Tuesday (3/4)

So, after studying the sidewalk, I proceeded to the train station and got a ticket for Tokyo station. I started reading while I waited, and I ended up missing my stop. Rather than get off at the next stop, and then get on the opposite train to backtrack, I just stayed on the train for another loop (one of the great things about the Yamanote line, is it's just a big circle with lots of trains constantly showing up in both directions). Anyway, after an hour or so of sitting on the train reading and eavesdropping on Japanese conversations, I got off at Tokyo station, and headed for the imperial palace.







This place was huge. At first I didn't think I could get inside, because every gate I saw had big "KEEP OUT" signs in front of them.







I walked all the way around the perimeter, just to find out that the entrance to part of the grounds was just beside where I first showed up =)





Once inside, the grounds were beautiful. There were giant fields of really pale yellow grass that people could sit on, and lots of the trees were already blooming.

















I took lots of pictures of trees with closeups of their blossoms.












Then when I had seen everything in the imperial palace, I tried to find Jimbocho again, except this time I figured it out.

On the way there, I saw a parking vending machine (I don't know if there's a proper term for these). I've seen them before, but they're usually in the form of an enclosed building where all you can see is an elevator they drive the car into, and then it magically disappears.



So, then I made my way to Jimbocho. This place was rediculous. Every few steps you took, there was another store packed floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall with books. I can't accurately describe what it was like, and these pictures are just a few samples. But if you see the anime R.O.D. (Read or Die), it has an episode or two where they visit Jimbocho, and it does a pretty good rendition of it.







I found an antique book store with prints from old-old-old Japan (not quite sure how old, because I'm illiterate, remember). They had scrolls, and ukiyo prints. Really interesting. I spent a good half hour delicately thumbing through some of their inventory.



I ended up buying an old children's English text book, and a novella with really intricate drawings inside. They're both really delicate, so hopefully they make it back to the US safely.

Then I was close enough to Akihabara that I went back to Fugetsu (the okonomiyaki place on the eighth floor of Yodobashi Camera). It's siren song was too strong to withstand =)

Then I came back, took my book to the coffee shop across the street from the hotel, and read for a few hours. Now, I'm ready for some sleep. Tomorrow I'm going to meet up with Erina's friend Tina (whom I've met before at a couple of Erina's dinner parties). Then on Thursday, I've got a ticket to the Ghibli museum out in Mitaka. That should be fun .. going out of the city a little ways, and entering the world of some of my favorite movies.

Well, until next time ...