Tokyo with Kyle and Yoshiko

November 21 Sunday
I wandered around the lovely ryokan early admiring the art, tasteful simplicity, in the alcoves.
A young woman approached Mary and me. She is from Tokyo, wants to be a singer. She showed us where we could access her on Facebook and we gave her our email addresses. Mary commented later how welcoming it is to be greeted enthusiastically by a stranger who wants to be friends.
Mary and I walked out to the river and crossed the bridge to where we could look back at our ryokan, workmen cutting pine branches several storeys up, right outside our window.
The result of our making images of this beauty was that we had to run down the street to catch the second of the two trains that would get us to tokyo, we thought, in time to meet Kyle.
Breathless and sweaty, we collapsed into seats but soon leaped up at the lovely sight of Mt Fuju, blue and perfect pyramid with a band of white snow or cloud across its middle.
The train took longer to reach Tokyo than we'd been told, but I happened to hear the address system mention Yamanote line so we were able to transfer before reaching Tokyo station, the busiest (most people) of any station in the world. (I had trouble grasping, hearing and learning any Korean beyond hello” and “thank you” but I listen to announcements and to conversations around me and feel like a toddler just beginning to grasp the language.)
The usual confusionof streets in a new neighorhood, Ikebukuro, before we find Kimi Ryokan. strange and magical to see Kyle come through the entrance curtain and hug us. kyle took us to harajuku where crowds of trendy young people and chic stalls and shops. Then tokyo's Fifth Avenue (Meiji-dori) with upscale elegance. Suddenly we escaped into a quiet parki and temple. circling the grden we came upon two wedding parties, both brides respendent in white gowns.
Having missed lunch, we bought steamed buns with minced meat, curry or pizza taste inside. Taxi to supermarket where I had a sample – taste of minature delicious mushrooms – and Kyle bought lettuce and tomatoes.
Kyle and Yoshiko live in Nakameguro in a area where buildings are restricted to 4 storeys. entering through clean parking garae and concrete hallways, we rode the elevator up 7 storeys, possible because their building is on a hill, 4 storeys one side, 7 the other providing a marvelous view over the city, especially fro the balcony where they grow lemons, oranges and other fruit. Yoshiko welcomed us. the cats, however, were dubious; a handsome slender Brumese, a tiger striped, and a lepard-spotted with huge golden eyes, they esconced themselves on ledges like living works of art, displayed beside the other art, either elegant or cute.
We sat at the counter drinking champane and eating appetizers – bacon wrapped around prine, prosciutto around shrimp. Kyle donned his executive Chef jacket and began cooking the chicken with shigo, a distinct and invitingly definite taste for our leisurely dining with the lights and night of toyko spread below us.
Kyle walked with us to Shinjuku Station and we saw shinjuku Crossing, when traffic lights let al pedestrians cross in any direction, including diagonally. Lights in every color,
illuminated pisplays storeys high – the pizaazz rivals Times Square.

Tokyo with Kyle and Yoshiko

Tokyo, Japan