Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, home to 12 million people, could be a cold and impersonal place, but not for us, thanks to several friends who showed us an intimate and intriguing Tokyo. Delightful Akiko worked at Walker School before moving home to Tokyo. It was so fun to see a familiar face and catch up on mutual friends. We laughed a lot and learned more about Japanese culture from her over dinner, at the Monsoon Cafe, on our first night in Tokyo. We were so glad our paths could cross if even for a short time.

Thanks Elise for the internet introduction to another personal tour guide. Rachel recognized us, from pictures on the blog, in the lobby of the hotel. (OK, there weren't any other families in the lobby at 7am so she had good odds.) First stop was the Tsukiji Fish Market where an impossible amount of seafood is sold daily. Fork lifts and motorized carts race around at a "time is money" pace. They don't slow down for tourists gawking at their commerce so everyone was on their toes. "Look at the size of that fish! What do they do with that table saw? How do you eat urchins? Look out he's dumping that bucket." Exotic and engaging to the adults of the group, the fish market was a tad offensive to the young vegetarians in our group. Just when they thought they'd found a safe haven amidst the commotion, the bucket of live octopi got them squealing and picking up their paces.

Rising above the crowded streets and far from the sounds and smells of Tsukiji, we visited Tokyo City View. It's a 360 degree glass and steel enclosed viewing area, 54 stories up, like the one atop the Guinness Factory in Dublin, only much larger and well, it's Tokyo down there. Wanting to get a closer look at one of those efficient and highly populated pedestrian cross walks, we descended to Shibuya Crossing. Perched on stools at a second story Starbucks, we had an excellent vantage point to watch the ebb and flow of humanity, as dictated by traffic signals. Jeff found a fellow photographer in Rachel and the two enjoyed framing various shots while we tried not to lose them in the crowds.

In search of more Japanese manufactured CD's, we headed to Ginza where we finally purchased a Yui CD. She's our favorite Japanese artist; we don't know what she's saying, but enjoy the way she says it. Also in this neighborhood is the Sony Building, chock full of the latest Sony gadgets: massive plasma screen TV's, tiny video and still cameras, new computers and more.

From high tech to old-fashioned, we made our way to Asakusa in search of (Moby) Kimono, the elusive costume of Skylar's dreams. On a side street, in a shop with sweet ladies, she discovered a peach colored kimono with a bamboo pattern that met her specifications and in which, she looked like a princess. Back in the hotel room that evening, we practiced tucking and tying it using the instructions from the store. It worked!

If you haven't seen the movies of Japan's premier animator, Hayao Miyazaki, run, don't walk to rent them: My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, Nausicaa, or Kiki's Delivery Service to name a few. They're stunning animation with appeal for children and adults. He also designed Ghibli Museum as a magical space for inspiring creativity and educating visitors about animation. His theme is "Let's get lost together," and in this labyrinthian, play house, it is easy to get lost in thought or in the more literal sense. The Ghibli Cinema shows original short films, not available anywhere else in the world. While the spoken language was lost on us, the message of his animation was clear. Every detail of the building was carefully considered like each camera angle of a film. Photography is prohibited inside the museum, making visitors much more engaged with exhibits. Miyazaki wants children to be equal guests in this house so they get their own ticket (three frames of a film), there are even spaces too small for adults and Skylar was the only one young enough to climb inside the furry cat bus from Totoro.

We lost ourselves for a full day at Studio Ghibli before bidding farewell to our new buddy, Rachel and meeting Miye, Sadatoshi and their family. Thanks to Melissa and Ken for introducing us to this lovely family, who invited us to their home for a delicious feast! Maki taught our girls origami while her sons made acrobatic paper airplanes and entertained us. Their kindness and generosity made our last night in Japan very special. We look forward to their visit to Ashland this summer so that we can reciprocate.

We will miss Japan and our friends in Tokyo. We will miss the warm welcomes and kind bows that greet anyone entering a place of business. We will miss the detailed wax and rubber food that made ordering so easy and we will miss the amazing Japanese toilets and baths.

Traveler's Note: Japan Rail Pass is an exceptional value. It's only available to visitors and must be purchased outside of Japan. All JR trains and buses including reserved seats on the Shinkansen (bullet train) are included. Admission tickets to Ghibli Museum also must be purchased before entering Japan.
Tokyo Photos

Skylar's Photos and Guide to Japanese Potties

More Ghibli Museum Photos