Tokyo - Triple S

SHRINE.   went out this afternoon with my friend Sayuri (we met at Wilson center last year).  She took me to see the Meiji Shrine which is in heart of city, next to big railway station and the old Olympic stadium (which will be torn down and replaced with a new one for 2020 games). Shrine is in gorgeous park that is quiet oasis in middle of city.

The iris garden (below) was in full bloom. Notice that they grow in water, like a paddy. Legend has it that the Meiji emperor named each iris breed after one of his lovers.

There is also a well dating to the Edo period.  And of course, the Meiji shrine, in a lovely plaza with two enormous and perfectly shaped ginko trees.

kiyomasa well, from Edo period. Pure water for the emperor's tea

The Meiji shrine

Ginko trees in front of shrine

from bonsai display next to shrine.

safe sex! corner of Omotesando and Meiji blvds.

SHOPPING.  Then we went to Omote sando area nearby.  Sort of like Madison Ave.  (though there was condom kiosk on the corner). At 4:00 pm we met Yuki who took over as my guide and we contined shopping in Omote sando then to Galleria in Tokyo midtown. Went to a couple of high-end "craft stores" where I bought gifts, then to Muji and Uniqlo.  (Yuki says the Muji stuff at MOMA store in NYC is what you get in Japan convenience stores.). Biggest find: Issey Miyake shop where price is about one-third of NYC price. Went a little crazy there. :)
(BTW I bought years ago a great coat designed by Miyake's then assistant Naoki Takazawa. He is now the creative director of Uniqlo!)

I bought a copy of this panel from famous scroll owned by the Kosanji Temple in Kyoto, drawn in the 12 and 13 century. Some say it is the first manga.  

MUJI 

 SUSHI.   Back to Shibuya for sushi dinner at a popular place (30 minute wait.  Here we are waiting on line; selfie taken with new remote sensor camera).

The sushi was teally good and probably half the price as in NYC, and also it was a fun place.  Yuki told me that in seven years of graduate study in the US he never once bought fish, which never seemed fresh to him.  It is understandable if Japan is your norm!

 Left, inside the restaurant.  Big shouted welcome when you (finally) get in, of course. Below, first course, spinach, crab meat and roe salad, and Chinese steamed egg. Notice huge cup of sake.

Yuki told me that Ivan Ramen's original shop in Tokyo is near his house.   Counter with six seats, complete with sidewalk ordering machine.  Interestingly, his NYC Slurp Shop is in a food court and has... maybe six counter seats.

We ordered a "salad" of seafood and tofu skin, and this is what came out.  A "roll" made with the tofu skin; inside was salad and bits of sashimi--tuna, salmon, etc.

back row:  toro, snapper, tuna, Japanese cod; 

second from back row:  crab, ??, egg, salmon roe

second from front row: ??; crab claw; shrimp, fried roe

front row:  unagi, tuna hand roll

PS.  did not eat the shrimp head