#20260215

[vettel]

A treat for meee!!

[wanderlustwonderlots]

Japan day 4 - Asakusa, Ueno park, Kichijoji

I had great intentions of getting out of the house early this morning to go to Asakusa and hopefully beat the crowds. I woke up early, but remembered that I had intended to book the rest of the buses and trains I'll need while in Kyoto. I also needed to throw a quick load of laundry in so that it can air dry by tonight and I can pack it all up for tomorrow! These things both took some time, as did hunting for a cafe open before 10am for breakfast. I wasn't sure how successful I would be at using the washing machine, but google translate sure came in handy and we got it done and hung up for the day.

I tried to go to a place called Hi Coffee in the hopes of getting some bungeoppang (fish shaped waffles with various fillings), and Google assured me it was open, but alas when I got there it was very closed. So I continued on my way to Higashi-Shinjuku station, and there was a Tully's right there. In general I try to go to non-chain cafes, and I had a great rec of one in Asakusa from Curran, but I knew if I had to do the 30+min transit without a second coffee in my system I would regret it. So Tully's it was, for my now routine egg sando and coffee! I don't even particularly like egg salad, but I happened to associate it with traveling even before this (shoutout to the absolutely mid whole wheat egg salad sandwiches on BC Ferries). It's been a nice staple and a guaranteed bit of protein at least!

Today forecasted a high of 18°C (!!!) and so even though it felt high risk, I elected to leave my coat at home. I knew I would be very grumpy if I just was sweaty all day or lugging around the coat. A drawback of this being my skirt is fairly short, and I was a bit nervous of any gusts of wind or my purse causing it to ride up - it has built in shorts, but even those are quite short and a bit loose. I just had to commit to being careful and staying decent!

As the day went on I was very glad I decided to omit the coat. Even with my cardigan on I was too warm. And despite putting sunscreen on, I did get a very slight sunburn. In February! Whoops.

By the time I got to Asakusa it was 10:30, so like, peak hours. I really can understand why I had been warned against trying to go to Senso-ji (the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo), there were so many people. I walked along Nakamise street in the throng of people (happy to be taller than most by at least a head), a long street lined with hundreds of shops with souvenirs and snacks. I don't know the last time I've been in such close capacity with so many other people, so before long I broke off to some of the slightly less crowded side streets. I am sure it's full of people all the time, but the incredible weather today had to be contributing as well!

I did walk around the grounds of Senso-ji for a bit. This temple, like Hasedera yesterday, was also dedicated to Kannon, the Bodhisattva of compassion. I didn't go into many of the open buildings, already overwhelmed (which is why my hasty photos are poorly framed...), just walked around a bit before heading off the temple grounds to other areas of Asakusa.

I had been recommended a cafe in Asakusa by Curran, called Coffee Bar Sajiki, so went to seek that out. It ended up being situated within a covered shopping street, which I handily remember from one of my undergrad classes on Japanese cities in....20....16...17? are called arcades. This was a cool vibe, and less filled with people, so I strolled through at a leisurely pace, embodying the flâneur lifestyle I had learned about also in that class. Dredging up my knowledge from then, with absolutely no citations so don't quote me: it became fairly popular for young Japanese (usually) men with affluent enough parents that they didn't have to work to wander around the cities, people watching, often writing about what they saw and experienced. It was a sign of affluence in the early modern period, that they could have this laid back attitude and few obligations. Originally a derogatory term in French, it became aspirational for some in Japan (and I am sure elsewhere, but I only know about this through a class specifically on experiencing Japanese cities!). I've been thinking a lot about the term this trip, since I am indeed privileged enough to be able to spend time wandering and watching, and then writing about my experiences. It's coming pretty full circle.

Anyway, a bit of a tangent. I did find Coffee Bar Sajiki, and got an americano and red bean bun, both of which were very satisfying. The vibe inside was great, there were customers scattered about so I didn't take photos, but it was styled kind of "vintage" with a leather couch and coffee table in one section, low bookshelves full of old books, a few chic bar tables with stools, playing soft jazz, warm lighting. They indeed were a bar as well, but it was like 11am by this point so not quite what I was in for. Afterwards, I continued to wander around Asakusa a bit. Curran also recommended a sweet treat from a shop along Nakamise, so I tried to check it out, but that was back into the crowds and the line was too long for me to want to deal with. I had also seen a bee-themed cafe near the station, but upon further inspection learned it was more about mead than snacks or other foods, and having just fueled up, wasn't overly interested. So, I headed off to my next destination, Kichijoji.

