Was it a good idea? Could I stay awake the whole time? Where was the nearest vat of coffee? These were the questions I asked myself on the way to here---
Ryogoku Station, which is known mostly for its proximity to sumo. This neighborhood wrecks the BMI average of the entire country. We saw a couple of sumo wrestlers while walking around, which was pretty cool.
We were a group of ten or so, and luckily, eight of us were Japanese and knew what was going on. The other two of us were the former (her) and current (me) teachers of the class trip's students. They go on a field trip once a year and it was a great chance for turnover.
First, lunch at the Dai-Ichi Hotel Ryogoku. It had a great Viking (which is what the Japanese call a buffet). It also had a perfect view of Tokyo Skytree.
Lunch was a great time to eat and chat. Plus, someone made paper cranes for each place setting, and I ended up with all the cranes at my table, so I have a whole family.
The cranes were just a perk, though. The main event was really the Tokyo Edo Museum. I did not give this museum nearly enough time or attention due to jet lag and interest in the first floor gift shop. I'll return at a later date because the museum is beautiful, and really interactive. I mean, look at all the things you can do!
You can sit in a palanquin:
You can pick up a matsui like an old timey Japanese firefighter:
These were used like guidons, basically it's held aloft so a group can identify its rally point. The guidons at Blake's college were a lot more flag-like and less weird-wooden-triangle-thing. And let me tell you, at the Tokyo-Edo Museum, they really let you experience the weight of history. Literally. This stuff is heavy.
I went over to these buckets expecting a lesson in balance. Instead, I got 50 pounds of rocks on my shoulder. This picture shows the highest I was able to lift the buckets due to the weight and my height. I would have made a terrible water schlepper.
Anyone want more examples of manual labor disguised as a museum exhibit?
Rachel was my lucky passenger. It wasn't much a ride, though, since it was bolted to the floor.
See that stone wall behind us? That's inside the museum. In fact, there's a whole bridge inside the museum. It's a replica of Nihonbashi, which was built during the Edo Period. A new version is still in use today in the Nihonbashi district in Tokyo.
My favorite part, however, was definitely the models.
There were huge tables of beautifully detailed models. Little people so life-like that I'm pretty sure they come alive after the museum closes. I mean, if someone built a whole tiny, little city, it can't be purely decorative, right?
Next time I go back, I'll bring these photos along for comparison. I'm pretty sure the people will have moved. Prepare yourselves for scientific breakthrough.
It was a long day, but I'm glad I fought back my jet lag long enough to visit. Between the food, sumo and history, Ryogoku is definitely worth a second look. It's an area of Tokyo I'd never heard of, and can't wait to visit again.
