October 10th is World Day against the Death Penalty. Japan still employs capital punishment. Although they don’t use it as often as other countries, the manner in which they carry out death sentences is rather shocking. Prisoners on death row are kept in solitary confinement, prevented from communicating with friends and family via visits or letters, and they often receive only a few hours notice before their execution is carried out. So we learned at the small exhibit put on yesterday by the EU Mission to Japan, as part of a larger event lobbying the Japanese government on this issue.
Early morning views of Tokyo from the rooftop of the apartment where we are staying.
It is 6am in the Arisugawa-No-Miya Memorial Park. A man plays a flute and the music floats over the whole park. It has the feel of a daily ritual to it. A woman sits by the pond below him, reading. I wonder if she seeks his music out.
Sushi dinner at a low-key place in Roppongi.
After a fitful night of half-sleep, we ventured out into the city late morning. We headed to Ginza on the subway, with plans to walk from there to the Imperial Palace after lunch. We found a small, cheap restaurant for lunch, where we succeeded in ordering by pointing to what the other people were eating. Delicious grilled mackerel with a miso soup, rice, and cold green tea. We then stopped into the Sony building and played with the toys in their showroom, before heading over to Mitsukoshi, a large department store in the vein of Harrods. The food halls (three
Arisugawa-No-Miya Memorial Park, near our accommodation in Tokyo.
View from our window: Europa House, Tokyo. 11:30, 09 October 2013
Taking the airport train from Narita to Shinagawa. After inbound passengers disembark, staff block off the entrances to each car. One worker per car walks through the aisles collecting garbage. Makes sure every window blind is at the exact same height. Turns around each pair of seats so they are now facing the outbound direction. Only then can new passengers board.
Sister Act was one of the Hollywood Films available. Described as “Intoxicated with the Music that ‘Connects Hearts’” And also: “Performances and gospel-style hymns are tops”
The in-flight meal was delicious.