Seiruka Kokusai Byōin

My sister woke up to warm hugs and kisses from us. It is always wonderful to be able to celebrate a special occasion with all of us together. Outside, it was a rainy day as expected. The clouds hung low, and there was a fine mist of shower. We bade Skytree good morning. It was there, albeit a shadow overlooking Tokyo due to the compromised visibility.

Over breakfast, my sister mentioned that she wanted to visit a church that was established in 1874 on the very same date that she was born. It was called the Old Cathedral of St Joseph, otherwise known as Tsukiji Church to the locals. Apparently it is the oldest Catholic church in Tokyo and considered to be a cultural asset. We looked it up online for directions, and the snapshot of the church piqued our interest - its facade featured Corinthian columns.

Our accommodation hosts provided clear plastic umbrellas that were ubiquitous in Japan. Equipped with them, we braved the rain and the winds and traveled on two train lines, before facing more wind and rain. Alas, to our disappointment, the church was under construction and tarpaulins and renovation signs obscured any good view of the facade. We ended up visiting the parish hall next to it. We had a quiet time to say our prayers of thanks for my sister's birthday and for this opportunity to spend time with each other.

Then we pressed on against the rain and the cold once more. After we passed through St Luke's hospital, we saw a Tully's Cafe. It was only 11am but we thought of how the crowds usually gather at almost every Tokyo eatery by midday, and so we decided to stop there for an early lunch.

It is our custom for a birthday celebrant to have noodles or pasta for long life. And so we all selected pasta dishes to join in wishing my sister longevity and prosperity. It was a Café attached to the research centre of St Luke's, and so there were plenty of books in the reading lounge. We thought we saw some academics among the crowd. Watching the rain through high glass ceilings created the perfect ambience.

While eating we tried to think of a good way to spend the day indoors. We decided that a trip to TeamLab Borderless would be perfect. It was an extensive collection of 3d light art installations located close to where we were. It is one of the top attractions in Tokyo.

The Yurikamome train line services the area where we needed to get to. It is mostly above ground, and so we got to see more of the rain and wind enveloping the artificial island called Odaiba as we approached our destination. About half an hour later, we arrived in VenusFort.

It looked exactly as it had been three years ago. Across this shopping mall stood the Giant Sky Wheel in Palette Town. Beside that was the TeamLab Borderless.Read more