I will have left Japan before the cherry blossoms come out in Tokyo. I going to make every effort to track the seasons a bit more when I get back to Ireland, and I think the odd 'ohanami' party will have to be organized. Though we'll probably all have to bring scuba gear in case the Irish weather doesn't play fair. When I was really in the depths of my despair last year, getting out and walking among the autumn leaves really helped. I think you can see why.
No. 2 Mount Fuji
Even though she may erupt and melt us all, she really is a fine looking mountain.
My favourite thing was to catch surprise views of her from the city on a clear day, like the one below.
No. 3 Tokyo Tower
Kind of the same as Mount Fuji, I'll miss the tower because I think it's beautiful, because it always seemed to just pop up out of nowhere, and because it helped orient me on my mega-walks around the city in the days before GPS-enabled smart phones.
An image that sends ice down my spine is this photo of the tip of the tower. You can see how the March 11 earthquake twisted that girded steel like a plastic straw.
As I've said a lot before, Tokyo really didn't suffer in the disaster, but this is a reminder of how much the city got shaken about, and how much more it may be shaken about in the future. I will not miss earthquakes.
No.4 Skyscraper living
I love a big metropolis. I got great pleasure going to restaurants and cafes on some dizzying floor and feeling like I was living in the clouds. This view from Shiodome can't be beat. I wonder are there any rooms for rent at the top of Liberty Hall (Dublin's fun-size skyscraper)?
No.5 The aesthetic of weird
I will miss how weird things are over here. I will also miss being allowed to be weird(ish) without the fear of being beaten up by youths! So much of the aesthetic over here is beyond explanation: I don't know what it is, but I know I like it. Take for example this ad. What this young woman has to do with fast-food restaurants, I don't know. But I like the ad. Also weird: the food combinations over here. They can be hit and miss, but the Japanese really give it a go in the kitchen. This burger with a half-slice of mango is a pretty big seller.
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