Daikanyama 4

One last one... a store. Traditional Japanese store. Cute, huh? What did I buy? A secret! But you can see the products in the picture... with enough enlargement can you figure it out? I don't think so!

Daikanyama 3

Now another odd shop, close to the hearts of our kids for sure. Yes, a bakery for dogs. Baked goods for dogs. I kid you not. They also sold dog sweaters, etc., but yup, should you need a piping hot dog biscuit from the oven, this is your place!

Daikanyama 2

There are more than a few odd little stores in this neighborhood. Exhibit A: a store devoted entirely, wholly, and uniquely to things made out of tomatoes, and tomatoes themselves! You do not want to know how much the more exotic varieties cost... and yes, you can buy just one at a time!

Daikanyama

Today I had some free time again and so wandered off to Daikanyama again, which adjoins Shibuya but which I got hopelessly lost in last time. This time determination plus a better map helped out! Lots of little alleys and shops and hills. A very nice place. This first photo is of nothing special, just a typical alley, to remind you all of the Japan "jumble" principle of space use! I have always admired this close mixture of residential, commercial, and retail space, which in America we seem to try to regulate out of existence as soon as we can (that is, outside Mahattan and a few other places).

Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 6

Let's finish with a nice photo. From the 26th floor, after the meeting finally ended. a look towards Shinjuku, roughly. THIS is Tokyo, in my mind: skyscrapers and neon at night. Glare in the photo is from the window glass, which distorted the sky: the sky was mostly black, without this reddish cast. Beautiful.

Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 5

Oh by the way Ian can you recognize the Ferrari whose nose is peaking around the corner inside the garage? Remember you can click on the photos and they greatly enlarge. Anyway, ONE meeting photo from Hosei University, 26th floor of THEIR "tower of learning." This is Bruce Belzowski from the U of Michigan.

Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 4

Well looked what we walked past on the way to the restaurant... a tiny Ferrari dealership!

Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 3

Thursday night we all walked to this restaurant... food was fine but not incredible; our waitress's ability to duck-walk, leap to her feet, reach across tables with hot ladles, etc. was indeed incredible: it was like watching an acrobat. Taka you know, John Paul MacDuffie also in the picture, and the older man is Professor Shimokawa, our host at Hosei University, still active at I think 88.... And yes they moved us from one room to another so that is why John Paul seems to be in different seats... he is!

Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 2

I had to take a photo of this... Thursday's lunch. I almost cried when they handed these bento out... talk about the perfect lunch. I love these things, and wonder if we could ever find one like this in America?

Friday night Tokyo round up - Part 1

I ran out of time earlier so now back at the hotel can bring you all up to speed. All day Thursday was at Tokyo University, and meeting photos are not much fun so I will spare you. But the Red Gate is the main entrance of TU, and the main symbol of the school.

Ah the Sakura Forecast!

We all recall how crazy the Japanese are for the cherry-blossom season. Well this morning on the TV I saw the latest update of the sakura forecast, as the opening trees' "front line" moves north across Japan, with the warming weather (snow in Tokyo earlier this week excepted!). Much excitement in the capitol, looking for early sightings!

Thursday morning

Not too much exciting here, as I am in meetings all day here at Tokyo University. Here is a sneak photo of Professor Taka Fujimoto (whom you know) speaking.

One more small thing...

... some shops I walked by: I really like this "jumble" style of Japanese architecture.

Tomorrow Thursday is our first day of meetings and presentations... I have 3 small ones I think and then my big one is on Friday. Should be interesting meetings, on the campuses of Tokyo U and Hosei U. Now it is time to sleep, getting up at 4:30 is no fun, regardless of time zones.

Oh and by the way when we went through Shinjuku Station today Natalie, it was a very... um... pink experience. Let's just say one shopkeeper is still wondering why a foreign guy bought ALL of one kind of item she had...

Koishikawa Korakuen

Before we left today I wandered off to look at this garden, one of the most spectacular in Tokyo. Very peaceful and nice... right next to skyscrapers and the usual hustle and bustle. A series of photos here, all self-explanatory. Very nice.

