While I polished off some croissants I had carried from home, Gordon ventured down to try the in house brekker which was quite decent. We were ready to go.
Our first order of business of the day was to get to Shinjuku station in order to visit the JR office to book our seat reservations for the first few train journeys we would be undertaking. For the most part thereafter, we pretty much winged it, and jumped onto the most convenient trains, armed with our pass, without reservations, making sure to sit in the unreserved carriages that are always indicated on the electronic displays near the station. We never had a problem finding seats.
Thereafter, we made our way to Tokyo station by the Marounochi subway line, and exited to find our way to the Imperial Palace and gardens. It was a chilly but clear day and the moat surrounding the castle was calm and serene, with a lovely reflection of a guard house.
We made our way across the huge promenade and pavilion towards the bridge for the picture perfect view of the castle peeking out from amongst the foliage.
After a short respite, we headed for the Imperial Palace gardens.
The promenade along the way is lined with cherry trees which had just started to blossom. Our first encounter with sakura, even if not in full blown splendour, was memorable and whetted our appetite for more.
The gate leading to the gardens is about a 10 minute walk from the view point of the castle. On the whole, this entire area involves a fair bit of walking as the grounds are spread out.
It is after all spring and so what if the sakura are taking their time, other trees and shrubs are already beginning to celebrate.
The first fairly full cherry blossom. We would miss the peak of Tokyo's sakura which was scheduled for this week, but delayed due to the sudden onset of a cold front. The rest of Japan however more than made up.
Although the pale pink sakura are the most common, they also come in white, lilac, and an almost magenta shade. All are spectacular, with white blossoms being the most difficult to photograph due to contrast issues.
A weeping sakura in half bloom.
We made our way back through this underground passageway that links Tokyo station with the Imperial Palace area.
This is most definitely not a board meeting Japanese style, rather the smoker's corner in Tokyo station. Most Japanese are inveterate smokers and this rooms allow them to indulge their addiction without bothering the general public. Just before we left Japan, smoking was totally banned from train stations, and we got used to seeing armies of attendants working late into the night uprooting ashtrays and similar receptacles from stations all over the country.
The next order of business was lunch, so we made our way out of Tokyo station to a place that had come highly recommended by guidebooks and a couple of our friends called Dhaba India. Gordon had the South Indian thali while I gorged on a Masala Dosa. Enroute, we caught a glimpse of the architecture of the Tokyo International Forum but did not have the time to visit its vast atrium.
Thereafter, we made our way by metro to Ginza. We walked down Chuo Dori, the main street in Ginza. They say if you take a Y 10000 note and fold it into as small a speck as possible and then drop it on the ground, the area covered by the note will be worth several times more. Welcome to some of the most expensive real estate in the world. Any wonder then that the worlds' biggest brands vie to have their store fronts here. Most of Japan's department stores or depachikas have either a flagship store or a major branch here.
Ginza also boasts of interesting architecture such as the Cartier Building, buttressed by the sensuous curves of the Diamond Shiraishi Building.
The store facade of one of the two Mikimoto flagship stores in Ginza.
The Ginza strip at dusk comes alive with neon and glittering lights as giant screens flicker on, store displays bask in halogen warmth and streetlamps come aglow.
Our top pick for the best view in Ginza - a balcony table at the Laduree cafe overlooking the Ginza crossing. Enjoy hot coffee, decadent macaroons and delicious ice cream while watching the madness below.
Sakura fever manifests itself in all things, such as this arrangement of sweets outside a confectionery shop. The sweets themselves are fashioned so as to look as the ubiquitous blossoms.
Unloading goods Japanese style. Why open up the back of the truck if the entire side can be opened instead ? Load the boxes onto flat trolleys and off we go.
We walked up the street to take a look at the Kabuki Za theatre. We had planned to catch at least a single act of a kabuki play but ran short of time and hence it is on our list of things to do the next time we visit Tokyo.
The Ginza crossing at night before we make our way back to the hotel.
