SPRINGTIME IN HONSHU JAPAN (CONT"D)

This was taken taken at the first station of Mt Fuji (1663m elevation). We didn't go higher as clouds shrouded the mountain and traffic, being heavy, would have entailed a long time to go up and down. The forest below is where every year some hundred plus Japanese will wander into never to come out. Each year authorities will recover their corpses and the cycle continues annually. 

Close up of peach flowers. Japanese peach farmers use a method whereby not all fruits will grow to maturity. In this way, those that mature will receive more nutrients thereby enhancing their taste and size.

At the First Station of Mt Fuji.

Gotemba Premium Outlet Mall in Tokyo is a factory outlet selling branded goods

Tokyo Civil Administration District.

Shinjuku, Tokyo, famous for dining and entertainment.

One of the cinema giants of Japan famous for the Godzilla movie.

Side street in Shinjuku at night.

Tsukiji Fish Market. The fish auction centre is out of bounds to visitors now for fear that itchy fingers of visitors will spread viruses to the fresh fish.

On the fringe of the fish market, there are many stalls like this selling fresh cooked food. Patronage is very good.

Nice shellfish on offer.

Frozen crabs looking attractive in their bright colours. Live crabs are available too.

I was at the Uniqlo Store in Ginza and queued to enter. The boss of Uniqlo is ostensibly the richest man in Japan. He has been able to penetrate into Ginza which is reputedly the most expensive shopping street in Tokyo and set up an eight-storey store selling his clothing.

I attended a Shushi-making class at a restaurant in Ginza. This is what I made. Notice the variations in size. I ate them nonetheless.

The Chef and what he made. I shy comparing my end product to his.

The streets of Ginza are closed to traffic after 12 pm on Saturdays. People come and sit under umbrellas to have coffee and light meals.

Odaiba in Tokyo is a man-made island.It has high end condos, office blocks and a huge entertainment complex especially appealing to those from Gen Y. The bridge in the background links it to Tokyo.

Aqua City, Obaida.

Entrance to the Kannon Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo. Each Japanese New Year will see thousands of devotees lining up to pay homage to the Kannon from the wee hours of the morning. In the old days, the common people would enter on the left. The grand entrance is reserved for high-ranking officials like the Daimyos and the Shoguns.

Devotees lining up to pay homage.

This giant straw slipper adorns one of the gates. This type of sandals was worn by Samurais when they fought bouts with their opponents.

Starter dish at a Ninja restaurant in Tokyo. Diners are led in thru trap doors and a dark passage to the dining area.

A Ninja preparing vegetables using a hot stone.

The main course.

After the meal. Mata neh!

One of the better lunches, not at the Ninja restaurant, of course.