Friday, 29 April 2016 in more detail
Original posted LIVE here. We took 230 photos today but will share just a few . . .
"Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed animation studios in the world, and the home of some of the most revered and beloved animated works to have ever graced the screen."
That's according to Studio Ghibli's Australian website here, but since both India and I have long enjoyed their movies, visiting the Ghibli Museum in Tokyo was high on our agenda.
You can't just turn up and buy tickets to visit the Ghibli Museum, there are a limited number available every day and they have to be purchased in advance. In our case, we bought them almost three months earlier using their on-line booking system; only a week or so later I noticed tickets were sold out until July. So if you plan to visit Ghibli Museum, plan ahead and buy your tickets months in advance to avoid disappointment.
So let's go to Ghibli Museum! As shown on the below map, Ghibli Museum (circled in green) is in Mitaka to the west of our flat (the red marker on the far right). This is a current 2020 Google Map which is why it is currently showing most museums in Tokyo are "Temporarily closed".
As we leave our apartment in Shinjuku I see this cute Honda Note on the street . . . these boxy "Kei" cars are tiny (have a maximum legal size), only 660cc engine but are cheaper to register. And in Tokyo, where space is at a premium, they are easy to park. The black on yellow licence plates are reserved for Kei cars. Normal licence plates are green on white while taxis are white on green.
Japan is famous for its vending machines which are literally everywhere. India and I enjoyed exploring the various vending machines: you will find most days we discover a new one or more to try. This one had a tasty Fanta +C drink in it which was tasty! Looks like the price was Y130 = $1.58 for this small bottle. See the sticker on the machine which says we could have used our Pasmo card to pay.
This is the train ticket machine at Shinjuku JR station. You use the map above the ticket machines to figure out how much you need to spend on a ticket, then you press the "English" button on the ticket machine and make the purchase for that value. Suica is another type of prepaid card you can buy, like the Pasmo card we have.
Every subway station has ticket machines near the gates, along with maps of the stations above. Often (in Tokyo at least) there are two maps, one in Japanese and another in English . . . or one with both languages. Note Shinjuku station is in the centre in a red box, with a red arrow pointing to it. Easy to see where you are now!
If you take the time to compare the subway map from yesterday and this one, you will see they are different . . . because the previous one was for Tokyo Metro, and this one is for JR (Japan Rail).
Remember Shinjuku station is massive and serves three different train lines so each one has their own ticket machines and maps like this above them. In practice it works well.
Next to each station name is an amount which makes it easy to figure out how much to spend on a ticket to get to your desired destination. So below we can see Kitchijoji station needs a Y220 ticket for us to go there. The previous night I had looked on Google maps and found Kitchijoji station was a closer walk than Mitaka station to Ghibli Museum. Easy! Note these station names are also on the Google map above.
We pass through the East Gate and head towards our platform today, platform 8. Notice how the people naturally walk on the left hand side (they drive on that side like we do in Australia) to minimise congestion. They are doing some renovations on the ceiling.
Once on the platform we get to observe the trains while we wait for ours. The trains here are very regular so you rarely have to wait for more than two or three minutes . . .
When we get off the train at Kitchijoji we find this interesting streetscape.
"Studio Ghibli is one of the most acclaimed animation studios in the world, and the home of some of the most revered and beloved animated works to have ever graced the screen."
You can't just turn up and buy tickets to visit the Ghibli Museum, there are a limited number available every day and they have to be purchased in advance. In our case, we bought them almost three months earlier using their on-line booking system; only a week or so later I noticed tickets were sold out until July. So if you plan to visit Ghibli Museum, plan ahead and buy your tickets months in advance to avoid disappointment.
So let's go to Ghibli Museum! As shown on the below map, Ghibli Museum (circled in green) is in Mitaka to the west of our flat (the red marker on the far right). This is a current 2020 Google Map which is why it is currently showing most museums in Tokyo are "Temporarily closed".
As we leave our apartment in Shinjuku I see this cute Honda Note on the street . . . these boxy "Kei" cars are tiny (have a maximum legal size), only 660cc engine but are cheaper to register. And in Tokyo, where space is at a premium, they are easy to park. The black on yellow licence plates are reserved for Kei cars. Normal licence plates are green on white while taxis are white on green.
