Elizabeth's last day in Tokyo Oct 5, 2010

It was only half a day at that. Determined to squeeze every last moment out of out trip to Tokyo, I whisked Rakesh out to a government building whose name I can't remember to save my life, but it had a free (my favourite price) observation floor. We would have brought the kids, but they probably would have slowed us down, especially since they had absolutely no desire to go. Mercifully, for you and me, this will be a brief post.

The appropriately named Cocoon Building that we saw nearby.

In the lobby of the government building

A gigantic ornamental kumade, or rake, believed to "rake in" wealth, fortune, business success and even family safety. Smaller ones are bought at Rooster Fairs held in November in places like Asakusa, the old part of Tokyo. Please tell me you read the post about our day yesterday.

View from the observation floor

Looking in the direction of Mt. Fuji. Too bad it was hazy. It's kind of like saying you can see Niagara Falls from the CN Tower in Toronto. At least I know that Shanghai does not hold a monopoly on smog.

Wrapping up our time in Tokyo, I have some random observations:

It seemed like a majority of the women were pigeon-toed...

...and tall!

Right-hand drive vehicles

Everybody, and I mean everybody, was super polite and soft-spoken

Ear worms (songs that play over and over and over in your mind that I could not shake:

A classic, by the Canadian Bruce Cockburn "Tokyo"

(Domo Arrigato) Mr. Roboto by Styx

and, for better or worse, "Turnin' Japanese" by The Vapors