Life in Japan

One of the most popular shopping areas in Tokyo is the Ginza.

Outer Moat of the Imperial Palace

My favorite place in Tokyo to ride my bike most days is around the Imperial Palace grounds. It is a great ride to get there and then the ride arund the inner moat is 5km. I like riding here because the only people using the path are runners and cyclists. Everyone adheres to the “keep to the left unless passing” rule. (Yes, in Japan we drive on the left). This is unique because on any other sidewalk in the city there is no adhering to the rule. People walk wherever they want and drift back and forth across the sidewalk. This makes walking difficult and cycling would be hazardous. The very reason my favorite time is between 5 and 6:30 am.

Plates

Well…maybe a few places…like Singapore.  I have noticed the set up before, but have never stopped to make a purchase.  There is a restaurant on the Hiroo shopping street named Plates.  Every afternoon they set up a small table holding a plastic crate filled with bags of rolls, usually long sandwich buns, ciabatta, or croissants.  Next to the crate is a coffee can with a hole punched in its plastic lid and on an easel nearby is a cardboard sign with a marker drawn roll and the price, 300 yen.  You put your money in the can, choose your rolls and put them in a plastic shopping bag hanging from the table.  In many cities the coffee can and the crate of bread would be stolen in minutes. I’m so glad I get to live in such a safe place

Today I went with Alyssa and the girls to the Edo Tokyo Museum and Asakusa.

Kabuki display

Asakusa Shopping Street

Yes, there are Denny’s in Tokyo, they serve Japanese food. We opted for Tempura. Yum!

Our friends, Alyssa, Emsley, and Chelsea are here visiting us. Today we took them to Meiji Shrine, as always on Saturday, we saw a wedding party. As always a Japanese man came up and told us at 1:00 we would see a wedding procession. I think that they book weddings on the hour or every half hour.

There is a chain of craft stores in Tokyo called Yuzawaya. I was disappointed a few months ago when I discovered that the location I always go to was closing. There are several small branches, but they don’t even compare to the huge store I have always gone to in Kichijoji. Today I went to the flagship location in Kamata. The problem with the Kamata location is that the store is housed in several buildings spread over a few blocks. I was worried that I would not be able to find the building that had what I was looking for. I came out of the station and headed towards the first Yuzawaya sign I saw. Then out of the corner of my eye I noticed another one that was closer and decided to start there. It was the building I needed to find the blue and white gingham I need for the Dorothy dress I am making. I walked around the station area and decided to explore the other Yuzawaya buildings on a cooler day. Here are the photos I took:

Sun Road

Fruit and vegetable stand

Debby and Alison Gibbs are here on their way to Singapore and Malaysia so we took in Harajuku and a saw a few weddings going on at Meiji Shrine.

At Meiji Shrine

The wedding party

The Procession

Harajuku