Sushi for Breakfast

Tokyo, where else? The sushi capital of the world. We went early to Tsukiji, the site of the world's largest fish market. Fish is off-loaded on the docks at 3 am (we didn't make that part--actually, we wouldn't have been allowed into that area). We did find our way into a huge set of warehouses where the intermediary sellers were selling their fish to restaurant owners, chefs, and fish shop proprieters. Acres and acres of every kind of fish you can imagine--and quite a few you have never imagined. A wonderful, bustling part of Tokyo that we loved. Men in waders pushing carts and driving small loaders--moving constantly. In fact, we loved that most about Tokyo--it's vibrancy and busy-ness--it's over-the-top newness juxtaposed with the ancient gardens and structures of the Imperial Palace and the temples.

In Tsukiji, outside of the fish market, there are small streets lined with the tertiary sellers--small sushi bars and shops selling fish and everything else one would need to prepare the fish--spices, pickles (of course), pots, dishes, and knives. At 9:30 am we ate sushi at one of the small bars. It was by far the best sushi we have ever had. It tasted like walking on the beach with the salt foam between your toes and the occasional spray of salt water in your face. It tasted like all the sunrises and sunsets you've seen over the ocean. Yeah, we really liked it.

I had been to Tokyo before--over 20 years ago and I remembered not liking it--neon and big buildings and crowded elevators. "Lost in Translation" was not lost on me. But this time it seemed different and I was enamored. I'm guessing I've changed more than Tokyo. This time I found it one of the best cities of the world. The new skyscraper architecture is gorgeous. I was gaping with my head up--like a Texan in Manhattan.

Then there were lovely "old Japan" places, like the garden at Nezu Art Museum, where I found this wonderful little Buddha, almost covered in moss.
And the grander, but still tranquil, gardens of the Imperial Palace, right smack in the middle of the bustle.

We were in Tokyo to meet up with my friend, Sondra Byrnes, who is visiting for a few days. She had some business in Tokyo so we met her there and came back together on the Shinkansen (Sondra is off today doing an ikebana lesson, then has 2 days of tea ceremony lessons--both of which she has studied for years). In Tokyo, Bill and I wanted to tick off 4 more paintings in the "1,001 Paintings to See Before You Die" book. We went immediately from the train to the National Museum to see 2 paintings--"Beauty Looking Back" by Moronobu and "Winter Landscape" by Sesshu. We did see some wonderful paintings, but not those two as they were "not on display." Seems that the museum rotates works according to season and now had its "summer" paintings on display--the "cooler" ones, we were told. We could, however, in the museum shop buy everything from a mouse pad to a pen with "Woman Looking Back" on it. Not to be deterred, we took the complicated but efficient Tokyo Metro to the Nezu Museum across town to see "Irises," a magnificent large screen painting by Korin. We couldn't find it in the 5 rooms of the Nezu and when Bill inquired about it, he was given a brochure that explained it had been on display a month or so ago. Yes, 0 for 3 at this point. One left to go. We went to the Imperial Palace to find the last, "Chinese Lions" by Kano Eitoku, that is displayed in the Palace Collections. Closed on Friday. We returned on Saturday only to discover--you guessed it--"not on display." We are renaming the book--"1,001 Paintings You Can Try to See Before You Die."