density of th...
May 27, 2014
Other Sights in Kawagoe
We spent the morning admiring Kawagoe’s Edo-style kura-zukuri buildings, and visiting the museums found along its main street. It had been tiring, but after a long lunch, we felt rested enough to continue exploring the city.
Our first stop of the afternoon was at Candy Shop Lane, where we sampled the famous treats of Kawagoe. This city’s candy production kept Tokyo’s sweet-tooth satisfied during the years after the great 1923 earthquake. There are fewer shops today, but a good number still sel...
A Trip to Kawagoe
Found an hour to the northwest of Tokyo, Kawagoe is one of the more popular excursions from the capital. It’s known as “Little Edo” because of the distinctive kura-zukuri buildings which once lined the streets of the capital and now only survive in Kawagoe. There’s a lot to do here, and we spent an entire day seeing the sights.
Our day began with a train ride from Ikebukuro to Kawagoe Station, followed a 20-minute walk to reach the historic center of town. At first, it had felt like any other...
May 26, 2014
A Trip to the Kabuki-Za Theater
Japan’s most famous cultural offering, Kabuki, is not an art form designed to suit Western tastes. The performances can last all day long. The acting, done exclusively by men, is second-fiddle to the make-up and costumes. Monologues can go on interminably. The music is strange and the dialogue is recited in exaggeratedly affected, chiming voices. There is no earthly reason why Jürgen and I should have enjoyed it. But we did.
Kabuki emerged in the 1600s, and was originally performed entirely by...
Zojo-ji and the Shiba Garden
Hiding in the shadow of the Tokyo Tower, the temple of Zojo-ji was once among the grandest in Japan. This was the favored place of worship for the Tokugawa shoguns, and is today the resting place for many of them. We visited the temple on Buddha’s birthday and, afterwards, took time to check out the nearby Shiba Detached Palace Garden.
The fact that we were visiting the Zojo-ji on Buddha’s birthday was a coincidence. (Until Buddha accepts my friend request on Facebook, I can’t be expected to r...
May 21, 2014
The Tokyo Tower and the World Trade Center
Although it’s been unseated from its position as Japan’s tallest structure (and looks positively Lilliputian in comparison to the new champion, Oshiage’s SkyTree), the Tokyo Tower remains a popular tourist attraction. Modeled on the Eiffel Tower, and painted bright orange, the tower has been a part of the cityscape since 1958.
Our reaction to the Tokyo Tower is a mixed bag. Yes, it’s a shameless copy of the Eiffel Tower, and doesn’t come close to matching the original’s fame or grandeur, but t...
May 18, 2014
Atago Hill and the NHK Broadcast Museum
There was a time when one could see the entirety of Tokyo, or Edo as it was known then, from atop Atago Hill. Today, the view is obscured by a wall of skyscrapers, but climbing the steep hill is still worth the effort, thanks to the presence of the Atago Shrine and the adjacent NHK Broadcast Museum.
I’m not a religious person in any way, and generally regard organized religion as I regard a phenomenon like Pokemon or cross-dressing. Interesting, and I’m fine with people being into it, but it’s...
May 15, 2014
Japanese Baseball and the Yakult Swallows
Sumo wrestling might be the country’s most traditional sport and soccer is gaining ground every year, but Japan’s sporting obsession has long been baseball. An American professor introduced baseball in 1872, and Japan had established a professional league by 1920. I always love a trip to the ballpark, and convinced Jürgen to visit the Meiji Jingu Stadium for a match between the Yakult Swallows and the Hanshin Tigers.
In Japanese baseball, the strike zone, field and ball are slightly smaller, a...
Dinner Behind Bars at Alcatraz E.R.
It’s safe to say we’ve never dined in an atmosphere remotely similar to that of Shibuya’s Alcatraz E.R. The name says it all: this theme restaurant is meant to emulate the experience of eating inside the blood-spattered emergency room of a high-security prison. (Have I mentioned that Tokyo is a little strange?)
Theme restaurants are all the rage in Tokyo, and you can find ones dedicated to ninjas, vampires, Alice in Wonderland, robots, maids and butlers. Or the emergency rooms of prisons. We h...
The Parasitological Museum of Meguro
It’s not the best place to take a date, nor would you want to visit after eating a large meal, but Meguro’s Parasitological Museum makes a wonderful excursion for when you… I mean, it’s fun if you’re in the mood for… Or, it’s interesting for those who… You know, I’m drawing a blank. I can’t think of a single non-creepy reason to visit the Parasaitological Museum. Unless you’re a professional parasitologist. (Even then, the fact that this is your profession is creepy. Like, what happened durin...
