I leave the Sony building and its gadgets behind and continue on towards the Imperial Palace. It's dark now, but I wonder whether the palace will be floodlit and decide to keep going that way and find out. On the way, I pass through the Tokyo International Forum with its incredible roof [pictured] and pause to admire the red brick facade of Tokyo station, which faces the Imperial Palace and Babasaki moat.
I follow the moat into the Imperial Plaza and stumble upon Tokyo's jogging mecca. There are bags, towels and shoes on every available park bench and no one seems at all worried about leaving their belongings unattended. It's also very dark in this part of the city (the palace being decidedly un-floodlit) and I think for the first time of how wonderful it must be to live in a city where the fear of crime is virtually non-existent; where you can leave your shoes, go for a jog around the park at night and be safe in the knowledge that both you and your shoes will get home safely. Not being a jogger, I think I get a few funny looks as I walk around the park, as there's not much to see at this time of night and at one point I find myself utterly alone and approaching a security hut; time for an about turn.
Being a slow learner, I decide to make for the National Diet building in case that is lit up in the same way that the palace is not, but again I'm disappointed and this time I fancy I get some downright suspicious looks as I wander round the government buildings and try not to look lost. At this point I decide to head back towards Ginza and am rewarded with some fantastic reflections in the Babasaki moat.
I stop for a snack- yakitori and a fine Japanese beer - in one of the many snack bars that exist under the raised train tracks. It's a great atmosphere under those tracks, with the lanterns glowing and the grills sizzling. The first beer goes down very well indeed and is followed by many more as I work my way back through Ginza, loving Tokyo more with every sip. Satisfied with my first day’s efforts and more than ready for bed, I return to the hotel.
I follow the moat into the Imperial Plaza and stumble upon Tokyo's jogging mecca. There are bags, towels and shoes on every available park bench and no one seems at all worried about leaving their belongings unattended. It's also very dark in this part of the city (the palace being decidedly un-floodlit) and I think for the first time of how wonderful it must be to live in a city where the fear of crime is virtually non-existent; where you can leave your shoes, go for a jog around the park at night and be safe in the knowledge that both you and your shoes will get home safely. Not being a jogger, I think I get a few funny looks as I walk around the park, as there's not much to see at this time of night and at one point I find myself utterly alone and approaching a security hut; time for an about turn.
Being a slow learner, I decide to make for the National Diet building in case that is lit up in the same way that the palace is not, but again I'm disappointed and this time I fancy I get some downright suspicious looks as I wander round the government buildings and try not to look lost. At this point I decide to head back towards Ginza and am rewarded with some fantastic reflections in the Babasaki moat.
I stop for a snack- yakitori and a fine Japanese beer - in one of the many snack bars that exist under the raised train tracks. It's a great atmosphere under those tracks, with the lanterns glowing and the grills sizzling. The first beer goes down very well indeed and is followed by many more as I work my way back through Ginza, loving Tokyo more with every sip. Satisfied with my first day’s efforts and more than ready for bed, I return to the hotel.
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