Japan is famous for its vending machines which are literally everywhere. India and I enjoyed exploring the various vending machines: you will find most days we discover a new one or more to try. This one had a tasty Fanta +C drink in it which was tasty! Looks like the price was Y130 = $1.58 for this small bottle. See the sticker on the machine which says we could have used our Pasmo card to pay.
This is the train ticket machine at Shinjuku JR station. You use the map above the ticket machines to figure out how much you need to spend on a ticket, then you press the "English" button on the ticket machine and make the purchase for that value. Suica is another type of prepaid card you can buy, like the Pasmo card we have.
Every subway station has ticket machines near the gates, along with maps of the stations above. Often (in Tokyo at least) there are two maps, one in Japanese and another in English . . . or one with both languages. Note Shinjuku station is in the centre in a red box, with a red arrow pointing to it. Easy to see where you are now!
If you take the time to compare the subway map from yesterday and this one, you will see they are different . . . because the previous one was for Tokyo Metro, and this one is for JR (Japan Rail).
Remember Shinjuku station is massive and serves three different train lines so each one has their own ticket machines and maps like this above them. In practice it works well.
Next to each station name is an amount which makes it easy to figure out how much to spend on a ticket to get to your desired destination. So below we can see Kitchijoji station needs a Y220 ticket for us to go there. The previous night I had looked on Google maps and found Kitchijoji station was a closer walk than Mitaka station to Ghibli Museum. Easy! Note these station names are also on the Google map above.
We pass through the East Gate and head towards our platform today, platform 8. Notice how the people naturally walk on the left hand side (they drive on that side like we do in Australia) to minimise congestion. They are doing some renovations on the ceiling.
Once on the platform we get to observe the trains while we wait for ours. The trains here are very regular so you rarely have to wait for more than two or three minutes . . .
When we get off the train at Kitchijoji we find this interesting streetscape.
It is about a 20 min walk to the Museum, eventually through beautiful parkland and opposite is a zoo.
Yay! We're here, and just in time to line up for the doors to open!
The exterior of the Ghibli Museum is as imaginative as the movies, and reflects the creative energy experienced inside. Photos were not allowed inside but it was an incredible museum.
Details of the museum experience are best described at the official Ghibli Museum website here. We spent hours exploring the recreated studio where the movies are drawn, coloured and created. Watching a short animated film unique to the Ghibli Museum and buying special gifts in the excellent gift shop. Even the admission ticket is a special souvenir, made of a piece of genuine film with a frame from one of the movies!
On the roof of the museum a serene five-meter-tall Robot Soldier (from "Castle in the Sky") looks down on Inokashira Park.
Yay! We're here, and just in time to line up for the doors to open!
The exterior of the Ghibli Museum is as imaginative as the movies, and reflects the creative energy experienced inside. Photos were not allowed inside but it was an incredible museum.
On the roof of the museum a serene five-meter-tall Robot Soldier (from "Castle in the Sky") looks down on Inokashira Park.
As you can see from the above photo, even the rooftop of the Ghibli Museum is like another world . . .
We would highly recommend visiting the Ghibli Museum when in Tokyo . . .now we headed back to the train station via a park which led us to Inokashira Ike Isekigun which is a historic area surrounding large spring-fed ponds. This shrine was our first peaceful encounter as we then walked through beautiful parkland around the ponds.
Here's a video I took at the shrine (or larger version at the link here):
We sat on a park bench next to the lake and made a video call home to Sydney to show them what an amazing lakeside park this was in a suburb of Tokyo.
Nearby, guess what we found! An ice cream vending machine. All only Y160 = $1.95 each
These CRUNKY ice creams were delicious and were to become a favourite. Mine is choc vanilla, India has choc mint. They do not have a bite out of them when you buy them . . . LOTTE is actually a Korean confectionery company which I recall from my visit to Korea in 1995, they are popular here too.
Nearby we could hear loud music as a festival of some type is happening with lots of people enjoying the sunshine and perfect spring day.
Infatuation is a strong word, perhaps "fascinated" is a better way to describe our interest in Japanese vending machines
A popular area as we head back towards Kitchijoji station
We were surprised how popular crepes were here and these models of each crepe were very realistic. A classic Japanese phenomenon are the realistic wax models of food on display in the windows to tempt hungry stomachs!
The entrance to Kichijoji train station with uniformed assistance to stop traffic to allow pedestrians to cross safely.
Some archery students waiting for the train . . .
The other side of Kichijoji from the platform
Caught the train back to Shinjuku then changed lines to go to Harajuku
The entrance to Kichijoji train station with uniformed assistance to stop traffic to allow pedestrians to cross safely.
