I had performed Tokyo sight seeing with Dr. Fuchs on 24 Feb. 2001, whereas Dr. Fuchs had come to EPPL in JAERI for the collaborating program between JAERI and Julich Atomic Energy Institute.

Introduction-Welkome to Tokyo

I have lived at Chihaya-cho near Ikebukuro in Tokyo from 1972 to 1977 at my graduate school age, however, I had not performed any sight seeing in Tokyo and the Hatobus tour, which is most famous for Tokyo sight seeing, is also my first experience since I was so steady student to study hard !? I have heard from my parents the Hatobus company was founded by a person who is the same native land of me. I do not know him, however, I know his father and the big garden of their big house in the native land (die Heimat) was our play ground when I was a childhood.

It is a big chance to have a sight seeing in Tokyo for the first time. My friend from Germany, who is a physicist of plasma physics belonging to Juelich institute, eager to take a sight seeing in Tokyo when he has stayed in Japan and he appointed me as a director of this sight seeing. This is a travel note of this tour. I try to explain around the Tokyo points with a weak English during this tour, however, I am afraid not to explain the real meaning of Japanese culture. So I make the real notes of this tour after this performance. One must think these sentences would be talked to the foreiger tourist from Europe during this tour.

The name of "Tokyo" has been used since 1868. Before 1868 this area had been called "Edo" , where was the center of Samurai government for more than 250 years. Before 1600 this area was only a local point having few habitant. The origin of Samurai is comming from the relatives of Japanese emperor. Samurai had always two swords (long and short) in his waist who were military people nawadays. The system of Japanese emperor had continued for more than 2000 years from the beginning of Japanese country, however, the emperor lost his political power when the Samurai people had appeared. This was in 1192, where the original point of Samurai government was Kamakura at about 100 km west from Tokyo. The final winner in the contest among Samurai battles was a Ieyasu Tokugawa. However, the ancestor of the late Dr.Hikosuke Maeda, who is our head of EPPL (Experimental Plasma Physics Loboratory, JAEA) was also one of powerful candidates in this contest. His name was Toshiie Maeda and the ancester of Hikosuke was 20th child of Toshiie. Unfortunately, Toshiie had died due to the sick before the big battle to determine the winner. This battle, what we call "Sekigahara-no-tatakai", was in 1600 and the winner is Ieyasu Tokugawa.

In 1603, Ieyasu Tokugawa had opend the new government in Edo. In this period during 265 years any domestic battles had not occured in Japan, which was the most peaceful period among the history of Japan. This was partly because any forigner people except for Chinese, Dutch and Korean could not enter into Japan since the Samurai government had almost closed the country.

In 1868, however, the big revolution has occured in Japan, where the Samurai government was destroyed by few Samurai living in the local point with lower rank. From this point the name of this area had changed from Edo to Tokyo.

Tokyo is the center of Japan and the ten milion people are living, which is almost one tenth of Japanese totol population.

Pre-tour to Ueno

In the period of Samurai government there were 808 towns in Edo city and Ueno was one of the most famous towns, where was a most excellent sight for cherry blossom in spring. The Ueno park was within in the Kaneiji temple, which was the guardian deity for Edo government.

1. Statue of Saigo-san

The first statue which we saw was Saigo-san. Takamori Saigo was one of the last Samurai people and he had beaten the conventional Samurai government. He consulted with the representative of Samurai government in peaceful and had saved Edo city from the bloody war. Saigo belonged to the Meiji new government, who came from the most southern place of Kagoshima in Japan. However, he was against the Meiji new government ten years later and had performed the final domestic battle in Japan and had committed suicide in Kagoshima around the enemy of new governmen.

Statue of Saigo
Precise Saigo's statue

2. Grave of Shogitai people

Many Samurai people were against to the Meiji new government and the Shogitai people were one of groups who were against to the new government. The Shogitai had fought at last to be against to the falling down of Edo government. Ueno was an important battle point of the battle between conventional Samurai government and Meiji new government.

Grave of Shogi-tai people

3. Toshogu shrine

This shrine had dedicated Ieyasu Tokugawa, who was a foundation of Edo government as I said before. This is a national tressure, which was build by 3rd president of Edo govenment who was a grand child of Ieyasu. I don't know why the picture of Hoiroshima & Nagasaki atomic bomb were exhibited in this point at that time.

Toshogu shrine and Shinobazunoike pond

4. Five-stored pagoda of old Kaneiji temple

This tower is belonging to the Kaneiji temple, wherein the Buddhist image was set at determined location. The five stored pagoda having five roofs with big height is the guard symbol of the main temple.

Five-stored pagoda of old Kaneiji temple

5. Ganjin wajoh exhibition

We could happenly enter the national treausure of Ganjin-wajou exhibition, which is usually exhibited in a famous Toshodaiji temple in Nana prefecture near Kyoto. Ganjin is a famous priest with higher level, who came from China to teach Buddhism to Japanese in the ancient epoch about 1300 years ago. After encountering many troubles to visit Japan he had finally succeeded to arrive at Japan, however, his eyes for view was lost completely.

Gannjinn-wajou exhibition

Hato bas tour

1. Emperor house

In this house the president of Samurai government has once lived from generation to generation, however, after the revolution in 1868 the family of emperor became to live. Before 1868 Japanese emperor had lived in Kyoto. In almost period of Japanese history the emperor had occupied the political power, however, the time when the emperor has completely lost his political power was after World War II and now Japanese emperor is only national symbol. The reason why Japanese emperor could have political power for long period is the exitence of people who guard the emperor in faithful. The statue of person riding on the horse is one of Samurais who had protected the emperor when the emperor had almost lost his political power. Since we cannot enter inside of this house taking a photograph at the two fold bridge is the memorial event that we have really visited the emperor house.

Memory of two fold bridge

2. Asakusa & Nakamise

Asakusa was another center in Edo city, where many people gathered for shopping, entertainment and a drama performance. The most famous shopping street was called by Nakamise, where was located from the gate of Sensoji temple and Kaminari mon gate having large lantern. In fron of Kaminari mon gate we went to the used camera shop. It was a pity that you could not use the dispenser card although you could find a suitable lenz for your partly broken (?) camera.

Nakamise

3. Buy bridge and Tokyo tower

Before arriving at the Tokyo tower we have passed the buy bridge which is called by rainbow bridge, over the pacific ocean. This bridge was recently constructed. The height of this bridge is about 40 meter. Upper is high way road and lower is the route of the new tram car and working road. The Tokyo tour is 333 m in height and the top of this is occupied by antena for broadcasting. When I was engaged the rf heating technology division in JT-60 one of broadcasting section people in the electric company says that Tokyo tower is almost produced by himself. He, I suppose, want to say he has contributed to construct the antena part of this tower. It was too unlucky rainy weather to see around scenery of whole Tokyo. There is one interesting tale which bus guide was saying in this bus tour before passing the buy bridge. There are many towns in this area which has a name of "bridge". This is because this area was once a river and many bridges were constructed and the name of town was called according to the name of bridge. After 1868 all water in the river were exhausted to change to the road. The road we were driving by bus was once a bottom of the river in Edo epoch.

Rain-bow bridge