Yoyogi and Kiryokukan

 We had planned to have a museum day at Ueno Park but "pivoted" to other options.

Got the train to Yoyogi Park (originally the site of Olympic viilage for 1964 Tokyo Olympics) is now one of Tokyo's largest city parks at 50 hectares. Not too contrived with many natural areas and a huge canopy of trees.  Must be a godsend during the humid summers here. As it was Sunday we saw many blind runners with their guides looped together making their way around the park. Families with young children etc.

Signage can be amusing....No " so on.."

On the next train on to the Tokyo port we saw this. As it was my birthday today these nail extensions could have been a possibility? A bit limiting for activities I would think other than cell phone tapping.

So the Tokyo port was where Jeff had found " the wood and plywood museum". Bet not many girls (well older woman) get to go here for their birthday!

It was very well done and who knew that 68% of the land mass or 25 million ha of Japan was covered in forestry? The nearby wood shop was a treasure trove of every imaginable length, type, finish of timber with every piece individually priced.

There were slabs of timber priced at 401,000 yen ie $4,800 NZD

We stopped back at Yoyogi city, there are cities within the city of Tokyo. Thought we maybe would have a look at some shops as we are not shoppers but my goodness it was like Disneyland on steroids. At the street below there was chap with his son on his shoulders who said " please don't say I have to go in there" we agreed. His son looked frightened.

We then came across a NZ icon? There was just masses of people queueing various stores for everything from new Mac cosmetics, blue icecream, ramen, to the latest Allbirds. Boy do they shop here. Good the see but definitely not our comfort zone.

Ueno rail station has a good food retail area so were able to buy a half bottle of Sileni Chardonnay and had a nice meal, at a place called Herbs and Spices, my salad not too spicy and Jeff's Moroccan kebab completed yet another eclectic day in Japan.