Nihombashi-Edobashi

It’s time to say sayonara to Japan. Tomorrow, Mike and I head back to Victoria via Calgary, Brenda and Ian catch an Air Canada flight home from Osaka and Helen heads back to Tokyo to RV with my brother Mac for a few more days.
After our hiking trip we had two full days in Tokyo but we barely scratched the surface. My lasting impression is glass skyscrapers, huge flagship stores featuring global brands like Pokemon and Porsche. The Uniqlo store is about 12 stories. Flashing neon lights, crazy fashions.
Our Tokyo walking tour was mostly focused on old historic sites and neighbourhoods. I would love to return and take in some of the many museums and neighbourhoods that we had no time to explore. The Tokyo transportation system is amazing and, like everywhere else in Japan , there are abundant, clean public facilities. Boy, the Japanese really get the gold medal for transportation and toilets. We took Helen out for her birthday on Thursday night to a roof top bar in Japan - Roof Dogs. It was fun and we drank some Veuve Clicquot.
I’ve enclosed a picture from Tokyo for my grandson, Malcolm. He loves cars and here is a new one called Hustler. Lots of these little, square compact vehicles.
On Friday we headed to Nikko - about 2 hours north of Tokyo. ( thanks for the recommendation, Nancy). Nikko has a large complex of Shinto shrines and Buddha temples and includes the burial temple of the first Shogun ( Tokugawa Ieyasu) - who we’ve been hearing a lot about over the past 2 weeks. I’m pretty sure I have the whole Edo Period history down pat now and will be glad to give a masterclass when I return, with saki pairings of course. I am intrigued that the Japanese still venerate the Edo period. Helen thinks it is because the architectural splendours from that period are elaborate and unique to Japan, and the Edo period largely defined what Japanese culture is today.
We did get in a wee bit of shopping yesterday and picked up some colourful yukatas (kimonos)from a tiny shop. The shopkeepers carefully draped and tied the garments and explained how they are worn properly. Up til now, we have simply been throwing them on like old housecoats but now we know better and they will be a thing of beauty.

In the past few days we’ve walked through some really exceptional gardens. Every small stone path leads to a new view and these gardens are carefully planned to be intimate and peaceful. There are loads of colourful koi in the ponds. Maybe they don’t have racoons here? Mike is on deck to built me some Japanese garden features like a waterwheel.

We’ve enjoyed the Japanese cuisine but, ashamed to admit, I am craving some basics and we chose wine and cheese for dinner tonight. No rice or tofu in sight.

Some final thoughts from the group……..

Brenda: “ crunchiest grasshoppers I ever ate”
Mike: “ if I ever eat tofu again, it will be too soon.”
Heather: “can’t wait to get home where there is only a single toilet flushing option - not 10”
Ian: “ are there any downhills in Japan?”

Helen’s final haiku:
Old, yet new to us
Japan in late summer sun
Surprise and delight

Signing off from Japan. Thanks for traveling along. See you soon,
Love Heather / MomRead more