Week 39 - we resume our regular reports, starting in Tokyo

 Edited BY


G P Kennedy


Ian & Minako – Tokyo



 Hello from Tokyo in 2021, the Year of the Ox (Lunar new year is Feb 12th but Japan follows the Gregorian calendar). The ox denotes stability, hard work, positivity, and honesty.


The ox is grounded, loyal, gentle, and trustworthy. Sounds good, we need more stability, honesty, and trust all over the globe.


 Unfortunately, the start of 2021 and the end of 2020 have produced record cases of the coronavirus and some little-and-late action from the government.


 A state of emergency for Tokyo and neighboring prefectures was issued on 8th January. This has now been extended to several other prefectures. As in the past, the restrictions are not mandatory and center mainly on eating and drinking establishments, which are urged to close earlier


For a state of emergency, this has all seemed very late, low-key, and non-urgent so it's not clear that the general public is listening anymore. There are rumors in the media that the government is thinking about maybe introducing legislation to make the anti-COVID measures legally enforceable.




 New Year is a big event here in Japan. We started our New Year’s Day morning with First Sunrise gazing in our park.


It was freezing cold but beautiful when the sun ascended the spotless clear sky and we felt the powerful sunbeams and warmth. 


 Then we had New Year’s meal called Osechi with ozoni followed by another walk around the park. There would normally be massive crowds including many thousands of tourists at all the shrines and temples from New Year's Eve through to January 3rd. 


 People were urged to spread their visits over a lengthy period, the queues were much less and well-spaced, there was none of the food, drinks, toys, games stalls that normally line the paths at this time which is sensible of course but a shame not only for the vendors but also the families who look forward to the jolly occasion.




Before confining ourselves to staying totally local we managed to catch a great exhibition at the Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in the Meguro area of Tokyo. 


 The museum is in a beautiful Art Deco style former royal residence built in the 1930s and works by 8 contemporary Japanese artists were on show spread throughout the building. 


 We carefully chose trains and times that we knew would be quiet. There were far fewer commuters anyway as it was a public holiday for “coming of age” day. 


 This is when all the young men and women who reached the age of 20 between April last year and April this year are invited to attend ceremonies in council-run halls. 20 is the legal age for drinking, smoking, and gambling. 

 



 Back in our local area, in the park on our doorstep, the ponds have been partly frozen over some days but we've had no snow here yet and some days have been unseasonably warm. 


There are already a few blossoms on the plum trees and our favorite wintersweet tree is showing its waxy, yellow, sweet-smelling flowers. The birds are becoming more lively and visible and daffodils are flowering, not long to spring now!


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