Japanese

May 24, 2001: Ueno park
	The hotel we stay has a wonderful Japanese garden. A duck couple recently gave birth to ten baby ducks. They are running and swimming in the garden pleasantly.
By looking such a lovely scene, we enjoyed "morning rice gruel" breakfast.
	The duck looks at a gardener working in the rain.
The large flower arrangement by Sougetsu style needs intensive care of changing water and removing died leaves.
	I made up my mind to visit Hie Shrine just in front of the hotel.
Dokan Ota, a governor of Edo (old name of Tokyo), asked to construct a copy of shrine from Kawagoe in order to guard the capitol. After Ieyasu Tokugawa moved in Edo, Hie Shrine was worshipped as a guardian deity of Tokugawa shogunate.
	The Shrine was destroyed by World War 2 and reconstructed in 1958 after careful work for ten years. The hill on which the Shrine stands was once called Hoshigaoka, or "Starry Hill" that enjoyed the wonderful landscape of Tameike lake. Behind the green of the Shrine soars Sannou Park Tower building.
The main approach to the Shrine is called Men's Slope with 52 stone stairway, in contrast to the gentle slope on the left called Women's Slope. The dead spring leaves of oak make a beautiful pattern on the stone pavement in the drizzle.
	The subway station next to the hotel is a junction of four lines: Front Diet station for Chiyoda and Marunouchi lines and Sannou-Tameike station for Ginza and Nanboku lines are connected with underground passes. A beautiful design on the wall ornament of the station attracted my attention.
The subway platform is equipped with safety walls that open only when the train arrives. The wall of the subway duct is decorated with beautiful patterns of traditional Japanese dyeing.
	Today, we came across Ueno district, the northern terminal of Tokyo.
We enjoyed to be jammed in the crowded street of Ameyoko town. Many shoppers don't care the drizzling rain.
The mysterious red shape is a kind of shell called Hoya. They sell at 500 yen per dish. Many Lovely Teddy Bears are on sale as well.
Ueno Imperial gift park is famous for the statue of Takamori Saigo, a prominent reformer in Meiji era.
	The thick green of the park is very beautiful in the drizzle.
We headed to an exhibition of Italian arts in the Renaissance - The exhibition of the Court and City culture. The exhibition is a part of 2001 Italian Year in Japan.
	The exhibition was very satisfactory with many masterpieces of Italian artists that flowered in the 15-16 centuries.
In the garden of National Art Museum are many famous works of the great artists. They are recently reconstructed on the earthquake-resistant basis. The construction process and its effectiveness mechanism were exhibited in the hall as well.
	Ueno park has been very popular to the school excursion. Many students fill the park today as usual.
We took lunch at a cafeteria in the park. "Tama-no-megumi", a rare local beer of Tokyo was good to drink. The beer is of "surface fermented Pale Ale, the label reads.
	The flight time is nearing in the evening. I visited Cerulean Tower Tokyu Hotel opened today. The Hotel soars high in the sky just in front of Shibuya terminal.
An over bridge with escalators connects the railroad station with the hotel crossing the highway.
	Many beautiful flower stands celebrate the opening.
The spacious lobby and cafeteria are crowded with many guests. I felt if I had much time, I would have drunk a cup of coffee sitting on that yellow seat.
	A large flower arrangement that symbolizes the waterfront was in the lobby.
The view from the top of the hotel. The Tower's restaurant and bar on the 40th floor offer grand scopes of Shibuya district.
Now, I must hurry up to Haneda airport. I get on a train from Shinagawa station. The monument between the rails is the datum of Keihin Kyuko Line, I guess. The flight was 15 minutes behind the schedule and arrived Oita without trouble. I have had busy but pleasant three-day trip to Tokyo.
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