the tall blond guy goes to japan

Some Lovely Discoveries

Grand Central Hotel

This morning, I decided to try getting lost around the University again. The logic here being that interesting things tend to happen around universities.

According to the map, two Subway stations, Ochanomizu and Hongo-Sanchome, were within walking distance of the University compound. My first try was Ochanomizu. Getting off a saw a large, mostly-public instituational-looking building. Aha! So I walked in and around it a while, looking for something interesting, and pretending that I belonged.

There didn't seem to be as many student-age people around here as I'd think would be appropriate. Lots and lots of old people, actually. As I ascended the escelator, it finally dawned on me what this building was: Tokyo General Hospital!

Okay- back to the Subway.

A block away from Hongo-Sanchome, I got my first clue that I was near the University: a vending machine was selling the high-calorie high-caffeine drink Jolt Cola. I continued up the street, and spied a gaggle of college-age kids. Follow them! Yes!

They walked through an unremarkable ceremonial gate thing, and I followed. This must be the place!

Building on pillars above walkway

Nice scenery here. Being from Vancouver, a city that's full of trees and parks and things, it's rather off-putting being in a place like Tokyo, with so few parks, and so little greenery. It's good to be amongst the trees again.

I noticed an inordinately large number of trees to my right, so I set off exploring. I found a path, leading to a lovely, peaceful sunken garden, which right now needs a bit of care, but must be prefectly lovely in the summertime.

There were even ducks in the pond!

If time allows, I may return here, to try to talk with one of the students of the "Japan School of Culture and Society", a field that seems to hold my interest for more than a few seconds.

Tourist alert: Your bank card will not work in Japan. Forget whatever your card company has told you about the worldwide nature of the blasted Cirrus network, it doesn't reach into Japan. Not quite anyway. Huge thankyous to Citibank here, being the only bank that will have anything to do with credit cards and ATM cards from Europe or the Americas. I put my Cirrus-affiliated ATM card into their machine, and money came out. I could have kissed someone. There's a big Citibank branch near Otemachi station in Chiyoda-Ku. It's hidden behind the dark-grey Daiwa Bank building. I can't be more exact than that, I'm afraid, since I was lost when I found it. When I re-find it, I'll try to give better directions.

I always feel better about a place where I know my ATM card will work.

Surprise! It's a shrine!

While I was busily getting un-lost from my Citibank revelation, I came upon this, hidden behind a modern office building. I bowed several times upon entering and leaving the area, as I didn't want to offend any spirits that may be hanging around there. I hope they didn't mind my taking a picture of their house. I just thought it was a rather neato thing to have behind a newish office tower.