Tokyo, Japan 12/03-08/2016
Travel Schedule:
Outbound : DEN – NRT Thursday December 3
UA447 DEN-LAX
UA32 LAX-NRT
Hotel in Tokyo:
Tokyo Marriott Hotel 12/4-8
Airport Transfer: Narita – Shinagawa
N’EX Airport Express
Inbound: NRT – DEN Tuesday December 8
UA33 NRT-LAX
UA470 LAX-DEN
Observations:
This was the second of my “post-retirement” trips. I last visited Japan, other than transfers from NRT, in December of 1976 in support of a musical act. We toured through Tokyo, Nagoya, Yokosuka Naval Base and Osaka. Much of the sightseeing & walking about was minimal, so got a surface experience. An almost 40 year anniversary, actually get into and see Tokyo visit seemed appropriate. I was curious about the Tsukiji Fish Market and their 5:30AM Tuna auction. Big Tuna flown in frozen from all over the world each day up for bid and headed to the stomachs of this Sushi loving nation. I had memories of the Aikhabara Electronics District. 40 years ago it was a successful undertaking of mine one spare morning to navigate from the Tokyo Prince Hotel to the Akihabara district in search of a Nakamichi “portable” 550 cassette player/recorder. There were many electronic retail stores with devices for sale as well as numerous electronic parts stores and musical instrument stores, but the area was not easy to navigate and what was available was overpriced with sparse inventories. I ended buying the Nakamichi near the Ginza. I would have to re-visit the Akihabara area to see how it had evolved. Many interesting Buddhist Temples, Museums, Parks, Districts, etc. to flesh out my three day, four night visit. Proved to be a very interesting walkabout.
December 3-4, 2015
Flying the 787 Dreamliner up the coast then cut hard left near Eureka heading out over the North Pacific for Tokyo 10hrs + away. Service is excellent, lay back, ground speed 596mph. Arrive Narita (NRT) on Friday the 4th at 3:31PM. Immigration is quick, picture & fingerprints, retrieve bag, customs and out the door headed to find the N’EX train into Tokyo. Down two levels to JR East Ticket office, 4000 yen RT , had no cash for the Suica Card so will get later. Magnetic ticket gets me through the turnstile, one level down to N’EX platform. Reserved seats, 2X2, sitting by the window as the sun starts to set. Headed for Shinagawa Station one stop past Tokyo Station, arrive at 5:27PM take the Central Gate west exit- Takanawa. Walk up hill about 15min and check in to the Tokyo Marriott.
Saturday December 5
Great breakfast then down the escalator to the ATM in the Convenience Store and supplied with yen I walked down the hill to Shinagawa Station. Found the Suica Card machine loaded it with some yen and got on the Yamanote line ultimate destination Senso-ji Temple for the start of the walkabout. Yamanote to Shimbashi then A line to Asakusa head towards exits A4-A5 where A4 is the exit. Walk through some shopping arcades and narrow streets to the long shop crowded approach to the Temple.
Headed out to the west, destination Ueno Park, wandering through the neighborhoods as I go. Beautiful day in the park. Tulips in the fountains and trees hanging on to their fall colors. Giant Starbucks facing a vendor market in front of the Tokyo National Museum. The museum website said they had Hokusai Prints but none to be found except for reproductions in the gift store.
Returned to the Ueno Station location and checked out the Ameyoko Market which heads south under and around the metro lines. Busy not cheap and no bargaining however broad selection of clothing and goods with some food. I don’t know the value of goods in Tokyo yet so can not comment on the prices however interesting walk. Took the train to Akihabara District for a look. Memories from 40yrs ago are somewhat incomplete as to path and specific store locations but there is a newer trend, Schoolgirl and Anime. Few electronic components, no musical instrument and some audio devices. Large department stores such as Laox offer a large selection of electronics, however the smaller independent vendors have gone. The time change between Denver & Tokyo (15hrs. ahead) is catching up so head in for the night. 11 miles + walkabout.
Sunday, December 6
Meiji Shrine. Yamanote line to Harajuku Station. Right out of exit and right to bridge over to the park. A right takes you to a gravel pathway winding down through Torii gates to the Imperial Temple. Pathway passes through a forest of signing birds colorful trees with leaves still on display laughing ravens and a blue sky above the canopy of tall trees.
The 1964 Olympics were held in Tokyo and Yoyogi Park housed the main stadium. South of entrance to Temple pathway.
Heading to Shinjuku on the Yamanote Line. Very busy station and I head west to find a spot to get my bearings. Starbucks with wifi a few blocks away works well. A great sunny weather day and I sit outside and get on the wifi. West Shinjuku. Interesting high rise architecture in an otherwise sterile and quiet business district. Heading to the free observatory at the Tokyo Metropolitan Building #1. The courtyard had a kids push bike contest underway while western style nude statues looked on. The 49th floor provides a good overview even on this somewhat hazy cloudy day. Mt Fuji through the haze, still impressive.
Headed back and through Shinjuku Station heading to East Shinjuku. The east side is an endless jumble of pachinko karaoke bars sex massage noise crowds scammers bright neon and huge video screens. Brief walk around checking out the action and looking for Dubliners Pub, to no avail. Loop back to the station and head for Hammamatsucho.
Headed for Tokyo Tower from the south gate, in hindsight it would have been a more direct route exiting out the central exit. Route leads through temple gates and into Shiba Park which boarders the Tokyo Tower on the east. Pass the Tokyo Prince Hotel where I stayed in 1976. The tower was completed in 1958 as a taller copy of the Eiffel Tower. Timing not good for a trip to the top so hang out in the park, trees in their autumn leaves and signing birds. Nicely isolated, then jump back into the moving mass and head out for Tokyo Station.
Monday December 7
My plans to get to the Tsukiji market by 5 AM and get in line to watch the Tuna Action were incomplete and also a victim of the time change. The trains stop running around midnight and I hadn’t come up with plan B. I catch the A train from Shinagawa and change to the E line at Daimon. 2 stops to Tsukijishijo. Exit A1 for the fish market, go left then left at the corner and you are at Tsukiji Market. A notice by the entrance indicates the Tuna Auction is closed to visitors until sometime in January. Very busy area with large sheds full of vendors and fish. I wander around, but it’s already 10 AM and most of the business of selling and buying has died down for the day and the market was in a clean up get ready for tomorrow phase. Along the perimeter near the entrances where vendor stands and sushi restaurants with long lines of hungry customers. I make some pottery and tea purchases and get in the shortest line I can find and about 20 minutes later I am seated at a counter with hot tea and have ordered the Nami Sushi Plate with Miso Soup. Another 10 minutes and I have some great food in front of me which is quickly devoured. So fresh and so good and well worth the wait in line. 945 Yen later I am out the door and headed to the Ginza.
Definite uptick on the style and dress of the folks on the Harumi-Dori. Interesting architecture and wide streets with high end brands. Kabuki Theater, Wako Department Store and the Sony Showroom with multi levels of the current Sony offerings. I borrowed an air blower in the camera section to clean my camera sensor. Passed the Tokyo version of the Parisian Printemps and walked through the very interesting Tokyo International Building on my way to the Imperial Park.
My Imperial Palace Grounds experience was not as expected. The police were out in force herding the tourists along prescribed routes designated with cones and barriers into the park and past the Imperial Palace and Nijubashi bridge. It looked like the park was ready for a marathon start with the cones and mazes. Very slow going and once past the Palace the parade continued through a security check before getting herded along presumably to see the rest of the grounds. I bailed out at the security check and headed towards the Tokyo Station. Don’t know what was going on that day as none of that had been in place the day before. I checked the news later and didn’t see anything so maybe this is normal??
Tuesday December 8
Travel day and need to catch the Narita Express #33 at 2:40pm so lots of time for one more walkabout. Confirm a late checkout then walk to Shinagawa Station. Head to Skytree stop on the A line to checkout the Tower then train from there across the Sumida River to Akasuka to check out the river scene and re-visit Senso-ji Temple. Ginza line to Ueno Park and a visit to the Royal Museum to see the Weston Collection of prints depicting Geisha life in early Edo (Tokyo). Yamanote Line back to Shinagawa, finish packing and back to Shinagawa where I confirm a seat on the #33 N’EX train. All good through Narita to LAX and then back to Denver. Leave Tokyo on Tuesday afternoon and arrive Denver Tuesday afternoon thanks to the 15hr time differential.
Summary:
Time went too fast on this trip, I can see more visits through Tokyo into more of Japan. Even in the big city the mood was upbeat and polite. The transportation system is fast efficient and initially takes sometime to find the different lines, I latched on to the Yamanote Line as my go to choice as I planned the daily walkabout. The Shinagawa Station has multiple possibilities dependent upon destination. I spent around $60 usd in fares during my 4 day stay which includes the N’EX Airport Train RT. The yen was approx 116 yen per $1 usd. I was surprised how temperate Tokyo was with flowers everywhere and trees still holding their leaves in brilliant color. My flights were generally on time and I got where I wanted to go. The short time duration of my trips creates a conflict with when & where to go vs the time change that leaves me upside down somewhat. I didn’t get out much in the evening and averaged 10 miles per day of walking. My style is to walk as much as possible. I can get around Tokyo, looking forward to returning. Would like to see the Tuna Auction at Tsukiji.
References:
I did my planning through multiple websites including air & hotel. For guidebooks I used the following:
Tokyo, Eyewitness Travel
Top 10 Tokyo, Stephan Mansfield, Eyewitness Travel
Jay Geiss - Walkabout 