Tokyo, Day 1 - On our Own

We slept long but up early, given that we went to bed at 8:00 pm and arose at 5:30 am.  the weather is drizzlly and overcast in the mid 60sºF.  There wasnt much action on the streets until 7:30 and later.  We ventured out for breakfast.  After exiting the hotel we found we were next to the Nippon TV Tower, which had an interesting sculpture/clock on the skybridge level.

We went to a Japanese style breakfast place recommended by the concierge named Ootoya.  It was a great value at 1030 yen.  We had mixed rice bowl, with fried egg and grilled fish, miso soup, various seaweed "papers," natto (a stringing sticky fermented beans (not great, an acquired taste)) and some rice toppings. 

My first impresssion is that the technology is impressive and works well (doors open, coffee machines make good coffee, one can wash their behind on a toilet (a Varis' favorite), and crosswalk symbols with fancy countdown timers).   We have not tried the toilet options yet.

After breakfast we walked about 7 miles, in intermittent drizzle, first through the Ginza, which is a shopping and nightlife entertaiment district. There are many elegant stores from Europe.  I would still like to find the camera/electronics area of the district.

The architecture is unusual occasionally, but most buildings are typical shiny high rises.

The one below is the deBeers Building.

The train station is more tradtional.

We walked around the Imperial Palace, which was built in 1457 when the then Shogun moved the capital to Edo (the original name for Tokyo).  Fifteen generations of Shoguns lived here, up until 1868 when the Tokugawa period of peace ended and the opening of Japan to foreigners.  We walked outside of the historical moats that surrounding the grounds.  The Palace Grounds may be closed except for two days a year, but we should see a garden tomorrow as part of our guided tour.

We walked through several parks, one of which was setting up for a show, probably flower/plant/garden show commencing tomorrow.  There were a variety of small vignettes of idealized gardens, maybe suitable for rooftops.  And they had built two wooden frameworks for hanging plants.

After a break in our room for tea and snacks, we journeyed out again.  First stop was the Tsukiji, Tokyo Central Market.  It dates from 1657, when the debris of great fire were shovelled into a marsh, thus becoming reclaimed land.  It is dubbed the "fish market at the center of the world," though it is moving to another site sometime 2 km away across the bay.  We didn't see any action since prime time for 'marketing' is predawn.  We next went a short distance to the Shogun's Duck Hunting area, now known as the Hama-rikyu Gardens.  It features three lakes, two of which were used for duck hunting, flower gardens, two teahouses, several nice brigdes and historical building sites.  

The only flower blooming at this time of year is Cosmos.  The Shoguns used this area as a port for off loading rice, and other produce.  

There is also a 300-year old pine tree.