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Japan Photos 2: Tokyo
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Shinjuku |
Skyscraper city! To the left is the view from the Tokyo Metropolitan Government
Building in Shinjuku. They say Mount Fuji is visible on a clear day - a
rare occurance in this misty country. At night it's a sea of neon.
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Hakone |
My quest to see Fuji was doomed to failure! The day I decided
to go and visit turned cloudy by the time I got there. I did go up a live
volcano in Hakone, no eruptions the day I was there put plenty of foul
smelling sulphurus gasses. They appear to be mining the stuff here, in
a view from the cable-car like the surface of another planet. |
Meiji Shrine |
Harajuku |
The Harajuku area is very popular with Tokyo's most fashionable and strange
people. Go there on Sunday afternoon to see the street bands, and if you're
lucky a catgirl or two. For a total contrast, the elegant and traditional
Meiji shrine is nearby.
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| Another famous view - two of the bridges to the Imperial
Palace, where the current Emporer and family of the 2000-year old royal
line still live today. Ever wondered why he's called that, when he only
rules one country? When Japan was opened up to foreign dialog and trade
about 100 years ago, Meiji (the Emporer of the time) had to call himself
something to the rest of the world - but didn't think King sounded prestigious
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Imperial Palce |
Nikko |
As Justin mentions, "think nothing
splendid until you've seen Nikko". An incredibly ornate group of mausoleums
to the Shoguns, there's a parade of a thousand samurai twice a year to
re-enact the installation of Ieyasu Tokogawa's ashes. Of course, the disadvantage
of going on a festival day was that it was excessively busy! Every tourist
wishes he was the only one. |
Mandarake at Nakano |
Tokyo Tower |
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Any anime fan should be drooling at the sight of the Ghibli original animation
cels in the window of Mandrake, left. Suffice to say they did not have
price tags. The Tokyo Tower is almost exactly the same as the Eiffel
Tower in Paris, but more orange. Don't bother going up, it's horribly expensive
and the TMG building mentioned above is free for a better view!
Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba
That's all until next time!
Return to part 1: Kyoto
Main Japan Page
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