Tokyo Diary

People who live in Tokyo become very attached to this place. We noticed this in some of the western students we met there and we heard that it is equally true of the locals. The reasons are far too complex than we could figure out in a visit of few days. What we did notice was that every district of the city we visited had a distinctive character. In each place broad boulevards would give way to very narrow streets or mazes of alleys. These had a different feel in each place. In Ueno (where we stayed) known for its famous park and museums, the alleys contained a bustling street bazaar of little shops and tiny restaurants. In the district near the famous Tsukiji fish market, there were also many smaller places to shop for food, for kitchen supplies or eat breakfast at a food stall. In the upscale Aoyama district, the small streets were lined with cafes and trendy shops. Right next door in Harajuku, they were entirely different again catering to the pop culture favored by youth. In Ginza, the small streets were a refuge from the standardized glitz of a central shopping district. In each place, they provided a sense of intimacy, of manageability and of personality.   

People are well-dressed in Tokyo and the population is older. They are exceedingly polite and were always happy to help us even with the language barrier. Sign language, the use of maps with Japanese names included, and words like: arigato, (thank you) konichiwa, (hello) sumimasen (excuse me), and hai (yes) and a lot of bowing and smiling all worked well. We mostly used the public transportation as well as the occasional taxi to get to our destinations.

Our hosts at Tokyo and Kyoto Universities were very gracious and generous. Our favorite dinner was the one given by Tokyo University after Bob’s talk. It was in a small but very elegant restaurant in a private room. There were many courses –each better than the next. Apart from the food, the presentation and china was just very exquisite. There is so much art in simple everyday objects and practices.

Sayonara!

Kyoto Naseem and Tokyo Bob

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