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Channeling Cordelia Chase in "Welcome to the Hellmouth".
So I emerged from the subway station, having meant to keep track of which way was east but having forgotten after going to the bathroom. East being the way the train was going, north being where I wanted to go. I emerged into a surface world with no landmarks and not enough visible sun. So I decided to try asking the natives.
"Yasukuni-dori doko des ka?" (Where is Yasukuni-dori?, probably missing an o or e particle.)
Answers apparently ranged from "I have no idea" to, after looking at my map, "I don't know and that's so far." A woman with limited but serviceable English did the famed "walk around with you trying to get better help" thing, asking other people who either didn't know or had vague directions. Asking for compass directions didn't work much better, though I realize that she did know landmarks which in fact pointed north for me; I doubted her for a while given my judgement of the light.
Perspective: Yasukuni-dori is a major thoroughfare running through central Tokyo, somewhat north of the Imperial Palace, running by (surprise) the Yasukuni shrine of war criminals fame, just south of a river branch or canal, crossing the Sumida river (though changing name to Keiyo-doro, due north of where I was.) And once I got oriented, I reached it -- in fact, my own personal major intersection -- in 2 minutes. So much for "very far". This seems like New Yorkers on Sixth Avenue being unsure of which way Fifth Avenue was.
(Edit: if it wasn't clear, my incredulity at people not knowing in what direction lies a nearby major street is what prompts my Cordelia Chase. Also, my hotel is on Yasukuni-dori, which I've walked up and down a fair bit, so all I needed to do was head north. I can't really get lost if I know what half of the city I'm in and which way is up; head to the street and go home from there. It's like following slopes to a river, only without the natural gravity gradient.)
Lesson: get a compass.
So, you might have guessed from all that that today I figured out the subway system, and you'd be right. The hardest part ended up being buying a ticket; my machine didn't have English, and I had no idea what the different fares meant. I got the highest and got directed to station personnel when I left; I'd guess in retrospect because I was using a 3-zone ticket in the same zone. Later I found a Passmo machine, which can make electronic pass cards, and did have English. The thing even works through my wallet, you don't pass the card through but touch or wave it at the gate.
Where'd I go? To Yasukuni-jinja in fact, the aforementioned shrine. Mindful of yesterday's torment, I had a much lighter backpack, which included my umbrella; this was good, because right as I got to the shrine it rained. Heavily. Lots of people taking shelter under things, or scurrying back and forth. I took photos of the shrine, and also of the rain and puddles, which seems Zen, although it's a Shinto shrine. But hey, Shinto is about respecting nature. Also about washing up, and there was a tank of water with ladles for purification of the hands, which I did -- admittedly, as I left, not as I entered. Physically it's very nice, and I see now that there's a museum, which I missed. Cute shrine maidens (or at least employees) in white shirts and orange pantaloons.) And an English/Korean/Chinese pamphlet, describing how the Japanese were unfortunately forced to defend their independence and enforce peace in Asia, so people died. So sad.
After that I wandered. I followed a bunch of people, mostly but not entirely high school or college age girls, to the Nippon Budokan, where there was a long for something. I have no idea what was going on, and didn't enter; the local police box was no help. I found a soba place, to have perhaps my first soba, dipping cold noodles into shoyu? sauce. And torodon for the main dish; sorry Sushizaipan, you didn't get my torodon virginity. I still love you though, and not just for your Western-style bathroom... soba place had great green tea, though.
Then south, to the art museum, and the public grounds of the palace, though too late to enter either. Well, not sure about the museum, but my feet really hurt after 4 hours mostly on foot, so I subwayed back, to the opening adventure. Even from outside, the palace is impressive, though. Apart from infant travel and my limited autonomy Soviet Union trip, this is the first time in a city dominated by a palace or castle; we just don't have those in the US, or families whose privacy is permanently a matter of state policy.
Tonight's plans: I don't know. I could subway out to feel at sea in Roppongi. (Nightlife district, some foreign catering. Keep in mind I hardly do nightlife in my own country, especially on my own.) Or stay home and relax or study. Or find some Starbuck's or other coffee place and hang out. Especially if one served green tea -- per an old LJ post of mlc23, that's actually not as ubiquitous as anime might have us think. Ramen place didn't have it, donburi did, for free -- out of a giant dispenser machine -- Yoshinoya didn't.
Tomorrow: a race for my time between Ai and a family friend. Or race conditions maybe, depending on relative availability and such.
No one's on AIM. Oh, right, it's 6am EDT. Those wacky time zones!
