Bridgestone Musuem and Tokyo Tower

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Well, the end of the trip is coming quickly to a close. At the beginning three weeks seemed like a really long time, and it certainly has been, especially given my emotional side and me missing Gayle, Reed, Lucy and Char. The time has been fruitful, and I really think that I made the most of the opportunity I had.

Today, we were finished with our lectures by around 4, and everyone was deciding to go out to a variety of touristy things, but no one seemed interested in the one thing I hadn’t yet done, and that I always do when I travel: visit an art museum. So, off I went on the advice of the Concierge to the Bridgestone Museum of Art. I wanted to go to the National Museum of Art, but sadly it closes daily by 5, and I’m never finished with enough time to spare. So, off I went to Tokyo Station, and then on foot to the museum.

I was actually quite impressed with the museum, which is currently doing a retrospective on the Japanese painter Oka Shikanosuke called “Variation in Serenity.” It was actually really cool. Although he is Japanese, he trained in France and seems to have a style similar to that of many of the French painters from the late 19th and early 20th century, even when he does Japanese landscapes. And although I really enjoyed his work, I’m always a sucker for the famous stuff by the likes of Picasso, Monet, Manet, Cezanne, Pollock, Goughin, Renoir, Kadinsky, Klee, Matisse, and even one piece by Van Gogh, the Windmill piece, which were all present in the museum's permanent collection. So, I enjoyed my solitary time with some of the masters immensely, and after being in groups for three weeks, some alone time was actually welcomed.

After that, I got rather industrious and set out to visit the Tokyo Tower.

Here above is a picture of the girls working at the elevator inside. They were very helpful, respresenting Japan well with both courtesy and excellent uniforms. I had heard vaguely how to get there—get on the Marunouchi line, switch over onto the Hibiya line at Kasumigaseki station and go one more stop—so, that’s what I did. Only when I came out onto the street, I looked up and couldn’t see the tower anywhere; it looks like a bright orange Eiffel Tower, so you really can’t miss it. All I saw were skyscrapers. So, I asked someone where it was, and they kind of chuckled, but walked me up a block to where the 333 meter monster craned its neck to peer over the tops of buildings. Arigato gozaimasu, I said, and was on my way. As I said the tower is constructed like and looks like the Eiffel Tower in Paris…only taller. Although I only went up to the 150 meter observatory deck due to an unfortunate paucity of Yen, I still got a great feel for the view of the city. Luckily, I was there as the sun was setting and took some wonderful photos. The whole while, however, I was thinking about Gayle and missing her, and I composed much of this poem while there:

“Sunset in Tokyo”

Standing behind two lovers,
watching them watch the sun
setting over Tokyo’s jagged

skyscraping landscape, I see
glowing orange melt to molten red
behind puffs of snowy clouds

in the distance, and an ancient
instinct—a need— overwhelms me:
unconscious movement: my hand

reaching for yours, delicate fingers
really there, and then invisible
in an instant. Looking around,

couples everywhere turn and gaze
and walk a pace, then stop and
pose or kiss or just stand there—

but together—touching the small
of the back, the shoulder, hands;
the crack of searing sunlight

between this couple standing before
me is between us, a gaping crack
ten thousand miles wide, while I

gaze intently at a blazing sunset
you won’t see for thirteen hours
from Tokyo Tower’s observatory

deck, 150 meters high, but missing
you.


I also took a self portrait up there which I kind of like and will call “Self-portrait in Tokyo: A Profile.”

Although my feet really hurt from choosing not to wear sensible footwear, I had a great time wandering through the streets and subways of one of my favorite cities. When I left the sky was a startling shade of blue, and the orange tower contrasted nicely against that backdrop. Here are a few of my best shots.