Wednesday Wrap

Well the snow is gone and instead we have rain and it is pretty cold. This AM from 5 to 7:30 (ouch) I spent on a Board conference call, then it was off to the IMVP conference hotel (I am not staying there, preferring this livelier location!) for three trains and a cab to Central Motor Works, another Toyota subsidiary specializing in making short-run vehicles for Toyota. These guys focus on cheap... some of their robots I think were made mostly of duct tape and coat hangers, but they get cars made fast and effectively. They like everyone else are barely ticking over, so they are cutting costs to the bone: the heat was off in the plant so workers were building cars in 45 degree chill! And many of the lights were off. These guys are serious! After a bus back to Tokyo I walked most of the way back to Shibuya, taking this blurry but I think cool vista of the Imperial Palace and some of Ginza in the distance!

Tuesday Update

Only one photo today, as I spent the morning on email and the phone, then went to the hotel most of the IMVP were at to catch a 2-hour bus ride to Kanto Auto Works. This specialized car factory is a subsidiary of Toyota and makes a wide range of models in very clever ways (they make all those doofy retro taxis you see in Tokyo, but also some Lexuses). But I have only one photo. The factory is almost on the slopes of Mount Fuji but as it was snowing (yes, snowing!) one could not see the mountain. And then when we got to the plant they banned all picture-taking. Dang. By the time we got back to Tokyo: night. So... only one photo, of genuine snow falling outside a roadside rest area we stopped at for lunch! (Apparently this place has music concerts during the summer... sure, why not stop at a highway rest area for some jammin' tunes!?) Maybe more excitement and photos tomorrow... when we go to another Toyota subsidiary, Central Auto Works! Kanto was an amazing plant: I never saw such efficiency and quality from such old and lovingly-tended machinery, supplemented by automation that looked like it was made from parts thrown out by the local Home Depot. These guys are good at spending not one penny more than is needed.

Last comment for Monday

No photo here, I forgot to bring my camera! But after afternoon meeting with John Paul MacDuffie he and Professor Helper from Case Western went to dinner.. they asked if I knew a good place so we went for shabu-shabu at Shabu Zen in the basement of the Creston! Exactly as remembered. But this time, Nik, we remembered to drink the broth afterwards!

Now it is Tuesday morning, overcast: it might SNOW today, here! We will be on a bus for two hours or so to a Toyota plant today... more later!

Secret Base is Secret

This is for Ian. I found Secret Base but boy is Secret base secret! One very small room. No photos permitted! Several very odd displays of very odd toys, almost all totally sold out. I may have bought something anyway (grin) but I ain't telling! They DID let me photo the door to the Secret Base... shades of Evil Genius!

Monday afternoon

For Natalie and Whitney especially, a Doggie in the Window asking for someone to buy him!

More of Monday

On the way back to Mitaka Station I saw this amazingly-early cherry tree! Weeks ahead of schedule. Several Japanese were ogling this, too, as it was very odd. Every other tree I have seen so far has not budded.

Wrap-up of Monday

We started a very clear and sunny but very cold (35 degrees) Monday by walking to Shinjuku (where there was shopping for a potential Mom present at Takashimaya) and then a train to Mitaka and the Ghibli Museum! Just as you remember it, kids climbing all over the cat, the wonderful rotating exhibit in the basement, beautiful details. I violated the photo ban and took a photo of the stained glass window with the girl and the dog: who of my readers (there must be hundreds by now) can identify the movie?

And one for Natalie...

... now we will have to find a picture for Whitney! But this one needs no explanation for Natwee....

For Ida: Good News and Bad News

Good news: I found the little store that sold the holographic wallet of cartoon figures you have, Ida. Bad news: they no longer sell wallets, only full-size handbags. But tell me the name of the wallet maker Ida, I wonder if I can find it somewhere, here or at home!

This one's for Ian

Well look what I found on a wall (also directed to this by the Tokyo toy tour book)!

This one's for Nik

What need I say?

Now for some random shots...

Large red sci-fi dog thing, apparent spider eating a building, local mural (and another being painted as we watched)... always plenty of weirdness in Tokyo!

Project 1/6

This one is for Ian. Remember the Tokyo toy store guide book? They mention this one, in Shibuya. Here's an outside shot and an inside one. I ain't saying if I bought anything here or not (grin).

Today's Travels

It is early evening here and time to summarize Sunday's extended tour around this part of Tokyo. Today was mostly a return to familiar spots (Harajuku and Shibuya) but also included an excursion to upscale Daikanyama. Okay, let's begin with... Choco Cro!