Wednesday, November 30, 2005

On my way to Kyoto a spectacular view

Today was pretty much spent on travelling to Kyoto from Utsunamiya via Tokyo. It was about 4 hours on the Shinkantsen (Bullet Train) and I felt pretty much wiped out.

"Blink and you could MISS it"
I was reading my guidebook and I looked up just in time to catch Mt. Fuji. What a spectical! Actually you can see Mt Fuji for a few minutes while the train goes by at 300 km/hour but damn if you can take a nice picture without polls sticking out or wires hanging down to block your view. I think I managed to get a good "shot" though.

Arrived in time for checking in at the traditional Japanese Inn (or Ryokan) where I will be staying for 4 nights. I have booked a walking tour with the Good Samaritan group, volunteers who take you around Kyoto for free; you just pay for their entrances fees to museums and their meal. Pretty cool eh?

Mt Fuji


Mt Fuji
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Picture taken on Shinkantsen (bullet train)

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Nikko


Nikko
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Shinkyo Sacred Bridge

Nikko


Nikko
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Detail of Three Monkey

Nikko


Nikko
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Inside Toshogu Shrine complex

Nikko


Nikko
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Gate keeper

Nikko


Nikko
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Leaving Futurasan temple

Nikko - World Heritage Site

The second reason for my stopover in Utsunamiya is that it's also near Nikko, a beautiful shrine complex set in the mountains.

I took the 7 am train -- Nikko is about 50 minutes away -- accompanied by students and reverse commuters, in order to beat the crowds. This is a holy place and there were thousands of visitors although 99% were Japanese.

This was the first day I wore my coat. The mountain air was quite chilly.

The shrine buildings are all painted red, the buddhas are in gold, and there are numerous imaginery and real animals, gods, painted on ceilings or represented in sculptures. It is possible to see all of these quite closely, but the holy shrines are off limits to photography and smokers.

There is a sacred horse who visits the 3 Monkeys shrine daily. This is the shrine that has the "See no evil, hear no evil and tell no evil" sculpture. There is a temple with a roaring draggon on the ceiling and the monk demonstrated how it roars with wooden blocks creating an echo.

Half of my pictures of Nikko are of Nature because the comlex is set in the woods. The tall evergreen trees are sublime, the maple were all red leafed, and there are brooks, and pebbles and all sorts of vistas.

It was a sunny day which made it even better.

Back in Utsunamiya, I booked my Shinkantsen for Kyoto, and I finally managed to find an internet caffe near the university town... Sayanora babies

Monday, November 28, 2005

Mashiko Gallery


Mashiko Gallery
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
pottery displayed in gallery

Mashiko Gallery


Mashiko Gallery
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
pottery displayed in gallery

Mashiko - Monday

On Monday morning, left Tokyo station by Shinkantsen (Bullet Train) to go to the Northern city of Utsunamiya; it took about an hour at 300/km per hour to get here. This is YUBA country, in other words, rolled tofu.

The reasons for my stopover are two: the first is Mashiko, the small pottery town made famous by Shoji Hamada and Bernard Leach in the first half of the 20th century. My first ceramics prof, Susan Peterson, wrote a book about Hamada. I got to see some of Hamada's works, some of the climbing kilns in Hamada's complex (the whole town smells of kilns burning) and went through several galleries of new and old styled pieces.

Taking the bus to Mashiko means learning a few Japanese idiograms as the bus does NOT have any Roman characters on it nor the bus driver understand any English. As a matter of fact, very few people in Utsunamiya speak English, not even the clerk at the internet cafe :-)

Many of my pictures of Mashiko are ceramic wares. My first purchase in Japan is my small bottle from this town. It's a high fire reduction piece fired in a wood kiln. It has a small thumb mark.

After a long journey up and down the galleries in Mashiko, I took the bus back to Utsunamiya watching the sun set.

Dinner was near the hotel, in a small restaurant row, where I had oden and spoke with the owner; somehow we managed to communicate. She was kind enough to offer me some sake.

Sunday, November 27, 2005

Departure from Tokyo to North

As I head out to take the Shinkantsen (Bullet Train) to Otsunamiya, I leave you with these words to look up as HOMEWORK. I will try to get back online and update from that fair city and tell you all about MASHIKO, the pottery town and Nikko (see the UNESCO list).

Look:

Ginza
Gyoza
Geisha

And leave a comment. Those who get three out of three correctly, get a small gift from Japan.

Imperial grounds - Tokyo


Imperial grounds - Tokyo
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.

Around Imperial grounds - Tokyo


Imperial grounds - Tokyo
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.

Tokyo - Second Day

This day was concentrated on the Central Part of town, starting by arrival at Tokyo Central station to reserve my Bullet Train ticket for Monday, a visit to the Central Post office which is open 24/7 for some stamps, then walking in the grounds surrounding the Imperial Palace ( a new structure from the sixties, which cannot be seen). Must say I've caught more Sun and Fall colours here than in NYC this year.

In the afternoon, after lunch visited MoMAT, the National museum of Modern Japanese and International Art.

Lunch was at the Dutch restaurant in the Museum! Very different from my eating noodles every night. But no problem, it's been fun.

Watched some more Sumo on TV while resting my feet. It's pretty catchy must say.

I am quite beat today so will keep a low profile for tonight and have dinner in Ikeburuko. Still dealing with a bit with jetlag.

Saturday, November 26, 2005

Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo


Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.

Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo


Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Couple looking at pond in Shinjuku's Park

Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo


Shinjuku Gyoen, Tokyo
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Couple walking in Shinjuku's Park, experiencing Fall's Colours

Some basics about Tokyo

Things you can avoid:
Crowds, noise pollution and smokers
People here are not LOUD. The crowds are heavy at times in the subways even on week-ends but there are times when the human traffic subsides. Smokers tend to stick to the Smoker's section.

Things you see a LOT of:
Christmas decorations/promotions and sales! Machines that sell drinks; people text messaging or taking pictures with their camera phones; food (noodle shops, restaurants etc...) Clean public bathrooms.

Things people asked me about:
Mike: yes, there are overweight people here other than Sumo wrestlers
Siroui: I'll let you know if I get gropped in the subway (yikes!)
Patricia: Ratus norvegus #14 has also landed in Japan. The pidgeons too :-(

Tokyo - first day of tourism

On Saturday - woke up at 4am to watch a little Sumo. Was able to fall back asleep and woke up again at 7am to get breakfast in the neighborhood. For about Y 300, had a raw egg, with rice and pickles. I had to pay the machine again, just like dinner last night, except today no English help, hence the raw egg.

In the morning, took JR train to Ueno part of Tokyo and discovered my first of many Starbucks. Ueno Park has many beautiful public pathways, some shrines, and several museums. I visited the Tokyo National Museum for an overview of Japanese art: lacquer ware, pottery, swords, mandalas, calligraphy and military attire.

Lunch was at the museum's Restaurant Accord.

Back on the Yamanote line to Shinjuku section of Tokyo, where I was finally able to buy an international pre-paid calling card at the famous TAKASHIMAYA store. Called my parents and then proceeded to the spectacular Shinjuku-Gyoen park. This is a serene environment, and since it's only Fall here, people are out on their Saturday walk enjoying the grounds with ponds, gardens and wild birds all over.

In Shinjuku, did some more exploration to finally find an internet caffe.

Tokyo_Ueno Park


Ueno Park
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Ueno Park Kiyomizu Kannon_do shrine

Tokyo _Ueno Park


Tokyo _Ueno Park
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Toshogu Shrine

Tokyo Pagoda


Tokyo Pagoda
Originally uploaded by nycpotter.
Pagoda in Ueno Park

Friday, November 25, 2005

Flight and arrival in Narita - Tokyo

The flight started at 8am on Thanksgiving day. Landed in St. Paul MN for a couple of hours, then onto a 747 to Narita-Tokyo's new airport, landing at 4:30pm on Friday. Tokyo is about 13 hours ahead of EST.

I exchanged my 2 weeks train pass for a JR PASSPORT and started using it right away. After an hour and a half on the Narita Express, disembarked in the NW neighborhood of IKEBURUKO, and thanks to a stranger, managed to find my hotel.

As many of you know, there are no street signs here. Maps are pretty good, but even the best of them are difficult to decipher at first.

My hotel room is small, but very modern. I have to tell everyone about my bathroom; it is amazing, but will have to be described in person.

My first meal was a ramen soup in the vicinity of the hotel. I left my coat at the hotel, as the weather is mild here. The noodle shops here require that you pay upfront via a machine, get a ticket, and the staff orders for you. Very interesting.

And since I hadn't slept in a day and a half, had to crash immediately.

Friday, November 11, 2005

UNESCO World Heritage Sites for Japan

Japan
http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?CID=31&l=EN

Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area (1993)
Himeji-jo (1993)
Shirakami-Sanchi (1993)
Yakushima (1993)
Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) (1994) **
Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama (1995)
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (1996) **
Itsukushima (aka Mayajima) Shinto Shrine (1996) **
Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara (1998)
Shrines and Temples of Nikko (1999) **
Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (2000)
Sacred Sites and Pilgrimage Routes in the Kii Mountain Range (2004)
Shiretoko (2005)

Wednesday, November 09, 2005

Itinerary in Japan

Arrival Tokyo November 25th, through the 27th.
Staying at: GRAND CITY IKEBUKURO
Address: 1-30-7 HIGASHI IKEBUKURO, TOSHIMA-KU TOKYO Phone: 03-3984-5121

Utsunamiya Nov 28th and 29th (with side trips to Mashiko and Nikko)
Staying at: UTSUNOMIYA WASHINGTON HTL
Address: 4-11 HON-CHO UTSUNOMIYA-SHI TOCHIGI Phone: 028-621-3111

Kyoto: Nov 30-December 3rd
Staying at: MATSUBAYA RYOKAN
Address: NISHI-IRU HIGASHINOTOUIN
KAMIJUZUMACHI-DORI
SHIMOKYO-KU KYOTO
Phone: 075-351-4268 $FONE 075-351-3727

Otsu: Dec 4th and 5th (with side trips to Shigaraki and Lake Biwa)
Staying at: OTSU SHANPIA HTL
Address: 1-1-1 OSAKA, OTSU-SHI SHIGA
Phone: 07-7527-6711

Hiroshima: Dec 6th and 7th
Staying at: NEW HIRODEN HTL
Address: 14-9 OHSUGA-CHO MINAMI-KU
HIROSHIMA-SHI HIROSHIMA
Phone: 082-263-3456

Tokyo Dec 8th and 9th.
Staying at: GINZA CAPITOL HTL
Address: 2-1-4 TSUKIJI
CHUO-KU TOKYO
Phone: 03-3543-8211

Flight back from Tokyo-Narita on Dec 10th, 2005