So I emerged from the subway station, having meant to keep track of which way was east but having forgotten after going to the bathroom. East being the way the train was going, north being where I wanted to go. I emerged into a surface world with no landmarks and not enough visible sun. So I decided to try asking the natives.
"Yasukuni-dori doko des ka?" (Where is Yasukuni-dori?, probably missing an o or e particle.)
Answers apparently ranged from "I have no idea" to, after looking at my map, "I don't know and that's so far." A woman with limited but serviceable English did the famed "walk around with you trying to get better help" thing, asking other people who either didn't know or had vague directions. Asking for compass directions didn't work much better, though I realize that she did know landmarks which in fact pointed north for me; I doubted her for a while given my judgement of the light.
Perspective: Yasukuni-dori is a major thoroughfare running through central Tokyo, somewhat north of the Imperial Palace, running by (surprise) the Yasukuni shrine of war criminals fame, just south of a river branch or canal, crossing the Sumida river (though changing name to Keiyo-doro, due north of where I was.) And once I got oriented, I reached it -- in fact, my own personal major intersection -- in 2 minutes. So much for "very far". This seems like New Yorkers on Sixth Avenue being unsure of which way Fifth Avenue was.
(Edit: if it wasn't clear, my incredulity at people not knowing in what direction lies a nearby major street is what prompts my Cordelia Chase. Also, my hotel is on Yasukuni-dori, which I've walked up and down a fair bit, so all I needed to do was head north. I can't really get lost if I know what half of the city I'm in and which way is up; head to the street and go home from there. It's like following slopes to a river, only without the natural gravity gradient.)
Lesson: get a compass.
So, you might have guessed from all that that today I figured out the subway system, and you'd be right. The hardest part ended up being buying a ticket; my machine didn't have English, and I had no idea what the different fares meant. I got the highest and got directed to station personnel when I left; I'd guess in retrospect because I was using a 3-zone ticket in the same zone. Later I found a Passmo machine, which can make electronic pass cards, and did have English. The thing even works through my wallet, you don't pass the card through but touch or wave it at the gate.
Where'd I go? To Yasukuni-jinja in fact, the aforementioned shrine. Mindful of yesterday's torment, I had a much lighter backpack, which included my umbrella; this was good, because right as I got to the shrine it rained. Heavily. Lots of people taking shelter under things, or scurrying back and forth. I took photos of the shrine, and also of the rain and puddles, which seems Zen, although it's a Shinto shrine. But hey, Shinto is about respecting nature. Also about washing up, and there was a tank of water with ladles for purification of the hands, which I did -- admittedly, as I left, not as I entered. Physically it's very nice, and I see now that there's a museum, which I missed. Cute shrine maidens (or at least employees) in white shirts and orange pantaloons.) And an English/Korean/Chinese pamphlet, describing how the Japanese were unfortunately forced to defend their independence and enforce peace in Asia, so people died. So sad.
After that I wandered. I followed a bunch of people, mostly but not entirely high school or college age girls, to the Nippon Budokan, where there was a long for something. I have no idea what was going on, and didn't enter; the local police box was no help. I found a soba place, to have perhaps my first soba, dipping cold noodles into shoyu? sauce. And torodon for the main dish; sorry Sushizaipan, you didn't get my torodon virginity. I still love you though, and not just for your Western-style bathroom... soba place had great green tea, though.
Then south, to the art museum, and the public grounds of the palace, though too late to enter either. Well, not sure about the museum, but my feet really hurt after 4 hours mostly on foot, so I subwayed back, to the opening adventure. Even from outside, the palace is impressive, though. Apart from infant travel and my limited autonomy Soviet Union trip, this is the first time in a city dominated by a palace or castle; we just don't have those in the US, or families whose privacy is permanently a matter of state policy.
Tonight's plans: I don't know. I could subway out to feel at sea in Roppongi. (Nightlife district, some foreign catering. Keep in mind I hardly do nightlife in my own country, especially on my own.) Or stay home and relax or study. Or find some Starbuck's or other coffee place and hang out. Especially if one served green tea -- per an old LJ post of mlc23, that's actually not as ubiquitous as anime might have us think. Ramen place didn't have it, donburi did, for free -- out of a giant dispenser machine -- Yoshinoya didn't.
Tomorrow: a race for my time between Ai and a family friend. Or race conditions maybe, depending on relative availability and such.
No one's on AIM. Oh, right, it's 6am EDT. Those wacky time zones!
no subject
Date: 2008-08-16 16:36 (UTC)From: