Tokyo, July 6 & 7.

All of the playing (performing) is over. It would be nice if that meant that I can play now, but I have to get ready to leave, which is a lot of work. Most of the two days after the concert were taken up in getting ready to go Ishigaki and Hetaruma islands and then home on the 15th. It will be ongoing until the 12th. I think I can send the suitcases to the airport on the 12th. I am hoping so. Since I am changing hotels on that date, I would rather just be finished with everything when I make the move, including having mailed the box of things I refuse to pay United Airlines to transport at their exorbitant prices. It will be all work until then. 

However, the day after the concert I did go with Carl to the Tokyo Museum of Modern Art. We saw three shows. If I were in Tokyo right now, I could tell you what they were, but I am not, so I can't. One was on the history of Manga, one was the work of a European-born artist who now lives in Mexico and one was for kids. The one for kids pretty much made life worthwhile. 

After saying my goodbyes to Carl, I headed back to Ueno to have some more of that glorious pork that I experienced my first stay in the city. It is that time when I have to decide what I want to revisit and determine what I haven't yet experienced that I don't want to return home without seeing. That is what going to the Kabuki show was all about. I'll only have the second half of the 12th, then the 13th & 14th for anything like that. It is hard to believe that I have been here this long and not seen Mt. Fuji. So it goes; I don't think it is going to happen. Life will go on.

From part of the show for kids.

Water, looking cool on a day that wasn't.

Tokyo's blue sky. You wouldn't guess it was about 90º outside. And muggy. Not as bad as how I remember Cleveland, but close.

Looking down on part of the Manga show.

I am constantly craving meat here. They have it, but it is almost always in little pieces. Despite the sign, the pictures are of little pieces of meat and not much of it. I like the Frankenstein's Monster aspect of the chef through the window though.

The pig below is not from the above meat restaurant, but from a stall along the Ueno Station tracks.

This time they served it room temperature for some reason. I was a little taken aback at first, but I have to admit that it was good in its own right. 

On the 7th, after a furious day organizing and packing I went out to hear Michiyo Yagi lead a trio in a performance of free improvisation. It took me to another section of Tokyo I had not experienced. What I heard was superb. I could only stay for the first set because I was getting up early the next to fly to Ishigaki. I had dinner (mutton curry) at the Indian restaurant upstairs. 

I have noticed quite a few curry and ramen shops where you order from a machine. (Mostly curry shops.)