| Pages
| ||
|
Visiting old haunts in "Shitamachi" "Shitmachi". Sake tasting place near Tomioka Shrine, a 22 minute walk from our condo.
| |||
| Condo and Green path near condo | Tomioka Shrine | Miso store at Sunamachi Ginza | |
| Our sake "bar" | Overlooked everyday wonders | ||
| Koto-ku is "Shitamachi", the "low town." This is the locus of old Edo, the residences of the "low people" - artisans and common people. It is the east side of the Sumida River. Natives of Tokyou still regard Shitamachi people as "low people." And so we are. | |||
|
This part of Tokyo was completely destroyed in World War II. Rebuilt from scratch after the war it afforded the chance to apply modern urban planning ideas. A "green way" is routed through much of the ku. The greenway paths mostly follow the grid of canals and waterways which criss-cross. The greenway was Bruce's jogging path throughout the years we stayed with Noriko's parents.
| ||
|
_22nov12-0919_nn.jpg Our condo building  |
_22oct20-0627_nn0.jpg This is "heron island", favored nesting place of a high density of herons.  |
_22oct20-0618_nn.jpg  |
|
_22oct20-0621_nn.jpg  |
_22oct20-0622_nn.jpg  |
|
|
A 22 minutes walk from our condo is subway station Monzen-Nakacho, the oldest neighborhood of Koto-Ku.
| ||
|
_22nov01-1040_nn.jpg In November, there are two festivals, Shichi-go-san for the children and Tori-no-ichi for local business prosperity.  |
_22nov01-1041_nn.jpg Statue of Ino Tadataka who walked and surveyed Japan for 17 years to create the first accurate map of Japan during Edo period  |
_22nov01-1042_nn.jpg Tori-no-ichi rakesfor luck and prosperity for the coming year  |
|
_22nov03-1344_nn.jpg Tomioka Shrine at night  |
_22nov04-b_1732.jpg  |
_22nov04-b_1734.jpg  |
|
_22nov12-0846_nn.jpg Shichi-go-san (7-5-3) in Nov. is a cusom to vist shrines and pray for children7, 5, 3 years old to gorw the healthy and safe. Both children and parents dress up for the occasion.  |
_22nov12-0847_nn.jpg Cute children. These kimonos may be borrowed or rented because they will probably be used only once.  |
_22nov12-0848_nn.jpg  |
|
_22nov12-0849_nn.jpg Every shrine sells essential worship, bleesing and luck goods.  |
_22nov01-1047_nn.jpg Shrine dedicated to Inari (Fox). Countless shrines around Japan are dedicated to Fox.  |
_22nov12-0845_nn.jpg Ginko leaves just fallen.  |
|
_22nov13-b_1232.jpg  |
_22nov01-1046_nn.jpg Narita Fudosan Temple next to Tomioka Shrine  |
_22nov01-1046_nn0.jpg  |
|
_22nov04-b_1743.jpg  |
_22nov04-b_1743a.jpg  |
_22nov01-1044_nn.jpg  |
|
Miso heaven.
| ||
|
_22nov14-b_1357.jpg Miso from all over Japan is sold here. It is hard to choose what to get.  |
_22nov14-b_1357a.jpg  |
_22nov14-b_1358.jpg  |
|
_22nov14-b_1358a.jpg  |
_22nov14-b_1402.jpg Good pickles selection, too.  |
_22nov14-b_1402a.jpg  |
|
Life doesn't get better than this.
| ||
|
_22nov03-1409_nn.jpg Noriko is amused by Bruce's enthusiasm.  |
_22nov04-b_1756b.jpg  |
_22nov04-b_1812.jpg You can take your choice of sake to the counter to be poured into a tokkuri  |
|
_22nov04-b_1818.jpg  |
_22nov04-b_1814.jpg You select a bottle...  |
_22nov04-b_1814a.jpg and they pour you a tokkuri and charge for it.  |
|
_22nov04-b_1814b.jpg We noticed a lot of women come here unaccompanied by a male. List of appetisers in the back is not gourmet but they are cheap, perfect for a quick drink.  |
_22nov04-b_1822a.jpg  |
_22nov04-b_1800.jpg The street outside, mostly avoided by cars.  |
|
"Japanology Mini" - pen refills. What do you do when your ballpoint runs out of ink? Throw it away, right? Not the Japanese. This is a small selection of refills availble at even humble stationary corners of Target-like department stores. A nice stationary store caries hundreds. MyVicuna ballpoint takes KBXES7.
| ||
|
_22nov03-b_0935.jpg  |
_22nov03-b_0935a.jpg  |
|