Thursday, March 26, 2009

I’d forgotten how impossible it is to find restaurants in Tokyo. Though, as I mentioned before, it’s infinitely easier than it was before the Internet. Twenty years ago, I remember my friend Laura Silverman and I wandering the streets literally for hours, looking for a restaurant we’d heard about, before finally giving up and eating at some cheap yakitori-ya near the train station.

 Well, we suffered from the same predicament last night. We’d chosen Bird Land, a yakitori place in Ginza recommended by several books and websites, and set out after the sumo tournament ended. Streets are not marked here, nor are there numbered addresses. (It was funny; today, I asked a police officer where Akasaka-doori was, a totally major street, and he didn’t know. It was the street we were on.) Anyhow, we had a map, but couldn’t find the place because there was no sign on the street. I finally remembered to figure out what building it was, Tsukamato Biru, and was able to make out the kanji on a sign. We took an elevator to the basement, and lo, there was Bird Land. But it was manseki — no seats available. 

So at 6:45, with a very hungry child, we set off for the yakitori shops under Yurakacho station. But none looked right, or I couldn’t read the menu well enough, and we finally found one near our hotel. But most of the offerings, as I inquired as to what eat item meant, were liver, heart, skin, gizzard — AAAAGh. Perhaps I’d eaten these things blissfully in the past, but somehow knowing what they were made them less appetizing. We ate some skewers, including some very delicious shiitake mushrooms — no rice, no sprite  — and came back to the hotel and crashed.

Today was Rick’s last day of his fellowship, and it was a glorious blue-sky day, though cold, and clouds moved in midday only to dissipate later. Will slept until after 9:30 (apparently the 20,000-plus step days are getting to him, not to mention that my legs are sore from hiking up and down all the subway staircases — Will refuses to let us use the escalators to increase our pedometer counts). Because we missed breakfast at the hotel, I went on-line to figure out where I could get an American-style breakfast for Will. We went to Akasaka to find a 24-hour breakfast place called Anna Miller’s, but of course, after searching, and stopping a very nice woman who used her cell phone to help us find it, we found out it had gone out of business. So we went to a creperie, ordered Will a crepe with eggs and ham on top, and of course, it was weird for Will, and he did his best to eat the eggs and ham without touching the crepe. He’s picky, but he’s becoming much less freaked out by strange food. Two years ago, he would have burst into tears. Today, he made the best of it. He’s growing up.

We then went to our favorite donut shop, Neyn, bought another six donuts, and wandered through Akasaka to Tokyo Midtown, which is this enormous, weird skyscraper/shopping mall/art museum/park/Ritz Carlton complex that defines new Tokyo. Unfortunately, the museum was closed, much to Will’s disappointment. So we walked to Roppongi Hills, a slightly older weird skyscraper/shopping mall/art museum/park/hotel complex. There, we took an elevator to the 52nd floor of the Mori Tower, which took a bit of courage on my part, because I am afraid of heights, and skyscrapers, and earthquakes. I was picturing how wildly we would sway if a big earthquake hit! But the view was totally amazing, 360 degree view of the city stretching out as far as you could see. We could see all the places we have traveled these last seven days — it was a great capper.

 We then returned to Akasaka to find a recommended Udon restaurant, but of course, couldn’t, so we settled for a Chinese restaurant where Will devoured the fried rice and charmed the staff, though the waitress couldn’t tell if Will was a girl or boy. Perhaps he needs a haircut???

 So we’re back at the hotel, watching Yamamotoyama face an opponent half his size. He’s not been doing well, so we’re hoping for this 252-kilo underdog. (no way that’s his weight, it must be in pounds.)  Hope you are all well. We’re off tomorrow for Shuzenji and the hot springs/Japanese inn experience. Tonight, kaiten sushi, or kuru-kuru zushi, Jimmy Maslen’s favorite, on a conveyor belt. It’s usually not the best sushi, but we figure 5 minutes from the Tsukiji market, it’s gotta be way better than anything back home.