Miyajima, one of THE scenic spots in Japan is only 30 minutes away from JR Hiroshima by train and then 10 minutes away via ferry. For a scenic spot, it’s VERY easy to get to. Some of the best shots can be had on the ferry ride over.
It was rainy and cloudy the first dayThe next day with blue sky and seaThe floating torii at low tide
I actually made TWO trips to Miyajima. The first trip was made on a day that started rainy and continued to be rainy. The next day was sunny so I made land and visited the Itsukushima temple and the town.
The entrance to the temple. Y300 please!
Much of the temple is actually on stilts so when it’s high tide, it looks like it’s floating, like the torii. Unfortunately, high tide is at 0740 and then gradually recedes.
Low tide is so low you can walk to the torii.
The temple is a big part of the town. It draws the tourists in and is the symbol of Miyajima. Here’s some renditions from the local school.
I like the second one. Verrrry abstract
Miyajima is also a town with several other temples and a main street that runs from the ferry terminal along the side of the island to the entrance of the temples. The town also runs into the hills.
It’s a nice, beautiful townA wooden bridge that connects Itsukushima Temple to the shoreToyokuni Shrine with it’s Five Storied Pagoda
Miyajima is also known for the quality of their rice scoops. And on display in the center of town is the world’s largest rice scoop.
How big is the rice cooker that goes with this??
There’s also some ryokan here. Next time I’ll spend the night and chill.
On the first episode of No Reservations titled “why the French don’t suck”, Anthony Bourdain devotes part of the show to the simple joy of sticking your head into the door of a strange restaurant and finding bliss.
Of course, as it is with all TV shows, this segment was scripted. However, it still made the point of leaving your culinary comfort zone to try and find new places that can eventually become old places (and a new part of your comfort zone) and then you can continue the search for new places. It never ends, unless they outlaw good tasting reasonably priced food (like they seem like they’re trying to do back home in SF, NYC and other places).
My first visit to Tokyo and my indoctrination into the ramen world took place a few years back at a small ramen shop off of Koshu-Kaido dori, across from a Citibank down the hill from the south exit of JR Shinjuku-eki. The place is still there and I’ve made my usual visit.
But the other night, I was hungry and decided to expand my horizons. I noticed a small shop across the way from one of the many small computer shops that populate this part of Shinjuku.
There’s an a/v shop behind me!
It has the usual flags up, but none of them said “ramen” in katakana (which is the kana I can SORT OF read). Looking inside, there were lots of people and it LOOKED like a ramen place, but I wasn’t sure. So I continued to walk around, passing the mysterious place every 5 to 10 minutes, sneaking peeks through the wooden slats that cover the windows.
When you see this from the other side, it’s intimidating
After 30 minutes of window shopping and indecision (and stomach grumbling), I walked in and took a seat and tried to figure out the elegant looking menu. Thankfully they had an english menu that was not as elegant looking and I was able to place an order for a bowl of shio ramen.
irrashimasse!Well, it looks nice…too bad I can only read 6 characters!
After the beer and the water, comes the shio!
This is the starter in ramen shops!Shio!!
It was a delicious broth, light and flavourful with just a touch of oil with the slices of toriniku and negi sitting majestically on the top with a sour plum.
And guess what? The thin ramen noodles I lurrve! I hit a gold mine!
So now this is one of my “must go” places now. And they play real jazz inside!
Ramen Santouka Shinjuku Minamiguchi 1st Floor, Nakaoki Building 1-18-5, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
The Tokyo Design Week had a lot of neat stuff. Held in a field in Aoyama Park, it had a big tent in the middle full of vendors and cool stuff you could buy (but couldn’t photograph), a stage for musicians, a cafe and obligatory omiyage stand and about 20 containers (you know, the kind that big ships and trucks carry) full of design exhibitions from different organizations. There was soo much design, I forgot to keep good notes. However, I did take pictures for your bemusement.
