What a difference a few blocks make

The Ginza, where we are staying and the most expensive retail district in Tokyo, is a short walk away for the Tsukiji fish market. The largest fish market in the world. All the guide books say don't wear nice shoes if you visit. D and I took a stroll down in search of breakfest. I was less interested in the fish and more interested in us not getting run over by a truck or cart. They don't let tourist into the tuna auction any more; the paper said something about too much tourist traffic in and out taxing the refrigeration and tourist touching the tuna. Later I am going to do a google image search and see if there are many pictures of people squat down cuddling up to a $20,000 tuna. I was just happy to get something to eat and have all of my toes. Understandable if Vegans and Vegetarians wanted to skip this one.

It was about time for D and I to part ways for today, my next stop was the Ghibli Studio museum in Mitaka via an unknown number of subway changes.

Just so we are all on the same page, this is a graphic representation of the Tokyo subway system. I'm currently somewhere in the lower right-hand corner and I need to go somewhere off the map on the far left. I'm told even people who live here get lost.













I've been happy so far with getting from point A to B. I don't bother figuring out how much fare to put on a ticket, I just buy the lowest fare and when I get there I use the add fare machine or hand the ticket to the nice station agent man and look pitiful. I think they are used to it. It works really well, I'm sure one time he just let me slide on a fare since I had come half way across town.



Ghibli Studios

The House that Totoro built. PF told me about this museum and I'm glad they still had tickets available. I'm told they sell out weeks/months ahead. Widely considered as Japan's premire animation studio, Ghibli was founded by Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata in 1985. Simply put, Ghibli and Pixar studios are animation 2.0. I don't want to get into it with any Disney fans, you could argue that the Japanese love Mickey Mouse more that Totoro, just check out some of their trailers. The official web site for the museum convey his vision and you know he's walking the walk when the gift shop is only accessible by ticket holders and not the general public. Money? Didn't even make it into the top ten.




These little fellas now seemed reasonably priced. Even more so when I found out they are not widely circulated in any other stores.