Day 13 - Ryogoku & Shibuya

. . . . . Museums and Shopping!!!


Now - before I start . . . I must correct a wrong I made yesterday.  In the blog about Nikko I said we were 125m above sea level . . .  but that was wrong - we were actually 725m above sea level!!!  Makes a bit of a difference eh?!?!?


Ooooh - it's been a long day today . . .  though I have to admit - it's all my fault!  I planned these days and Scott just gets me there.  I think I may have stretched it a bit today as I have broken both of us!!


We started the day going to the Edo-Yokyo Museum in the Ryogoku district of Tokyo.  When we got up this morning - the weather was very hit/miss.  It was raining before we left the apartment but it seemed to stop when we got outside . . .  this meant the subway stations were like saunas!  I don't know how the Japanese do it . . . they look so cool and collected!!


So, a quick (ish) subway journey and we were in Ryogoku.  This is also known as the Sumo district and the Sumo Stadium is next to the museum.  Unfortunately, the next tournament is in May, but I think if there had been one on today, we would have gone - Scott was interested in sumo many years ago, plus I think I would have liked to have seen it.


Never mind (maybe next time!!).


Now though, we were concentrating on the museum.  This museum shows the history of Tokyo (formally known as Edo) from it's early Edo period, right through to recent years.  We had been told it was an interesting   museum with lots of really good exhibits, so we were expecting a good time . . .  . and we got it!


The museum is great!  There are a lot of small scale models of what Edo would have look like and how the people lived and worked.  As you make your way round the museum, there are a lot of 'hands on' stuff to play with . .  . the kids were having a great time!


As we came into the exhibition hall, we could see an exact replica of the Nihonbashi Bridge and a Kabuki Theatre.  The smell of the wood in the hall was present everywhere.

There were these models of Edo life all over the place.  By each model, there were shelves with binoculars so you could really look closely at the model.  The figures were  perfectly made.

There were also larger models of houses . . . 

 Man working!

This one was all about a woman giving birth . . . .

These show the model of a Dry Goods shop . . . . 

These were actors in a Kabuki play . . . . 


The museum continues on, then goes onto the early 1900's when the America's landed and tried to take over . . . .  but left a huge western influence.  Many Japanese adopted western dress styles, learned how to foxtrot, buitl western style buildings and ate more western style food.


We then move on to the introduction of more technology, the huge Kanto earthquake of 1923 which flattened Tokyo and killed thousands of people . . . . then the war, their surrender and how they have built themselves in later years to become a huge economic power.


We were in the museum for ages . . .  we really enjoyed it.  However, it was time to move on.


A 30 minute train journey and we were in Shibuya!  I love this place  . . .  however, it's a bit too crowded and too full of shops for Scott's liking!  


Just outside the station, there is the statue of Hachiko.  Hachiko was an Akita dog who would walk to the train station with his master every day and then be back there to meet him when he finished work.  One day the master died at work and didn't come home . . . .  however, Hachiko waited for him for nine years, until he died!  The statue is there to commemorate his loyalty.  The statue is also a popular meeting point.

First things first . .  . a stop of at Starbucks to watch the crossing!  I didn't have to fight anyone for a seat today - but it was really busy.  We managed to get a seat and enjoyed our coffee while watching the crowds below .. . . 

Shibuya crossing . .  . total organised chaos!!!

Enough of the coffee . . .  where are the shops??!?!?!


We went to one of my fav's . . .  Tokyu Hands.  There is nothing you can't get in this shop!  I spent ages looking at all the gadgets and kawaii (cute) stationery, books, bags and lunch boxes (yes I know - but their lunch boxes are fantastic!!).  Scott spent an age looking at all the kitchen gadgets (I wouldn't know what half of them were for!) and he bought a new glove to get things out of the oven!  Don't need one of them for the microwave!!!


There is music playing (very loudly) all around outside . . . I have a song stuck in my head but I don't know what it is or who sings it!!!


It was starting to get a bit dark now, so the lights were shining more brightly.  It changes the whole perception of the place . . . .  it became a younger crowd, now out to hit the town and the clubs rather than the shops.

 A popular girlie shop.

We now made our way to Shinjuku .  . . . which is also a popular entertainment district and now that it was late and dark, the clubs were all starting to get busy.


We were going to the Metropolitan Government Building Observatory to check out the view of Tokyo in the dark.  The lights are spectacular . . .  however, my camera is not and my photos didn't work at all!!!


We had one more stop to make.  Before we do this, a little background.  I LOVE Studio Ghibli.  Studio Ghibli is a Japanese animation studio founded by Hayao Miyazaki.  The studio's logo is Totoro, who is a large forest spirit) and the features in the wonderful film My Neighbour Totoro  . . . . (they are also the studio that created Ponyo)

We went to the Studio Ghibli museum last year . . .  but I have since heard that Hayao Miyazaki has created/designed a clock that stands outside the Nippon Television  Tower - I just had to see it.  It had 4 special wind up times a day when all the bells and whistles come out to play . . . . . we were going to see the 8pm showing.


By now, it was absolutely p'ing down with rain . . . Japan doesn't do drizzle - it's either bouncing down with rain or not raining!!!  It's currently bouncing!


Needless to say - when we get there, there are only another 2 people waiting in the rain like children waiting for this clock to do it's biz!  3 mins and 45 seconds before 8pm, the show starts.  Because it was so dark and the clock light weren't brilliant - I haven't been able to get a good photo or good video of the clock . . . but this is what it looks like during the day . . .

 

I don't think it is well known about as it's not in any books and internet info is very limited - plus there was no one else there to see it!!!  I thought it was absolutely magical . . .  the music is really loud and all the little men inside the clock dance and do different things - there are loads of whistles and bangs . . . . it must be a nightmare for the people who work in the Nippon Tower haha!  


If you search for the Ni-Tele Clock on Youtube, you can hear the music and see the movements by people who were smarter and watched it during the day!!!!


So, now it's just after 8pm and we had a bit of a journey home - we are also soaked to our bones and my feet are killing me!  So we are now back home drying out!


Tomorrow is our last day in Japan and I am going to make the absolute most of it . . . I am going to try and see as much as I can!  I really really don't want to leave!!


Finally - today's blog has been brought to you by the power of . . . well these!

I don't know what they are called, but they are crunchy potato sticks (these one are veggie flavour) - rather nice, and because I bought two boxes of them I got a baby one (a mobile phone charm) as a freebie!  It's soooo kawaii!!!


So, until tomorrow . . love n hugs xxx