Today was my first trip outside of the core area of Tokyo that I am staying in. Also it was a rainy day. I passed a very pleasant hour journey on the train and I saw a lot of interesting scenery, including the museum of modern happiness, which amused me, so I guess it met the criteria. I also saw a lot of small restaurants and shops in what I consider to be traditional Japanese architecture. It was very much a scene from anime,
I arrived at the rail station and rather than take a bus, which was suggested by my GPS app I decided to walk to the museum, which turned out to be a very good idea, since it is nestled in a large forested park and I had a lovely time wandering through the trees for forty minutes. I passed a number of walkers and runners along the way and enjoyed my walk a lot.
When I arrived at the museum it was about eleven and the heat was coming back again. There were a few minor complications but the staff were incredibly helpful and generous with their time and I was able to get in and see this wonderful building.
The many exhibits in the museum are great. If you have seen any of the Ghibli films you will definitely find cells or sketches of memorable scenes. They had a bit of every movie I can think of and it was really amazing seeing the layers they used to build up the scenes, watching how the animation works, seeing the process of building the cells. All of it was fascinating. So many children running around excited and enjoying the place. It was a building filled with joy and laughter.
Around one I stopped by the cafe and decided to have lunch,. There was a bit of a line and while I was seated the woman beside me asked if she could get an English menu. Turns out she is visiting from Hong Kong with her family and we chatted for a few minutes. One of her family members even helped me with an issue I was having with my phone. After about a half hour wait I was seated and ordered my food which consisted of soup, gingerale and dessert. Afterwards there was a short movie that is only shown at the museum. I caught the movie just as it was about to show and it was rather amusing. Much laughter again.
Finally I walked back to the station and made my way back home. And I did not even get lost, so I was very proud. I spend my afternoon reading, which helped with the heat of the day and made for a good way to spend my evening as well.
Tomorrow will be souvenir shopping finally. I think.
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