Monday October 26, 2009 Rainy Day in Tokyo

It is only natural that I describe the end of the day since it is fresh in my brain. Even though this was the worst weather we have had on this trip, it was really a pleasant day only added to by the fact of its very nice ending. Let me back up a bit. J and I did our own thing for most of the day and kept in touch via cell phone. Around 4:00 when we connect he was just having lunch so at around 8:30 pm when I was starving I knew he wouldn’t not be hungry for dinner so I announced that I was going out for a little snack. He offered to join me if I was interested in grabbing a drink. So we ended up at this very cozy little soba bar sipping Imu Sochu (a distilled liquor made from sweet potatoes – that doesn’t really taste like them but has a nice mild taste if vodka actually tasted good). This little Soba bar had jazz piano playing over the speaker, cozy booths with nice wooden lattice screens and a great waiter who spoke a little English and was very helpful. We started with our Sochu on the rock (rokku) and two platter of delicious sushi – one of them in a light soy vinegar with onions, raw garlic and daikon. We then ordered some asparagus wrapped in bacon and some grilled pork on a skewer. To end the meal we had cold soba with this great dipping sauce. At some point he brought out a warm tea pot and I think he said it was the water used to boil the soba. Totally confused he mixed this water with some soy mixture in a cup and we drank it. Delicious! At the end he brought us tea. Of course a couple glasses of Sochu later I was feeling really good. J and I had some good laughs and it was completely worth the nearly $70 dollars it ended up costing. Much more pleasant than the little bowl of ramen I was envisioning near the station.

This is a view of rainy Tokyo out the window of our hotel room. The Nishi Shinjuku Hotel is close to the station but there is a little park and it is three alleys back from the main drag so it doesn’t feel as crazy. The soba restaurant was right around the corner and there is a stylish Udon place with lines out the door almost at the center of the picture. We have promised ourselves that we will eat there before we leave.

So my rainy day in Tokyo. We got a late start. J is fighting a cold and I am fighting not getting it so we slept in until 10:30. Only really getting up because the hotel was doing some water test and hot water was being turned off at 11:00. We had a sensible yogurt breakfast and J headed to Ahkihabara and I hopped on the train to Tokyo. My first stop was Muji. I got off the train at Tokyo station and wandered around the endless underground passageways filled with shops and restaurants in an attempt to avoid the rain. I love the network that runs under Tokyo station and am endless fascinated by the variety of things that run under Tokyo station. At one point I came to a series of cafe’s that people were queuing in front of – must have been really great noodles since there are so many restaurants down there.

I was able to walk a half mile or so before hitting the Tokyo International Forum. The International forum is a convention center designed by Rafael Vinolly. I had wandered around the top of it but never had approached it from underground.

Above is what it looks like from the Tokyo Metro to the International Forum

The stairs up lead to the street – I like the truss form that allows the stairs to float in the space.

After wandering through the subterranean exhibition halls – you pop out into the large glass space that is the signature of the International Forum.

The roof looks like the hull of a ship or the skeleton of a whale.

Struts in tension help support the large glass facade. At the pedestrain level those get blocked off in glass or surrounded by this information booth.

  

Walkways to the upstairs meeting space dance through the space and are held up with the same articulated elements. It is minimal and detailed at the same time.

After leaving the International Forum I had a lunch at Muji and did some shopping. Unfortunately, because it was pouring out I didn’t take out my camera. I love Muji for its understated sense of style. Cross the Gap, with Crate N Barrell and IKEA and you have Muji.

My ultimate goal was a crafts store at the edge of the Ginza district that I had been too on prior trips. On my way I spied this building a couple blocks away. What interested me was the fact that in such a small footprint they were able to create an architectural expression that created a sense of scale and yet obviated that scale.

I have no idea what the building is for – my guess is some sort of eye clinic because of the markings on the door. It was next to a historic Tokyo school.

Below is a picture of the shop.

They had some really lovely stuff. I almost bought a tea pot but decided it was too heavy to bring back. I bought some gifts and browsed for awhile looking at the prints, textiles and ceramics. The women who took my money spent about fifteen minutes wrapping up each item separately and carefully protecting fragile items. The care was really astounding.

On my way to the train I found another interesting building. I guess this one pre-dates the other by about 20 years but has similar ideas.

My next stop was Ueno station. I like the market stalls around the station and it was near where I was going to meet J. Ueno station itself is a little sad. Its not run down, it just lacks much charm. However, they still manage to create a lively shopping street within the station.

There was this little kiosk of shops that looks like it hatched from a broken egg.

The more I looked at it the more I realized that it didn’t actually fold up into a whole egg. That image is a conceit.

J called me and instead of having tea and little cake at Ueno I met him at Akihabara and sat down for a Matcha Latte and a Chococro. J keeps promising to give me pictures of the Chococro place. I will post those later.

We finally made it back to the confusion that is Shinjuku. This picture does not capture it and I keep promising myself that I am going to wander around the area with a camera to try to find out what about Shinkjuku is so disorienting.

