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Saturday, December 23, 2023

Japan: Central Tokyo

I wouldn't have chosen to visit Tokyo in December. It turned out the weather wasn't cold and the city was rather festive. Japan, along with the other East and Southeast Asian countries, used to celebrate the lunar Chinese New Year. However, in 1872, during the Meiji Restoration, as a deliberate shift towards the West, Japan decided to celebrate the Gregorian New Year instead.

This being our second visit we were covering sites far and wide. A week was easily absorbed by the metropolis. I decided to report our visit by geographic sections of town, just to be organized and comprehensive, by no means exhaustive.

Highlights from central Tokyo
  • We walked around Tokyo Station, Ginza (ground zero of all shopping areas) and Nihombashi (kilometer zero of Japan road system) area. The highlight was Maison Hermes, an architectural jewel, reminiscent of a shoji lantern. The exhibit at the top floor gallery Le Forum on climate catastrophe by Korean artist Jaeeun Choi was particularly evocative.
  • On December 14th, there was a remembrance of 47 Ronin. While the event is a true historic event, the commemoration itself is a Western style of parade or procession (both words directly transliterated to Japanese), by way of well known landmarks for photo sessions, another example of Japan's adaptation of the West, or is it appropriation, lol.
  • In the evening, when we walked by Tokyo Station there were three couples taking wedding photos, a common enough occurrence during our travels, but three may be a record.
  • Marunouchi, the business district next to Tokyo Station, had lights in the trees all along the street. We also went by the amazing Christmas tree at Kitte mall which happens to have an outdoor terrace with fantastic views.


Maison Hermès
Maison Hermès - Tokyo, Japan

Maison Hermès - Tokyo, Japan

47 Ronin Festival
47 Ronin Festival - Tokyo, Japan

47 Ronin Festival - Tokyo, Japan

47 Ronin Festival - Tokyo, Japan

Video - 47 Ronin Festival - Tokyo, Japan

Some architectural landmarks of Central Tokyo.
Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo, Japan

Street Scene.
Tokyo, Japan

Inside Tokyo Station (lobby is first below), we ate lunch at T’s Tantan, an excellent vegetarian restaurant. Second below: Veggie Gyoza (Pot Stickers), Seitan, Plant-Based Cheese, and Sprouts; all over Rice. Third: Noodles in a Sesame Seed Sauce/Soup.
Tokyo Station - Tokyo, Japan

T’s Tantan - Tokyo Station - Tokyo, Japan

Noodles in a Sesame Seed Sauce/Soup - T’s Tantan - Tokyo Station - Tokyo, Japan

Christmas Tree at KITTE Marunouchi Mall
Christmas Tree at KITTE Marunouchi Mall - Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

KITTE Marunouchi Mall - Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

View from KITTE Marunouchi Terrace with Tokyo Station at right.
View from KITTE Marunouchi Terrace - Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

Tokyo Railway Station.
Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

Wedding Photography in front of Tokyo Station
Wedding Photography - Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

Marunouchi streets.
Marunouchi - Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

Marunouchi - Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

Ourselfies - Marunouchi - Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

Marunouchi - Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan

Bonus train video.
Around Tokyo Railway Station at Night - Tokyo, Japan


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great pictures! I like the holiday lights

Kathy said...

Just catching up with you. Seems like the trip is off to a good start. Yokohama looked really interesting, and you were so lucky with the trees!

Priya said...

Finally some food pictures! 😋

john said...

@Kathy, Yes! Off to a good start, especially with the weather in Japan, although in real time we are in Shanghai, just coming off the coldest "cold snap" in 40 years. Brrr. -john

john said...

@Priya, Yes, it took us a few days to find some veg-friendly restaurants. We were so happy to find that first one that I forgot to take photos of their very tasty NOODLES!!! LOL -john

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