Onsen Sunset

Onsen Monogatari

The bright side of not getting any interviews lined up on a beautiful Friday in Tokyo is: more tourism!  I went to Odaiba Island, which is an artificial island (just like China but with way more style and for less risk of international conflict) chock full of malls, funky big buildings, beautiful views and an onsen.  On-what?  Onsens are bathhouses with warm/hot mineral water.  As my back is not engaging my apartment's not so ergonomic setup, I thought this would be a good time to soak and also explore Japanese culture.



I spent most of my time confused about procedure, although the setup was pretty clever--shoes in shoe locker, one gets a yukata from the front desk, changes in a locker room, and then can go to the bathhouse (separated by gender, just like the locker rooms) or into the hall for food, shopping, silliness.  I went to the bathhouse, where there was another locker room as one only takes into the bathing area a small towel and nothing else except the bracelets with the various locker keys.  One washes completely before going into the baths.  There were indoor and outdoor baths, a cold water one (I avoided that one), a more minerally bubble bath, one with jets and bubbles--mighty good for a sore back, and a variety of generic baths.  Off of this area was a room for massages of various kinds.  I opted for the cheaper (30 minute) scrub.  I have never been more exfoliated. 

Then I went to check out the food and shopping.  I wanted to take a pic of myself in the yukata with the cardboard cutouts of anime figures, and a group of Japanese needs decided I needed help.  So, one took this pic with one of his friends and myself.  It was fun, and they would say various Canadian cities instead of cheese: Vancouver!  Toronto!  I had told them where I was from.  They asked me if I enjoyed Japan's culture.  Yes, very much so.

Before leaving I noticed that they have a doggie resort at this onsen!  I may try a more traditional one later.  It was nice to ease into it with one with heaps of English instructions.  I still screwed stuff up along the way, but figured most of it out.




After grabbing a sweet dessert (I was saving myself for dinner in a couple of hours), I started walking towards the edge of the island that faced downtown Tokyo.  This artificial island is chock full of funky buildings including the Toyko International Exchange Center.

TIEC

The good news is this area is defended by a giant superhero.

 Better to be lucky than good, example 418: Happened to be walking buy as the sun was setting.  Made Mount Fuji in the distance look even better.

Been playing with panoram

 Tokyo at dusk

 Sad bears about climate change.












I simply love my job: