And that's what I did today, on a cycling tour, to explore Asakusa, Sumida River, Ueno, Yanaka, and finally the Bunkyo Civic Centre for a sunset that really capped the day (more to come).
First off, we cycled down the Sumida River, just next to Asakusa. It has a great view of the Tokyo Skytree and many other Tokyo landmarks. Think of it as the equivalent of the Seine in Paris.
The outstanding building(s) in the background is the Asahi Breweries' headquarters. These are located near Asakusa, viewed from Azumabashi Bridge.
The one of the left represents a beer glass with foam on top. It is designed by Philippe Starck, no less. The one in black with the golden swirly top also belongs to Asahi Breweries. Some call it the "golden turd". Yah, I can definitely see that. But the real significance is "the burning heart of Asahi beer". OK, the golden turd is more apt.
And here we have Asakusa's main attraction, the Sensoji Temple. More specifically, this is the Kaminarimon entrance gate, and we are in the middle of an intersection while taking this photo. We survived.
We went round several other local sights, and by the time we arrived in Yanaka, I was famished. Yanaka is also up on a hill. I am surprised I actually survived that uphill ride. We would go up several more hills throughout the tour. My legs are not happy with me right now.
I eagerly wolfed down the snacks that were sold at this 130-year old shop, currently run by the 4th generation owner. Behind us is his daughter who practiced her English with us.
The Yanaka area was populated by samurais during the Edo period. Though it was the scene of battles fought during the Meiji Restoration, a number of the buildings from that time survived, including many temples and shrines. The area also escaped aerial bombings during the WW II period.
The typical height of a doorway during the Edo period. Just right for me. Notice how amused my fellow travellers were :)
Next up was the Daikokuten Kyooji Temple, the site of the last Battle of Ueno in 1868, when the pro-shogun forces took refuge from the pro-imperial army.
Here is one of the many bullet holes from that battle
We also biked through several campuses of Tokyo University. This is one of its entrances. Apparently, in the past when entrance exams results were delivered by telegram, the message written on it if one passed was "The cherry blossoms are blooming". Just inside to the left of the entrance is a pathway flanked by cherry blossoms. If you passed, it meant that you have a chance to view them. And if you failed? The message would be "The cherry blossoms have scattered". Poetic and sarcastic...I like it :)
Hachiko & her owner, Dr Ueno...what can I say. It always make my heart go sour when I hear the story. Dr Ueno was a professor at the Tokyo University's Department of Agriculture. His office was in the building on the right.
The architecture of Tokyo University's many campuses and buildings have a distinguished, stately feel, and rivals those of its venerable peers in Europe.
To cap off the tour, we paid a visit to the 25th floor of the Bunkyo Ward City Hall to catch sunset over the city. The viewing gallery is free. I'd say this is a great alternative the one at Tokyo Skytree which costs JPY 5000.
Here is a view of Tokyo Skytree and its surrounding areas. Tokyo *is* a sprawling metropolitan of 12 million...
But the bonus is really... Mount Fuji!
Fujisan is elusive outside of a clear winter day. It shows itself when temperatures are cold and skies are clear. But today was our lucky day! The leaves have not even turned colour, and temperatures are definitely on the higher side of the teens. But there it is...welcoming us :)
And here's a clearer shot...unfiltered, untouched...
No comments:
Post a Comment