Being “green” (the only time you will EVER read that phrase on this blog) was a popular theme this year. Not only did it get people’s attention to the exhibits, it served as an opportunity for designers to get creative. This lamp is made with old gashapon containers as the light fixtures and what looks like junk for the rest
Colourful too!
How about these distant relations to SpongeBob?
blah blah blah under the sea…
Here is a lamp from the collection of Wile E. Coyote. Gee, I didn’t know he was a designer in addition to being a soooooper geeeenius. No mention if this is from the Acme Corporation.
…sooooper geeeenius
This bag pretty much sums up what I like to cook with and put under my pancakes in the morning…
NEVER COOK WITH MARGARINE!!! THAT’S EVIL!!!
This was a Enveloop projector dog from Sanyo. It’s a dog you plug into your computer and it projects whatever is on the computer on the nearest screen or wall. Very powerful.
Enveloop is also a brand of rechargable batteries. To save the environment, ya know
Sometimes it’s nice to take a breather and slow down. Also it’s nice to do when the sun comes out. Today I’m in Minowa, in the part of Tokyo known as Shitamachi. It’s the older part of Tokyo, representative on how it was back in the day.
IMG 0857
Tokyo has one tram line left, a line that cuts through backyards and runs parallel to main streets, rumbling along at its own leisurely pace with lots of old folks riding it. The Toden Arakawa Line runs from Minowa-Bashi to Waseda with several transfer stops to JR and Tokyo Metro and it is 12.2 km long.
The neighborhood around Minowabashi
Many of these folks grew up with the tram line and some fear that once they begin to pass on, so too will this last tram line. It was a nice day to ride around and get some fresh air (because you can open the windows).
Nope. Not yet anyway. This is Kanako, formerly of Rumble Fish sitting in a container exhibit at the Tokyo Design Week event. It’s basically a container with a small incline with shredded papers, like the kind you empty out of your shredder at home.
When you toss it up in the air, its looks kinda snowy!
The belle of the ball at the Tokyo Motor Show was the new GT-R.
Have a brochure!
Of cors, if you’re in the know, you know that you could get up close and personal with the GT-R at Nissan’s Ginza Gallery instead of having to deal with the scrum at the show. So here we are.
The GT-R, resplendent in SilverDitto, from the passenger sideAt the Nissan Gallery, you’re allowed to sit inside the carsI want one! But I don’t think it will fit in my garageThe rear of the GT-R, which most drivers will see briefly
And of course, what’s a visit to the Gallery without saying hi to the staff?
Hi!
Nissan Crossing 5 Chome-8-1 Ginza, Chuo City, Tokyo 104-0061
Here’s a preview of the new Futurama movie that will be cut into four parts for airing on Comedy Central. WAHAHAHA
Every favorite from Futurama is here
And here’s something really cool! It’s a commercial for JR that uses the Music for Freelance remix of Tank! Not sure if this is the way JR meant it to be, with all the cool that Tank! oozes, but it works. JR is cool though.
At last there’s another option for getting into Tokyo cheaply without a JR Pass!
Before, the two cheapest options for getting into Tokyo was taking the Keisei Skyliner (Y1920, 62 min) or the Keisei Tokkyu, (Y1000, 74 min). Both trains drop you off at either Keisei Ueno or Nippori Station on the Yamanote Line.
Now as of 28 March, JR East is introducing a combo Suica bundle for Y3500 that has a one way journey on the N’Ex (Narita Express) for Y1500 and also has a Y1500 Suica credit that can be used on all the other trains and buses in the Tokyo area. Y500 is the card deposit. The Suica card can be used in stores and some fast food places and can be recharged and reused like an ordinary Suica. It’s a good deal since you’ll be spending money in Tokyo ANYWAY on things like snacks and transport. With this deal, taking the N’Ex into Tokyo, Shinjuku or even Yokohama is Y1500! Now that’s a good deal, and good deals in Tokyo are hard to come by. So now there’s one less excuse not to go for Hanami!
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