Images from Tuesday the 23.

Click here for my description of Tuesday the 23rd: The Kabuki-za, The Ginza, Takarazuka Theater, Imperial Palace, Masakado's Mound, Nihonbashi.

Our early morning walk produced some interesting shots.



This one is a famous theater for traditional comedy. The next day we would not have been able to get this shot as scaffoldings were being set up around the front.



After a short subway ride and walk we were at another famous theater, the Kabukiza. We did not make it to a performance, however I do recommend their gift shop.



The Kabukiza is in the Ginza and nothing symbolizes the Ginza like the Wako Department store. One of Steven’s comments was that the area had not changed much since he last saw in in 1973.

Being a writer on anime I can’t resist pointing out that this area gets trashed in the Lupin III anime feature The Dragon of Doom as a result of a fight between Goemon and a group of ninja.



After the Ginza and the Takarazuka Theater gift shop we wandered over to the outside of the Imperial Palace grounds. This impressive gate, built in the early 17th century, was an inner gate and to reach it you have to cross a bridge, enter another fortified gate and make a right angle turn. Impressive defenses from when this was part of the shogun’s castle.



This is one of the buildings inside the Imperial Palace grounds, you would have to go through gates and cross bridges to reach it.



The masakado-zuka, where tradition says the head of Taira no Masakado is buried. You can read about him and the masakado-zuka in my book The Anime Companion 2.





Both of these images were taken at the Nihonbashi bridge around sundown. Even though the bridge today is under a freeway that follows the course of the river it is still an impressive piece of early 20th century architecture.

Well that’s it for today. I’m lucky I got something up as I’m tired. However I did not want to skip another day, I may do that tomorrow tho’.