27th August 2004

Today I got up at nine, man the long rest was soo good, and then I packed my things. This time I replaced my laptop, which I had taken along as a dictionary until today, with the Wordtank. Great, it’s so much lighter! By the way, the shift key wasn’t defective, only the way to use it is a bit strange and I had to find that out. Fortunately I found it out yesterday before I’d go to the store to complain because that would have been well embarrassing. This time I also didn’t forget to take along the tickets for the return flight and set out for the Tokyo-Eki. There I found my way to the ticket office again and queued. This time everything went smooth: I got my JR-East-Pass, my JR-Seishun-18-kippu, my seat reservations for the shinkansen, I could pay with credit card and managed to speak mainly in Japanese. How proud I was of myself^^ Then I went to the information centre where I had been yesterday already and got a jikokuhyou (timetable) for the trains from Tokyo to Odawara and from Tokyo to Kamakura which I’d have to take on the further course of my travel. Ithat finished my business with JR. I’ll just have to ask for the times of the trains going back to Tokyo when I’ll arrive at Odawara and Kamakura respectively. Next thing I went on to Meijijinguu-mae station taking trains of the Marunouchi line and the Chiyoda line.

Station of Harajuku near the Meiji-Jinguu

Donated sake barrels at the Meiji-Jinguu

After I had a good look at the surroundings and asked for the way, I reached the first giant torii-gate on the way to the shrine. Of course my cameras had lots of work again^^. Anyway, for me just coming from the bustling streets, the sudden change of atmosphere was remarkable. The chirping of the cicadas, omnipresent in summertime-Tokyo, a shady, wide gravel path, high, old trees to both sides and the crunching of gravel under the feet of the few pedestrians walking down the path – really impressively peaceful! I went through one more torii-gate and reached the forecourt of the shrine.

Well for ritual cleansing of hands

There I took a few photos of the well for the ritual cleansing of hands and mouth and rinsed those body parts, then abruptly the silence was broken by a group of loudly chatting Italians… I marched directly towards the front of the shrine and performed the steps I’d learned yesterday. Throw in a coin, clap your hands twice, fold your hands piously, bow, stay bowed, say your prayers and leave. In the background I heard the Italians chatting about clapping your hands two times and that that was the spirit of Shinto (at least that was what I understood that from their Italian). Next I saw the place where the votive plates called ema were hung up and decided to buy one for myself this time.

Ema written by me

I got one plate for 500 yen and wrote ‘Shourai, shiawase ni nihon de kuraseru koto wo inorimasu. Maiya beruhado’ on top of it. Than I hung up the plate on one of the countless hooks and remained for a while, deeply in thoughts. Then I strolled across grounds of the Meijij-Jnguu for a bit and then I slowly walked back to the underground.

Apparantly in Japan they speak German too – just not very perfectly…
Trolley bag that cought my eye at the underground station

This time it was only a short ride, to Yoyogikouen-Eki station, where I asked for the way to the Yoyogikouen. The Yoyogikouen is one of the big parks in the middle of Tokyo and is, as it seems, used for recreation a lot. In the center of the park there is a nice pond with clear water and a fountain, all around there are wide lawns, where people sit around, practice their musical instruments, play ball games or indulge in other amusements, and there’s even a cycling course going round the park! A cycling course on which pedestrians are not allowed to walk! If you have ever seen how cyclists normally have to make their way though armies of pedestrians on the sidewalks because they’re not allowed to use the streets you know why I’m so enthusiastic about it! Should I come to live in Tokyo one day I’ll surely use it a lot…^^

The nice Yoyogi-Kouen – which is used for many purposes

From the Yoyogikouen I proceeded on on foot to search the Touken-Hakubutsukan, the Japanese sword museum I wanted to visit. This was the first time that I sought something in Tokyo that wasn’t a major sight or tourist attraction which was easy to find. But with the help of a city map, the underground and the roadside maps that can be found everywhere; and asking for the way every now and then, you can make it. By the way, for me also a compass is really useful^^. At the Touken-Hakubutsukan I paid my 525 yen entry fee and enjoyed the great variety of astonishingly well made blades on display.

That’s the only photo I could take of the 'Touken-Hakubutsukan’

Unfortunately photography was forbidden once again and so I bought a book about nihontou (Japanese swords) for about 1000 yen to have a souvenir of that very interesting museum. On foot I walked back to the underground station and took a train to the Omote-sandou this time, had a quick look around and bought some food and a KDDI phone card at at konbini (convenience store). Then I settled down on a bench nearby and leasurely ate my supper. After having rested my tired feet for half an hour or so I took the Chiyoda line directly back to Nezu station and after I had phoned Europe I went back to the minshuku and started writing my diary. I’m writing my diary in a bit of a hurry today because any minute the bon-odori (traditional mid-summer street dances) of the vincinity, which I naturally don’t want to miss, will start. So long!!