Tokyo 8/16-17/23. Days 2 and 3

Slept well night 1 - not a big surprise since had been up for about 30 hours and not so well night 2 because I was coughing all night. Days 2 and 3 in Tokyo rather meld together. Where I first thought three nights in Tokyo would be a bit of a waste, it has been good since I have contracted a sinus infection and need some time for this to clear out. It also gives time for my body to adjust and to understand the transportation system better.

From the itinerary: today and tomorrow are days in Tokyo. Japan is known for its elaborately designed and lovingly detailed parks and gardens. A basic idea is to represent all kinds of landscapes in miniature. Visit the Rikugien, which is considered the most beautiful landscape garden in Tokyo and was created around the year 1700. A particularly tranquil oasis in the midst of the hectic metropolis is Shinjuku Gyoen: a huge garden similar to New York's Central Park, set amid skyscrapers and incorporating diverse garden styles from different countries.

On the next day, maybe visit Yanaka Ginza for a feeling of the old Showa times, and visit Nezu Shrine and Ueno Park, which are not far away.

Both mornings I started with a Japanese style breakfast. The only difference was the second morning I got champagne with it. Breakfast included miso soup, cold green tea, iced coffee, a bowl of rice, and an assortment of cold fish, pickles, beans, tofu, with some heated beef in broth - a sort of sukiyaki.

Weather Wednesday was hot, humid with some showers - was 80 with 70% humidity and felt like 100, assorting to my weather app. The weather Thursday was hot, humid and sunny - 95 degrees, but felt like 106.

After breakfast Tuesday, I was off to the Tokyo National Museum in Ueno Park. A short, direct metro ride. I've been to this museum several times and always enjoy seeing the kimonos, Samurai armour and swords. Since I read a book on Japanese history before coming, I could better position the eras when the items were made.

In back of the museum is a wonderful garden. I was able to sit and enjoy the breeze, cicadas, and grey heron.

The Museum is situated in Ueno Park, along with a number of other museums. It was too hot to do much walking around and it started to drizzle. I was hoping that would cool things off, but it just made it worse.

I wanted to go to 2 other history museums that were closed, so had to think of something else to do.

Since I had been in Tokyo several times, I thought I would go somewhere different and went out to a recommended shopping street called Sunamachi Ginza. According to TripAdvisor:

Rub shoulders with the locals while sampling tasty street food. Filled with tempting smells and plenty of family-run businesses, this 670-meter long shopping street, Sunamachi Ginza Shopping District, is a convivial spot to experience Tokyo's less high tech side. Warm up with some of the piping hot pot called oden, or nibble on chicken skewers from the popular yakitori stall. Prices are wallet-friendly, as most snacks cost around 100 yen. Besides food, you will also find quaint shops selling cute kitchenware, paper goods and other little treasures. Although some distance from Nishi-ojima Station, it is worth the trek to experience a slower, more local way of life in the city.

Perhaps that was pre-COVID because now it is a dump with not many restaurants and shops that are very much like the Japanese equivalent of dollar stores, when they are open at all. OK - a disappointment.

My next stop was the origami "museum" - I was forwarded this was really more like a display, but I got the opportunity to try riding local buses which I need for later in my trip. The 28 bus was fine - clean and on time. Just me and all the really old and infirm.

I had a nice surprise when I got off. The stop was right next to the Japanese Sword Museum. This museum was established in 1968 and, in affiliation with the Nixon Bijutsu Token Hoxton Kkyokai (whatever that is), its aim is to preserve and exhibit Japanese swords, and to educate the public on sword related culture. The museum houses a wide variety of Japanese swords, sword mountings, armies, and many other related objects and documents. It had on display the Tachi Nobuyoshi sword which is a national treasure of Japan, along with other award winning blades. I learned a lot about the ancient techniques of sword making in my hour in the museum.

The Origami Museum was about half a mile away, so I walked over next to the river. It was, indeed, more like a display. There were some very pretty examples of origami and I was quite tempted to buy some of the paper to try my hand, but decided I could probably get it via Amazon....

And I saw this building when I crossed the river on the way back. It looked like it should be in Dubai...

On the way back on the metro there was an interesting advert- not sure that's the best naming convention for a burger, but maybe it was done on purpose?

Then it was back to my favorite Senso-ji temple and shopping street where I bought more rice crackers, green tea mochi with black bean filling, and green tea ice cream.

This evening I took a private sauna/bath (like I needed another after being in the heat all day). My lat on my left side had been in spasm all day and I had problems breathing, so wanted to try some heat to loosen it. Between some light yoga, the sauna and aspirin it finally loosened. I was hoping google translate would work a bit better than it did and had to wing it a bit on what to do and when. They had a small fridge with lemon water to rehydrate, but other than that was a typical sauna with a zero gravity chair for rest between sauna sessions.

And todays toilet video:)

Thursday was more of the same around Tokyo, but today's theme was flowers and gardens. I started by making a trek out to the OTA wholesale flower market - they have 3 sessions each day focused first on wholesale fish, then wholesale vegetables, and finally flowers. By the time I got there at 11 all the action was finished and the warehouse was pretty much empty, so another disappointment. Also, it turns out you have to stay in an elevated observation platform, so not sure how interesting it would have been observing the action. It probably would have smelled nice...

From there I went to see two city parks: the Shinjuku Gyoen and Rikugien.

Shinjuku Gyoen is a National Garden. It was constructed on the site of a private mansion belonging to a “daimyo” (feudal lord) Naito, at the Edo era (1591). The government-managed agricultural experiment station was established in 1872, and after that it became imperial estate, completed in 1906 as an imperial garden. It developed as a palace garden for international diplomacy, re-designated as a national garden after the World War Ⅱ and opened to the public. I could envisage great ladies walking along the paths and green houses and along the expanse of lawn. They had a beautiful rose garden - no burnet roses, but they did have a bunny rose (The one rose bush below where you can't read the tag)

Above are some pretty flowers, mostly orchids in the green house and the ruins of one of the original greenhouses. They even had a Starbucks, but I went, instead, to the local refreshment place and bunny/I had an iced coffee.

The Rikugien garden is another old and established garden. According to them, it is often considered Tokyo's most beautiful Japanese landscape gardenalongside Koishikawa Korakuen. Built around 1700for the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, Rikugien literally means "six poems garden" and reproduces in miniature 88 scenes from famous poems. The garden is a good example of an Edo Periodstrolling garden and features a large central pond surrounded by man-made hills and forested areas, all connected by a network of trails.

It was beautiful, but 106 is a bit too hot to really enjoy it and I think we came here in 2015.

So time to return to the hotel. Strangely, I saw the colonel along the way

Then back to my favorite Senso-Ji temple and my favorite noodle restaurant which was open this time! Udon noodles (cold) and tempura (hot😝)

I also bought some food for the train journey tomorrow - another green tea ice cream, more rice crackers and some rice sweet treats.

Thinking it might be cooler in the evening (it wasn't), I waited until about 6pm to go to Yanaka Ginza.

It was a rather unique area, with an atmosphere of the 1950s/60s - 2 floor houses and a variety of shops and restaurants. The vintage street lights helped with the illusion. That said, not really much to see or buy there.

So back I went to the hotel. My return route took me, can you guess? via the Senso-ji temple which was wonderful because it was all lite and quiet without the crowds. They also light the TV tower at night. Here are some picks.

Back for a final bath and clothes washing before bed....

Also, as promised, the evil night hissing toilet