Sike! I realized that the train line I was taking went through Ueno, and had heard Ueno park was worth checking out. Given the incredible weather, it was hard to pass up a park walk. I went with the hopes of seeing some more early blossoms, cherry or plum or otherwise. In my wandering, I came across a peony garden outside Toshogu shrine! I initially wasn't sure how many flowers there would be, but a sign out front of the entrance proclaimed the status of the peonies to be "blooming beautifully," so at ~$8 for entrance I figured I would be a fool to pass it up.

The garden ended up being way more expansive than I expected! It had a path that wound back and forth within low walls, and the peonies (which had been specifically cultivated to bloom in the winter) were arrayed on either side of the path, protected by straw ?hats?tents? There were so many varieties! I took a ton of photos so I put more in a separate post. The signage said that the yellow peonies specifically were known for their strong fragrance, and indeed, whenever I came across one it was lovely. A few chimonanthus trees were contributing some amazing floral scents as well.

There were also some bonsai set up at points along the path. There were cherry blossoms, pine trees, and other trees I did not know the name of. All the peony varieties had signs with their names, but not so for the bonsai. The bonsai also had decorative knots in different shapes on them, which I learned while writing this are called "mizuhiki," made with tightly rolled colourful paper. Some daffodils and daisies were blooming too! I definitely satisfied my urge to see some flowers in Ueno park.

The other patrons of the garden were 80% older ladies who seemed just thrilled, taking photos of nearly every peony. It was a nice, calm reset after Asakusa.

I continued through the park, electing not to go into Toshogu shrine, instead heading towards the large pond in the park. In the middle of the pond was a temple for Benzaiten, who I also learned about in Hasedera yesterday. Parts of the pond were absolutely filled with (pretty dead/dormant and non-blooming) lotus, it must be just stunning when they're all green and fresh. However, working my way across the paths between the sides of the pond, there was still much to look at! Ducks! So many of them just sitting around, living their best lives.

The pedal boats looked cute, just maybe not for a solo ride. I was happy to just watch them. As I was nearing the end of the park, I was feeling very overcaffeinated and underfed, so went about finding a place for lunch. I decided to get lunch in Kichijoji, having seen a place called "Monks Food" with a vegetarian set menu, and 3pm was rapidly approaching so it was high time for a meal.

Kichijoji is a decent distance from Tokyo, within the city of Musashino, so it was about 40 minutes from Ueno park on a rapid train. I had it on my list because there was a whimsical looking cat cafe there (which had mixed reviews about the general happiness of the cats, so I had decided against it), but then I heard from Jesse it was nice to poke around there anyway. Holy heck, am I ever glad I stumbled across this restaurant though - it ended up being my favourite meal so far! And only $10! The place was so small, and such a good atmosphere. There seemed to be an upper floor but since it was just me, I sat at the bar on the first floor (very narrow) where a few other folks were quietly digging in. There was a huge collection of CDs on the wall, and a disc player at the front playing (again) relaxing smooth jazz. The two staff (I'm guessing owners) had such a laid back, homey energy. There were options to get the set menu with meat or fish, but I explained that I was vegetarian and just wanted the menu without any meat (they explained the miso had fish broth, but like, whatever). They brought out such a wonderful looking set of dishes (I mean the food and the dishware as well!) and I was just so excited to eat.

I assume the dish at top right was some kind of seaweed with beans, the middle was steamed greens, and then the bottom left was boiled or stewed lotus root, daikon, carrot, potatoes, and a tofu puff in some sort of Japanese-style curry sauce. Oh my god, everything was so good. I friggin love a meal with many little dishes, the variety! The menu explained that they try to use organic vegetables as much as possible, reduce food waste how they can, and are conscious of the cleaning materials they use as well. Altogether, the restaurant had a really amazing hearty and wholesome vibe. The two other customers, also in by themselves, were silent the whole time, and rather than being an awkward oppressive quiet in the place, it was just so calm. When I finished up, I tried to compliment the food and thank the staff as best I could in both Japanese and English, truly unable to express how happy I was to find this restaurant. I'm going to be thinking about it for a long time!

