Finding Old Tokyo by Accident

Not much of Tokyo is very old. Between the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the U.S. firebombing of the city in World War 2 most old structures were destroyed. Most of the temples have been burned down and rebuilt so many times that it's hard to tell how old they are. That's the way things go for wooden structures. But on Sunday I finally made it to a section of Tokyo that really does look antiquated. In the Yanaka area between Nippori train station and Ueno Park there are many wooden buildings around 100 years old, many old temples and a huge urban graveyard for the shogun's family.

I went there in search of a market, the Yanaka Ginza, that I never did find but as so often happens, I found something I didn't expect. From the Nishi-Nippori subway station I climbed up to a narrow road about 20 meters over the station where I found a view out over a part of the city not dominated by skyscrapers. The narrow road travels down a ridge parallel to the railroad tracks leading to Nippori. Temples line the quiet road that is little traveled by cars. From the ridge there is a spot famous for being the last natural height in Tokyo from which Mt. Fuji can be viewed.

Once I got to Nippori I stumbled upon the huge Yanaka Cemetery through which pedestrians on narrow lanes travel on the way from one neighborhood to another. This is where many of the family members of the last shogun were buried. Many other famous Japanese and a few foreigners were buried here as well. Exiting the cemetery one comes across many old wooden houses and shops that have stood here for over a century. Some have been turned into museums. I could have wandered through here for a few more hours but it was starting to get dark and cold - the sun goes down now at 5 pm. After stopping at a weekend outdoor market at Ueno Park I caught the Hibiya subway line back for the 30-minute ride home. I hope to get back to Yanaka next weekend.

Christmas Lights Made Easy

Got the Christmas lights on the balcony today. I never was one for putting up lights outside - too much house and yard. Without a big investment in money and time yard lights just draw attention to one's lack of effort and investment. Having no lights in the yard leaves open the possibility that it's a matter of principle. Or perhaps one is Jewish, or simply not home. A few measly lights just lets everyone know how cheap one is.

A balcony I can handle. $20 will get you an impressive, balcony-filling display. "Sorry, I would have spent hundreds on this display - just didn't have the space. You should see what we have inside!"

Besides, in the Big Tokyo we have a lot of what the Japanese call "borrowed scenery" - the buildings and lights in the distance. It's an extension of one's own yard, or balcony. Looking out from the living room our balcony lights merge with the many lights of the city - making for a truly awesome display.

American Icons on the Ginza

The giant Apple Store is one of the few American icons on the Ginza these days but it dominates the north end of the commercial area and Abercrombie & Fitch dominate the south end. Some years ago when I was walking around with my Sony Walkman I didn't think there would ever be another big American consumer electronics brand again. But iPads, iPhones, and Macs have Sony and Toshiba on the run even in their home country. Microsoft's XBox is holding its own and once again, American gaming software from EA and others have roared back and now dominate. It doesn't mean we can be complacent but it does show that America can come back, can innovate, and doesn't give up.

Some countries are making the mistake of thinking America is a superpower on the way down. A lot of Americans think this. But they are wrong.

Christmas and Biking in Tokyo

The Christmas decorations have started going up around Tokyo this week and I'm beginning to catch the spirit. The Ginza was decked out in lighted trees this afternoon and the Tokyo Midtown complex was surrounded in beautiful, high tech light displays. Near Ginza Crossing a music store had a Susan Boyle CD belting out Christmas songs and a large crowd had stopped shopping long enough to listen silently.

I tried bicycling around Roppongi and Hiroo today but even on a Sunday the sidewalks and lanes are often too narrow and crowded to make biking a pleasure. Bikes are not exactly welcomed in Tokyo - there are few bike racks and what few bike "lanes" there are, are on sidewalks. Very few bicyclists dare to use the car lanes. It's easier to just use the very good subway system.

I popped into a US military hotel in Hiroo today to visit the bookstore but the only books I could find were either romance novels or books by Fox News stars like Glenn Beck, O'Reilly, Sarah Palin, etc. Not exactly what I was looking for.