Some archery students waiting for the train . . .
The other side of Kichijoji from the platform
Caught the train back to Shinjuku then changed lines to go to Harajuku
Harajuku (in green circle below) is south of Shinjuku (our apartment is at the red marker) is famous for being a fashion and cosplay hotspot in Tokyo
On the platform at Harajuku station we saw this digital vending machine . . . !
It is amazing to see familiar shops like Lush in another country like this . . .
There was large crowds in this area so we basically followed the movement of the crowd from the train station until we arrived at the below intersection where we could stop on the side to get our bearings.
Harajuku had some interesting buildings and fashions . . .
Interesting shoes (below)
We saw some real Harajuku girls!
We walked down the famous Takeshita Street
A lot of stores in Japan will have an employee out the front promoting their products, like this Candy A Go Go young lady (in the pink wig) below, or the lady with the yellow "SALE" sign two photos above
At the end of Takeshita Street, in the distance (above) is the train station we started at and are about to catch another train back to Shinjuku. See those trees in the distance? We visit that park on Sunday after Church . . . .
Another new vending machine find below, Orange flavour which at the time I had not tasted before . . . very tasty!
Back at Shinjuku we head west towards the Skyscraper district, we use this underground walkway with moving walkway on the far right . . .
It is always delightful to see women wearing such beautiful kimono (above)
India found some snacks at a convenience store on the way (below) the Rich Strawberry chocs are recommended . . .
This is our destination on this beautiful clear spring day, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building. The 243 metre tall building has two towers, each housing a free observatory at a height of 202 metres. It had been the tallest building in Tokyo until it was overtaken by the Midtown Tower in 2007. More detail about this building here. Location on the above map in the green circle, with our apartment on the eastern side of Shinjuku by the usual red marker.
We go up the south tower because I'd love to get photos of Mount Fuji if possible. Apparently it is visible from Tokyo on a clear day . . . so let's see how we go . . . .
Check out the size of this metropolis! Buildings as far as the eye can see in every direction. Remember, Tokyo has a population of over 9 million people, the population of Sydney and Melbourne combined!
The trees you can see on the left of the above photo is the same large park, Meiji Jingu Gyon, which we could see at the end of Takeshita Street in the earlier photo.
Below is the view towards Mount Fuji but it is very difficult to discern through the haze . . . .
Below is the view north . . . . . the next is a view east towards the rest of the Skyscraper district
We took many more photos from this amazing vantage point and then headed back to the subway from the nearby Tochomae Station . . . and guess what we found! A vending machine that makes hot chocolate !
Most of the subway stations in Tokyo have these barriers installed. The main reason is to prevent people from falling onto the tracks obviously. During peak times these platforms are packed by thousands of commuters. But also, unfortunately, one of the main methods used in Japan to commit suicide is to jump in front of an oncoming train. So these barriers help prevent that. They have also started installing lights which have a strong "blue" tint or range which, studies have shown, help combat suicidal thoughts.
We pop by our apartment to drop off our Ghibli Museum bags and then time for our favourite time of day, the search for something delicious for dinner! No fast food like last night, this is our second night in Tokyo and after a big day of exploring we're rather hungry.
We start exploring the streets of Shinjuku and see plenty of tempting options. We choose the one below because the samples in the window look delicious . . . and can you see India's reflection in the glass?
We choose the ramen in the window that suits our tastes and then go into the ticket machine you can see through the door and choose the number which matches the ramen in the window we want. We pay the right amount and a ticket is issued.
We then take the ticket over the the counter (out of sight to the left inside) and hand it to the chef. We sit at the counter at the window and in a few minutes the chef motions for us to collect our delicious meal . . .
Here is my delicious ramen with meal ticket, only Y420 or $5.60 for this flavour-filled meal.
India's dinner was Y530 = $7.07. I mean, you can't get more authentic ramen than in Tokyo, can you? Well, of course each city and town in Japan likely has awesome ramen but this was our first taste in Japan and it did not disappoint.
With our bellies full we explored some more of Shinjuku, including visiting a Hello Kitty shop to buy a souvenir for a Hello Kitty fan at work.
Plus visiting some arcades for some games . . .
Walk past the entrance to Hanazono-jinja Shrine
The lights and sights in Shinjuku at night are still surreal. Time to hit the sack to rest before our third day in Tokyo . . .
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