Day 5

 . . . . . . . . Anime and Spiders


I was a tad excited to day as we were off to Mitaka to visit the Studio Ghibi Museum.  Now, if you are not aware of the amazing Studio Ghibli, they are Japanese animation film studio. The company's logo features the character Totoro (a large forest spirit) from Hayao Miyazaki's wonderful film, My Neighbour Totoro. 

I LOVE Totoro!  My other favourites films are Spirited Away, Kiki's Delivery Service and The Cat Returns.


So . . . . off we went - me with a skip in my step and Scott not having any idea where he was going or what Studio Ghibli was about!!!


But  - first of all we had to negotiate the wonders of Shinjuku Station again!  Did I mention 2 million people pass through that place every single day and I think ALL of them were at the Station at the same time this morning! However, with the aid of some broken Japanese and English and a lot of pointing. . . .  . we managed to find our platform.  One Rapid Express train later and we were in Mitaka.

Now, we could either catch the bus to the museum or it would be a 10 ~ 15 minute walk . . . .  so we opted to walk as it was such a nice day and wanted to see the scenery.


We knew we were on the right track when we started seeing these signs

And follow the footprints

They count down until you get to the museum:

We were here!!!  Whoooo hooooo.


At the entrance, Totoro is waiting for us . . . 

With some soot spirits . . . 

We can't take photos inside which is a real shame 'cos everything is just magical.  There are load of things for kids (and big kids) to play with relating to how anime is made and how films are made.  Initially when we booked our ticket, we got a voucher, but we exchanged this for a ticket at the entrance.  The ticket is a film still from one of the Ghibli movies.  I made sure I got Scott's ticket before he put it in his pocket and ruined it!!!!!  The ticket also entitled us to watch an exclusive 15 minute film that will not be released.  Our film was called Mr. Dough and the Princess Egg, which was about a witch who has a Princess Egg as a slave but the Egg is resuced by a magical man made of dough!  You had to be there . . . . .


One one of the floors is a huge CatBus (also from the film Totoro). . . .apparently only little kids could play on him though - huh . . . . 

Outside is a giant robot from the movie Laputa Castle in the Sky

The museum was fantastic but the only problem was that everything was in Japanese, so we sort of missed some of the exhibit explanations in translation!  Still absolutely loved it though . . . . Scott is still not too sure what anmie is all about and Totoro confused him slightly - but there you go.


One quick stop in the museum shop and one cuddly Totoro later, we were on our way back to the station.


Next stop was Roppongi.  There were only two things I really wanted to do in Roppongi, and that was see the big spider at Roppongi Hills and go up the Mori Tower to see the whole of Tokyo.


The spider . . . 

It doesn't do anything  . . .  it's just art!


Next up the Mori Tower.  52 floors up and we got some magnificent views of Tokyo.  Here are some of them . . . 

 Tokyo Tower

Sky Tree

Tokyo Tower (again)

It had started to get a bit hazy, so I stopped taking photos!!!


We then wandered into Roppongi.  It was getting late and the light was fading so all of Roppongi was lit up.  I'm sure it was supposed to be brighter, but Tokyo is still conserving energy, so some of the neons weren't on.

Roppongi is quite seedy and is full of bars and topless clubs and 'entertainment spots', so we didn't stay too long. One the way back to the station, I was able to relate to a song from my childhood . . . . . we went past a pet shop and there were actually puppies in the windows.  Cute, tiny puppies and at the checkout there were puppy clothes and puppy bags for them!!!!!  Not often you can actually ask 'How much is that doggie in the window?' is there?!?!!?


So, back on the train, back through Shinjuku and back to the Bunker  . . . . but first we stopped for a Bento  Box (Japanese takeaway)

Delicious . . .  except, the yellow block at the top of the tray that I thought was cheese and looked like cheese, wasn't cheese . . . . still not too sure what it was, but I ate it anyway!


Oh and one last thing . . .  today is Kodomo-no-hi.  This is a festival for children so families with boys put up koinobori, or carp streamers, in their garden.  There are carp streamers all over the city today

  

Another very successful, wonderful day.  I don't think I ever want to leave this city . . . . . .