Saturday In the Park....

Saturday morning, 5 am shot.

There's nothing like jet lag to get you up and about really early.  I headed down and walked around the area.  To be walking on the Nakamise Dori without a soul there, except for a handful of salary men walking or biking on their way to work...was beautiful. What I love about Japan is the art. Especially the public art.  Everywhere you look, especially in this area, is one gorgeous thing after another.  The shops were all closed, but even the metal doors securing the shops had incredible paintings on them...

Here is Nakamise Dori, a street normally packed with people ...

and the fantastic art work on the metal doors...

And the women's' room.  All mosaics.

Everywhere you look, outstanding art.  I asked later at the information office in front of the temple about the artwork on the metal doors.  The woman said, "Ahh! I didn't know! I have never seen it, I don't come to work before the shops are open.  But we always want people to experience beauty.  Even on a metal door."

Indeed.

As a side note, here is the Nakamise Dori about two hours later:

I headed over to Ueno park to the Tokyo National Museum, which frankly, I felt was a little dry in its presentations.  Yes, they have delicate and lovely original fans. scrolls, kimonos, ukiyo-e, swords, porcelains, calligraphy.  However, the presentation is in dark dark rooms and the tabs for each piece are written dryly.  I was a little disappointed.  

Police Station, Ueno Park

I headed back home and ended up dining on the same little street again, this time eating at another pub in the area, but around the corner.  I knew what to do this time: sit at the bar, face the cooks and the tv, order a small plate and a small beer and get in and out quickly.  Which I did - and avoided the fried chicken skins on a skewer and the braised offal.  

The diety of longevity.  I like him!