Journey in Japan Part 63: Paint and Gunpowder

I meet some good friends, and also the 4 people head out on foot toward Ueno Park. Today the National Museum of Western Art is having a totally free admission day, and regardless of being in Japan, we consider it worth an appearance. We stroll inside and are asked to reveal our tickets.
Free admission day, I inform the woman.
You still need to get a ticket, she informsme.
We head out of the museum as well as to the ticket office. We request for four tickets, and turn over no cash, before heading back inside and also turning over the tickets to the lady. Arathertrivial workout.

The Museum of Western Art is the major gallery of this kind in Japan and has an emphasis on paints; with a few sculptures included permanently step. The museum is littered with much as well manymacabreBaroque jobs. Death and also abuse seemto bea prominent style here. Among the scary rests The Last Supper repainted byMarten de Vos, Vincent van Goths Roses, and also a rather unsatisfactory collection ofClaude Monet paints. Not one to truly appreciate art, I believe that Monets work looks dreadful up close. EspeciallyWater Lilies, which I assume looks simple dreadful.

My favourite item ondisplayis Pablo PicassosCouple. Abstract expressionism has actually always been a choice of mine. Ill take this over a bowl of fruit or a basket of blossoms any kind of day.Picassopainted this amazing item at eighty-eight years of ages.

We leave the museum as well as take the Yamanote Line train from Ueno to Ikebukuro. Outside the station, we need to head eastern. One of my pals becomes well prepared, pulling out a physicalcompass and casuallyguiding us in the direction of east. This earns him a brand-new nickname for the rest of the day; he seems to take to the idea rather lovingly.

The reason we are right here is to visit a store run by a firm that eliminates babies in underdeveloped countriesbecause it refuses to spend any type of added earnings on correct labelling for itsbaby milk formula. The store here isselling a details sort of confectionery that is extremely preferred in Japan. This chocolate covered snack is sold in several plain flavours, such as wasabi, strawberry cheesecake, as well as sakura.

While the others queue for their chocolate, I wander around outside and also appreciate the road art.

We head to a little coffee shopbefore heading back to the train station. On the system, two males are battling. One man stands and leaves, his face trickling with blood, his eyes bruised. This is the very first time for me to witness physical violence like this in Japan, and it comes as a little a shock.

After the physical violence, we head over to Odaiba, sitting in the food court of Scuba diver City, to enjoy costly wine in small glasses. Outdoors Diver City, I see a phenomenal bus quit sobbing out to be photographed.

Tonight in Odaiba there is a special fireworks display taking place at 7 pm. We wander around the location, the evening darkness stolen by elegant illuminations. There is a feeling of failed to remember Xmas lights below, and decors that will likely remain throughout the year. Trees glisten, Tokyo Tower in the distance is shining orange, and also the rainbow bridge is stained in light of red toviolet.

We take a placement on the balcony of the Decks building, a substantial shopping center with a bird’s-eye view of Tokyo Bay. At precisely seven oclock, and also for 10 minutes, fireworks fire right into the skies. Listed below, boats are lit in numerous colours, the water mirroring the shimmering light of the Rainbow Bridge, and also Tokyo Tower continues to beam on in the distance. The background is composed of a sea of lights from office buildings, which, add to the experience.In the foreground, the light from the huge firework screen warms up the air as well as completes the scene.

After the fireworks, we take the train back to Asakusa. We pass the Fuji TV structure as it shows the intense flashing message, What a cool we are!