The weather has been exceedingly hot since we arrived in Japan with highs in the early 30s, in an attempt to avoid melting in the sun & maximise seeing Tokyo we caught a tourist bus.
The first bus was a failure in this regard, it was open topped & had little to no shade for our two-hour journey. Had this been NZ the passengers would have been wheeled off with third-degree burns
Early morning Akihabara on the way to the tourist bus.
On the bus
Our first bus took to Shinjuku & Shibuya.
The Japanese National Diet (Parliament) Building in Nagatachō, it was built in 1920-36.Not famous, famous toilet in Shinjuku. The bus conductor was quite amused that I photographed a public toilet – this one is by the Japanese architect Sou Fujimoto & is part of a project where famous architect’s design public toilets. It even has a website.This is the National Yoyogi Stadium by the Japanese architect Kenzo Tange it opened for the 1964 Summer Olympics. This is the famous Scramble Crossing in Shubuya as seen in the films Lost in Translation, & the high-brow The Fast & Furious-Tokyo Drift. Good Manner are free. The Sakurada Gate to the Imperial Palace, it was the site of a famous assassination of Japanese Minister in 1860. This guy is dressed as a character out of a computer game as you do.
Our second bus took us toward Asakusa & the Kaminarimon Gate.
Tokyo SkyTree opened in 2012, it is the tallest building in Japan at 634m. it was designed by the architectural practice Nikkei Sekkei. Mother & daughter Kimono dayThe mad looking buildings are the Asahi Brewery headquarters, the gold building centre is supposed to look like a glass of beer, the crazy thing on the right is by Phillipe Starck. A Torii gate to a Shinto temple in Taito. The Asakusa tourist building by the architect Kengo Kuma
Kaminarimon Gate – Sensō-ji Temple.
The Kaminarimon “Thunder” Gate is the outer gate of the Sensō-ji Temple. The gate was first , built in 964 and has burnt down several times, the current gate dates from 1960.
Marnie photo-bombing at Kaminarimon gateBig LanternJust beyond the gate are the Nakamise-dōri shops which are 250m long spanning between the two gates. Fancy jandalsThe original Pagoda was built in 1648, but burnt down during the war, this one dates from 1973Grr… This is a Niō or temple guardian, this is Vajrapani or Shukongōshin in Japanese. More lanterns, this looking from the temple to inner Hōzōmon Gate.
From the temple we headed back to Tokyo Station to catch another tour bus.
Hello
Back on the bus
Our last bus was mercifully air conditioned & took us toward Tokyo harbour.
Tokyo Tower – was the tallest tower in Tokyo until SkyTree stole its title. It was built in 1958 & was based on the Eiffel Tower. Tokyo Rainbow Bridge over Tokyo Harbour, it was built between 1987-1993. HarbourKabuki-za this a Kabuki Theatre in Ginza, the original was built in 1889 & has been rebuilt several times, this one only dates to 2010.This crazy thing – skyline in Ginza.
After being dropped back by the Tokyo Station we found an amazing Ramen restaurant that is in the Michelin Guide. It was goood.
MM4.Travel 
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