Thoroughly satisfied, I continued on through Kichijoji. The area around the station was higher density with chain stores, but just a little farther out was a wonderful street with a bunch of independent stores. This is where the cat cafe was that I had no intention of visiting, but I figured the street itself was still worth meandering down. As it turns out, very much so! There was a whole shop just filled with frog items! Photos weren't allowed, but of course I had to pick up a frog for my collection back home. The staff wrapped it up very nicely (it's ceramic) and I don't want to unwrap it since it's so well protected, so frog reveal once I return home. Along the same street was a stationary store I really wanted to go into, but it was so popular! It was a tiny store and full of people with a short line outside, and I wasn't feeling that, so I just kept walking. I went through some smaller residential side streets when I decided it was time to start the journey home (tired body!). In the warm, clear afternoon, in a much quieter area than Tokyo, I was so at peace and happy that I'd decided to come out to Kichijoji. I was both pleased that there weren't many people, but also feeling like a place like this should surely attract more visitors!

Overall it was a great note to end my time in Tokyo (and the surrounding areas). The journey back home was simple (already a pro at the trains!), although it was jarring coming back through Okubo and once again surrounded by people.

It's so funny, every late afternoon I've been walking through Okubo, there seems to be a different baby kpop boy group handing out flyers and promoting themselves. It's very sweet, were it 10 years ago I'd be a lot more curious, but I'm sure these kids are like 16 years old. It's wild seeing them so up close though, just a crazy reminder that they're so pretty and so highly styled and very eager. Like yeah I've been a kpop fan for 16 years but I have never been that close to idols/trainees. I wish them well on their career journeys.

After getting back, I snacked on some fruit and veg I had gotten from the grocery store a few days ago and onigiri, drank a warm tea and then an absurdly cheap convenience store beer, and set about catching up on junk journaling (thanks to some mini scissors I picked up). I'm a little annoyed things are out of order with the stamps from yesterday, but I had to make peace with it. Side note, I really had my eye out for eki stamps at all the different stations I was at today, but no luck! Bummer! I guess they were at different entrances or something... Keep your fingers crossed I can get more in Kyoto.

Tomorrow, I get to navigate Tokyo station and make sure I get on the right shinkansen. When booking my tickets I made sure to leave myself lots of time, and I have of course consulted the station map and ticket instructions many many times. So surely it will be okay!

I can't believe my time in Tokyo went so quickly! I feel like I did so much, without actually exhausting myself too badly, which is really great. I continue to wake up at my standard time of around 7am, evidently my internal clock works in any time zone. Take that, jet lag! I maintain that it really is a foolproof strategy to just not believe in jet lag and you won't get it. And besides, I won't be blogging when I get back to PST, so you'll never know if I'm thwarted on the other side.

Anyway, Kyoto tomorrow! I can't wait!!

[wanderlustwonderlots]

Japan day 4 photos - Peony garden in Ueno park and some miscellany! Check out this post for a full overview of my day :)

[19921227]

Representation of Early Women Alpinists (notesV2)

Mechanical Advantage support notes

[x751206]

[pipipi32768]

コンビニってスポーツ新聞を売っているのは知っているけど普通の新聞って扱っているのかな。新聞の定義って何ですかね。軽減税率で消費税8%だからそれを決める上でも厳密な定義があるはずなのだろうけど。スポーツ新聞って軽減税率対象品なのかな。たまに何々新聞に好きな漫画の作者のインタビューが載っているらしいとかいうことがあるけどそういうときってコンビニに行けば買えるんですかね。新聞の販売所？みたいなところに新聞の自販機が置いてあるけどあれに中身が入っているのを見たことがない気がする。まあお店に入って話せば売ってくれるのがしれないけど。カロリーメイトって軽減税率の対象商品なんですかね。ドラッグストアで売っているしサプリのようなものという見え方もあるとは思うけど一応食料品かな。サプリメントそのものは口に入れるものだけど消費税10%でしょたぶん。意外と軽減税率対象商品の定義って難しいんですね。売る側からしたら一品一品ちゃんと決まっているのでどうということもないって感じかもしれないけど。前にレジでお釣りが500円ちょうどになるようにお金を払ったらじゃらじゃらとした明らかに500円より多い小銭が返されてきて「これっておかしくないですか？」ってなったことがある。結局レジの打ち間違えか何からしくて操作し直してお釣りは元通りになって受け取れたのだけど。レジの人に「何百何十何円のお返しです」って普通に言われたので完全に作業として動いていたのかなって思う。あれを知っていて持ち帰ると多分犯罪になるのだよね。前にコンビニのお釣りで1000円札と5000円札を店員が間違えて客が知っていて受け取ったらのちに裁判にまでなったことがあったでしょ。いやですね裁判は。裁判を傍聴することを趣味とすることって一時期流行りましたよね。今はもう飽きられてそういう人っていないんですかね。裁判は飽きるとかそういうものではないのだが。透明性を確保するために裁判は一般に開かれているんですかね。終わり。