Sunday October 25, Zao Onsen, Okama and back to Tokyo

 

So up to Sunday I hadn’t spent much time in Zao Onsen. Most of my time was eating and sleeping. Our overpriced and slightly sad hotel included breakfast and dinner. Considering the lavish meals the hotel ceased to be so over priced even if it was a bit worn at the edges. We should have taken pictures of dinner. Both nights they consisted of a variety of cold delights in a box and a big platter or raw meat and vegetables to be cooked over a boiling pot – I think it was what is know as Shabu Shabu. Generally, J and I eat very modestly, so this was fancy for our Japan experience. Breakfast too was a buffet of strange things. Miso soup, salad, assorted cold fish and egg cakes and pickles and one or two western things like spaghetti and little sausages. The best thing were these little croquettes filled with creamed potatoes in a light panko crust.

The restaurant where they served us our meals.

View of the hotel from the street. A convenience store was infront. Our room was the second one from the left. A view of the town in Autumn splendor

  Sulfurous streams ran through town.

 

One of the ideas of staying in Zao Onsen was to visit Okama the crater lake formed by what I thought was an extinct volcano. However, J informed me that according to Wikipedia, Zao is one of the most active volcanic areas in Japan. In my Hiking Japan book they started the hike in town and up the ski slopes. Since we were short of time and energy we took the ropeway up to the top. This cost a whopping $25 round trip and that included two different gondolas. You take one to a mid-point and then change to another one. I think the one rose 1600 feet and the second probably close to the same. It was really incredible because down below it was cloudy and as we rose on the second car we found ourselves rising above the cloud line into the sunshine. You can imagine it in winter as an active ski area, but it was beautiful with the autumn leaves.

View out the window.

Exiting the car.

At the top is a ridge of mountains. The first thing you see is a Jizo. I am not really sure the significance, but this one was very large – probably 12 feet tall and commanded an excellent view. We started hiking up the path to the right.

Hard to believe we could continue up, it felt that we were on top of the world. The path continued up to the top of Mt. Kumano. Someone took great care laying a stone path up the mountain. The time and labor must have been incredible.

As we rose the landscape became more barren. I thought to get to the crater lake it would be just along the ridge, in fact it was a hike up to peaks and around a bend. I think these poles are for winter hikers to be able to identify the path when snow is a couple feet high.

Not only were the views incredible it was an eerie feeling being above the cloud line.

We are almost to the crater of Okama looking back from where we came.

When we first go to this point the entire area was covered in clouds. A nice Japanese fellow explained that it may clear and that the crater was below. We waited about ten minutes or so and sure enough it cleared. By the time we left about 20 minutes later it had clouded over.

Here is J and I (picture taken by an Aussie we bumped into. As you can see behind us the crater is covered in clouds that moved in.

For comparison see how clearly you can see the greenish volcanic waters.

Part of the path was wooden planks – mostly through parts that actually had vegetation (low growing bamboos, holly, and some evergreens). We reluctantly left this surreal world above the clouds to catch the train back to Tokyo. Luckily there was an express bus to Yamagata Station and we were able to catch the 3:06 Shinkasen. Usually we reserve seats but the next three trains were booked for reserved cars so we jumped on an unreserved car and I suppose because Yamagata is the start of the line got good seats on a very new train with AC power outlets and comfortable seats. It was one of the few trains that didn’t feel over heated.

 

I tried to take some picture of the landscape on the way back from the train window.

Now we are back in Tokyo at the NIshi Shinjuku hotel – I think this is the fourth time we have stayed here. The room is small but comfy and there is a nice coin laudry near by – I already did some laundry and got dinner – it has been a busy day!

Saturday October 24, 2009 Yamadera

One of the things I definitely wanted to do this trip was to get to either Yamadera or Dewa Senzan. Since Yamadera was easier to get to, I left poor sick Jason in Zao and took the bus and train for the hour long trip to Yamadera. Yamadera is a Temple complex built into the mountains. I have found that its not really the Temples that I am interested in but I find that the landscape around Temples is part of what I love about Japan. Yamadera did not disappoint, steeply raked the stairs up through layers of temples were carved under tall cedars, mosses rock out cropping and fern covered forest. Little mountain streams trickled as the thousands of visitors trudged up more than 1,100 steps.

 

Getting off at Yamadera station – you can see the local train leaving. On the platform there is a map of the Yamadera Temple complex. The actual cliff edge is just beyond the map.

From the station you can see the cliff clearly. After wandering through the town there is the first run of steps that lead to a flat plaza with a temple.

At this Temple is a large wooden laughing Buddha. People were putting coins in the box in front and rubbing the Buddha’s head and body for what I assume is good luck.

Past the Temple is a gate – where you pay 300 yen to start your assent. Being a Saturday it was crowded with families and very fit old people working their way up the steps. On the way there were many markers, laterns, Jizo, and what I assume are saints. As you can tell the area is very lush with tall cedars shading the path up.

Towards the top there is a series of various temples and a great view of the valley below. I think the mountain range that contains Zao is far in the distance.

At the top was a Temple with a golden Buddha. This seemed to be the most sacred with people burning incense and chanting. No pictures were allowed, but at the top of this mountain it was very spiritual, with gongs, and wooden mallets marking reality.

On the way down was the fountain on the far right. I assume that the statue is of one of the founding priests, but it was not marked. On the path out were concrete laterns about 5’ tall. Inside a number of them were strange figurines and coins.

The town itself is mostly filled with souvenir shops, restaurants and ice cream places. I had a edemame soft ice-cream. Later I passed another place with all sorts of fun ice cream flavors advertised. This one was what I assume to be sweet potato ice cream.

Finally, getting back to Zao Onsen there was a fabulous sunset.