BONSAI TOKYO!!!

After a very long work week, tackling Tokyo rush hour, and picking Bronwyn up (via Tokyo Rail) at the Narita Airport...I was ready to kick off this Japanese touring adventure BONSAI style. Of course I was up on Saturday morning around 3:30am, so much to Bronwyn's chagrin we were able to get an early start, hitting up three very distinct and different sections of Tokyo.

Anyhoo, our first BONSAI stop led us to Ueno Park. Once in the park, with a zillion and one crows swirling over head, we headed to the Kanei-ji Temple quietly nestled in the center of the park. Just as we entered the Temple grounds, off to the side, was a little memorial of sorts. As I looked closer, it appeared to be a "Hiroshima Memorial." I read the story and was quickly fascinated at the longevity of the flame embedded into this structure. Apparently after the first atomic bomb was dropped, a young man headed to his family's home in Hiroshima to ensure their safety. He found his house, his family, neighbors and their homes completely destroyed; however, in the spot of his home there was one little flame protruding out of the rubble. He took this flame and carried it back to Tokyo where he reported what he had seen and what this flame meant to him. As a result, this flame became the symbol for Tokyo as a remembrance to the impact of the bomb's destruction and for the memory of all those that were lost. The length this culture goes to preserving the past (both good and bad) is such dedication and allegiance....it's unbelievable.

The Hiroshima Memorial Flame in Ueno Park, Tokyo

Once through Ueno Park and on the way back to the train station, we were drawn to a "market district." These markets are filled with random vendors selling all sorts of crazy, but the primary vendors are those that are all about selling the latest sea urchins or some wacky ocean creature. Tucked in the middle of all this vending madness was a "PASSAGE Parlor." What is this you ask? Well, in Japan the game "Pachinko" is a very hot item. "Pachinko" is a pinball game that allows you to win money for every pinball collected. The "PASSAGE Parlor" is a "Pachinko" game spot....with pachinko games set up in rows, one by one (much like slot machines), with each game playing insanely loud animae music and a parlor environment filled with cigarette smoke.

I'd heard of these spots, so when we stumbled across one we jumped at the chance to get our "Pachinko" on!!! It took us a minute to figure out how to play and what, if any, kind of strategy we could muster. After a few clueless minutes....my machine started dinging loud rapid dings, little balls started pouring out and collecting into a basket attached to the bottom of the machine. I knew I had done something right...so I kept the clueless strategy I was playing. Since Bronwyn and I were the only two woman as well as the only two non-Asians in the joint....lots of folks were beginning to stare and cheer me on. I was continuing to win, win, and win some more; however, this game is really not that fun....soooo, I got bored, gave up and cashed out.

When it came to cashing out....there was a BIG language barrier, largely due to the LOUD music; therefore, this nice worker walked me through the check-out process. This consisted of me picking a box of chocolates or beef jerky (it's no surprise I went for the chocolates) and then weaving in and out of the Pachinko aisles leading outside the building, down the street, and into an alley. At this point, I had my very best American defense on...I was somewhat fearful I would be clonked on the head and my winnings (including the chocolates) would be gone forever. As I approached the counter of this little hut in a teeny alley, I was greeted by a VERY elderly Asian woman who found it quite comical that I played and won at Pachinko. In total, I won 5,000.00 yen, a box of chocolates and received no robbery clonks on the head....it was a good first and probably last "Pachinko" experience!

My excitement over winning Chocolates & 5,000 Yen at Pachinko!!