Tokyo today

Goodbye Sydney, hello Tokyo.

I am glad you decided to come with us. The flights took forever didn’t they,  and then 90 minutes  to pass through immigration meant we were just asleep (3.30am) when the earthquake tried to shake us up at 4.30am. Nevertheless here we are ready to explore some of Tokyo.

The roads are so empty! People here use the extensive train system . Car use is expensive, so is parking ,tolls and fuel so it gets left at home and only gets played with at weekends . Apart from the roads being freer , the other benefit is no pollution . The skies are clear.

Our guide explained the Japanese like the idea of religion but don’t in general follow orpractice any religion. He said they hedge their bets :Shinto when born, Buddhist sometimes and perhaps a Christian  marriage ceremony. They pick the best bits. Culturally, respecting or honouring ancestors is considered the most important practice. So we are off to visit a Shinto shrine .

The Meiji shrine was created for the Meiji dynasty. The actual shrine is surrounded by treed grounds where all the trees were donated by the people of Japan. The concept is to create a space for meditation in harmony with nature. It certainly is a peaceful oasis in a crowded city.   

      You can pray to the ancient trees if you wish…….. Just throw a coin, clap twice so the goddess knows you are there, say your prayer and bow…..tree hugging is not a thing here….just a respect for the living spirit.

Hungry….next is the fish markets…no not whole fish though there could be. It’s more a market for dried seafood items , prawns, fish oysters and other handy items you might need with street food, and restaurants to stave off hunger till you get home to cook. 

 Next a Buddhist temple. I said there were no favourites. This temple is a reconstruction and only the gate is original. It is pouring……are we being showered with blessings😀🤣😂? The grounds are magnificent but I think we will miss exploring them today.   
   

I know we will probably never see the Eiffel Tower but this is the next best thing. The Tokyo tower is modelled on the Eiffel Tower but higher and lighter. It is made from the metal of discarded tanks following WW11 as a telecommunications tower and symbol of hope for the Japanese people. Imagine being a builder on it……no harnesses.     On a clear day you can see Mt Fuji

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Tired? Dinner and bed.