Japan – Tokyo & Hakone

There are plenty of fish in the sea…or at least there were until last night when apparently they were all caught and delivered to Tsujiki Market.  Wandering between the hundreds of vendor stalls was like SCUBA diving above ground.  For every potentially-delicious display of product, there was one bizarre or frightening to match it.  Tuna was the main attraction, in all stages of processing–giant whole fish with slices cut out to verify quality, huge chunks of meat being sliced on table saws, hollowed out carcases and heads discarded in piles.

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Having arrived early to Tsujiki, I stopped for a sushi breakfast in a tiny 12-stool counter/diner in the market.  After I finished my 10-piece platter (featuring sea urchine and caviar), the sushi chef smiled and said to me “You broosoodus.”  Not sure if this was English or Japanese, I smiled back and gave a baffled shrug.  He tried again, “Broo Soodus.  You look-a-like.”  Still clueless, I shook my head in mild embarrassment.  “You don’t know?” he asked–“Movie star.”  “Ah,” I finally understood, “I look like Bruce Willis.  Okay.”

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After breakfast, I made my way to the Senso-ji Buddhist temple.  After asking the buddhas of Wisdom and Mercy for their blessings, I visited the temple shrine and the several small structures and gardens on its premises.  The gates leading to the temple are very ornate and beautiful and have giant hanging lanterns in their doorways.  The temple itself has a cauldron of burning incense in front, which is said to bring good health to visitors.

Buddhas of Wisdom and Mercy, Senso-ji Temple

Senso-ji Temple gate and pagoda

That evening, I hung out in Shibuya, home of one of Tokyo’s famous scramble intersections where hundreds of people multi-merge, glowing under the mist of neon sparks and the echoes of shimmering pop music.  I selected a noodle house at which to have dinner, placed my order at the automated kiosk outside, inserted the requisite yen, and was greeted upon crossing the threshold by a hostess who pointed me to a seat at the counter.  Each time a customer would arrive or depart, the chefs would sing hellos and goodbyes in whiny, nasally, syllable-stretching, rising intonation mock voices, like Steve Urkel asking “Did I do thaaat?”  I think it’s a traditional show of respect.

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Next day I walked south from my hotel in Shinjuku to Yoyogi Park, a beautiful swath of woodlands with a wide gravel path.  It was peaceful on a Tuesday afternoon, and the chirping cicadas and my crunching footsteps drowned out all the city noise.  At the center of the park is the Meji-jingu Shinto shrine, dedicated to a former emperor of Japan and his wife.  Within the shrine, beneath a magnificent tree, one can inscribe prayers on the backs of small blessing cards for priests to convey to the deities in their daily ceremonies.

Yoyogi Park

Prayers being written at Meji-jingu Shrine

In the afternoon I hung out in Shimokitazawa, a hip neighborhood west of Shibuya.  It had a small-town feel about it; hardly any automobile traffic, no skyscrapers, and rows of bicycles left unlocked.  The area around the metro station was surrounded by boutiques, restaurants, cafes, and bars.  It seemed like it would make an awesome place to live.

Shimokitazawa

In the evening, I went out in Shinjuku.  After grabbing a couple of beef tongue skewers at a yakitori house, I walked over to the district known as Golden Gai.  It is a few alleys crammed with dozens of tiny bars.  Think of a 1/8 scale model of 6th Street in Austin.  Each place has an apartment-sized bar, a dorm-sized fridge, and about 8 bar stools; and there’s no room for anything else except the decorations on the walls.  Fascinating concept.

I took a bullet train from Tokyo to Hakone to spend a couple of days in the Japanese countryside near Mt. Fuji.  I made a reservation to stay at a ‘Ryokan’ (traditional Japanese guest house) and checked in early that afternoon.  My room had tatami (straw mat) flooring, a table with 10-inch legs, and a chair with no legs at all.  ‘Where’s the bed’ you might wonder?  In the evening, a ryokan attendant moves the table and lays out a futon with a pillow and blanket for you.  Behind the ryokan was a pretty river that created atmospheric water sounds all the time.

My bullet train arrives at Tokyo Station

My ryokan room at Hakone Suimeisou

This particular ryokan had a couple of traditional features I was excited about: (1) onsen (hot springs baths) at the hotel and (2) Japanese-style breakfast served in your room.  Visiting the onsen (like many things in Japan) has a ritual and etiquette to be followed.  First, you get into your yakuta (Japanese robe) and wooden sandals.  I’m not usually a robe guy, but these Japanese hotels are getting me into the habit.  Then, you go down to the bath area.  You leave your clothes in a basket in the locker room and then go into the bathing room.  There, you take a shower while sitting on a small stool.  Then, you get into the (incredibly hot) natural thermal waters and look out over the river.  It’s a fine ritual.

The breakfast delivered to my room was certainly not bacon and eggs.  Well, there was a soft-boiled egg, but also a whole grilled fish, tofu, sashimi, pickled vegetables, daikon, and a fish nugget popsicle (that may be a loose translation).  As I was eating the daikon, I wondered ‘which part is the daikon–the mashed part at the bottom or the shavings on top?’  Then I thought, ‘it can’t be the shavings on top, those have blue highlights.’  Then I thought ‘what vegetable has blue highlights?’  Then I looked closer and realized I was eating dozens of tiny whole white fish with blue eyes.  Momentarily aghast, I decided ‘it’s still good’ and finished them up.

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While in Hakone, I bought a pass that allows you use of all modes of transportation in the region.  With that I made the circuit of lovely nearby sights, such as the Open Air Sculpture Museum (which I would rate as the best museum experience of my trip), Hakone-jinja Shrine, Lake Ashi, Owakudani volcanic sulfur springs, the Old Cedar Highway, Lake Ashi, and Gora Park via train, bus, ferry, funicular, and cable-car.  At one point I was corralled by a couple of eager teenagers who asked me to record a video message for one of their friends (which I obliged) and then took pictures of each other with me.  Rare and exotic white man!

Hakone Open Air Sculpture Museum

Hakone Open Air Sculpture Museum

“Happy Animal Party” exhibit by Hung Yi at Hakone Open Air Sculpture Museum

Fountains at Hakone-jinja Shrine

Old Cedar Highway

Ferry across Lake Ashi

Owakudani Volcanic Sulfur Springs

Gora Park

Well, there’s just enough time for one more visit to the onsen, then one more giant breakfast tomorrow and another bullet train to Kyoto.  Japan is quickly becoming my favorite countries to visit.

Just when I thought I’d never again have a cool haircut…maybe?