One of Julia’s favorite characters. We stumbled upon a sort of art show of hand crafted Mikku collector dolls from various years. The show was crowded with people, mostly young men, taking pictures of the dolls. Julia has watched videos of Muikku for a long time. This year is the 16th year of the character and as the character is supposed to be 16, this was a big event.

From the internet: “Her name is from the Japanese characters for first, sound, and future, so her name means “first sound from the future.” According to her backstory, Hatsune Miku comes from a not-so-distant future where music was lost. She emerged as a 16-year-old singing android who reintroduced the skills to the world.”

On Sunday, the 2023 parade with many large groups participating along Kaminarimon Street, Asakusa. Each group wore elaborate costumes, danced down the street with live bands and singers reminding me some of Carnivale in Italy. The enthusiasm was infectious.

Shibuya Scramble Crossing  stops vehicles in all directions to allow pedestrians to inundate the entire intersection. Large video screens mounted on nearby buildings overlook the crossing, as well as many static advertising signs. Honestly, it is just about a recognizably large amount of people crossing the street at one time and I didn’t expect to be impressed. However, to look at it from above and then walk in it (twice) felt magical. It was participating in some daily ritual that blessed or cursed the events of the day. It was being a molecule in the veins or arteries of a huge body get where it needed to go. It would lose its magic if it was a crossing on the way to work every day but the first time . . . Ah!

Almost no matter where we have been in the city, pictures and ads pop up that are of interest to the anime lover. Julia has asked me to take quite a few pictures. I had also read that everything in Tokyo has a face and a cuteness and we see that all the time. Drawings in ketchup on an omelet and pastry named after pets. All of this without going into the heavy anime sections of the city. Here are a few.

Breakfast at Higurashi Garden, bakery with a book store behind it.

It was delicious. The little dog was full of chocolate, made and named in honor of the owner’s dog, and the eggplant tart was to die for. Plus ice coffee for me and fresh lemonade for Julia and Ed. We are ready to explore.

Our first beer and snacks after a very long travel day. It was a long travel day; however, it was also relative smooth going.

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