Sacred Tomb of the 47 Ronin meets rampant commercialism!

This morning, the Emporer's birthday, we headed off by train to Sengakuji - the site of the tombs of the 47 Ronin.   This is a truly beautiful and peaceful place which has been substantially renovated and improved in more recent years.  The day started quite cold and a little cloudy but with barely any breeze; thank heavens.  We spent about an hour wandering around the graveyard and the shrine.  The air was full of the smell of incense burning in front of each tombstone and people of middle to late age paid their respects at each.  From Sengakuji it was just a short ride to the Ginza - although not without a brief and unexpected detour to Nihonbashi - you see the train we boarded at Sengakuji was an express which raced through our stop and headed off to the next stop; Nihonbashi.  Fortunately this is only a modest walk from the Ginza; our intended destination.  Nonetheless the kids took great delight in giving Nick hell because of the error.

Walking from Nihonbashi to Ginza was lovely.   Just as we arrived they closed off the main Ginza thoroughfare (because of the public holiday) - we grabbed some bentos from the bottom of the Matsuya store and ate them at a table and chairs set out in the middle of the recently closed road - there were people everyone.  Although it was by now quite cold, we didn't mind, we were just grateful to have a seat for a few minutes to eat lunch.   

We attracted quite a bit of attention, particularly from the roller-blading Santas who came streaming down the street.

After a quick look in some of the department stores including Mitsukoshi we headed down towards the Sukiyabashi intersection where we had in mind to let the kids visit the Sony building while the adults rested.   Well we should have known; there were eleventy million people queued up outside the Sony building - just waiting to be let in about 3-4 at a time!  

With a sigh - particularly from the kids - we headed towards the train tracks of the Yurakucho area and after a quick bite to eat at a fabulous little Yakitora-ya, tucked under the railway, we wandered through the once famous International Arcade.  Sadly the shops therein seemed to be in the last stages of solvency.  Too late.......they had nothing we desired.

By now we were all weary so we jumped a train back to Aoyama and the hotel.   Everyone is resting now with a view to hitting the lights of Shibuya tonight!