A day of opposites

Today I went in search of brown rice, which is very hard to find in Japan. In Tokyo anyway, it seems.
Here's a historical tidbit. Back in the old days, white rice was highly prized and therefore more expensive, becoming the food of wealthy people, such as nobles, emperors, and successful merchants. The poor were left to eat their rice unpolished, so the aesthetics of rice became so that white rice was more desirable than brown.

Unfortunately, my digestive system has failed to comply with this Japanese aesthetic.

So I did a little research and came up with a few places, the closest being in Nezu-cho called Nezunoya. Cute. Several trains, side streets, and an unexpectedly welcome shrine discovery, I discovered the cafe only a little ways down in the opposite direction of which I had wandered. Figures. I wish I had brought my camera that day, the brown rice onigiri I had were so good, I even bought two more for breakfast! I must go back and get some pickles too. They were the most sublime pickles I've ever had, I think. Tsukemono no ryouri (pickle cooking) is perhaps one of the most interesting and delicious kinds of Japanese food I have come to discover. Especially daikon! Ahhh. Daikon.

From this simple setting I then plunged into the maelstrom that is Shibuya, be it rain or shine which today of course the heavens were pelting us with tiny scatterings of water droplets which seemed intent on find their way into my eyes, which they did more often than I thought possible. Crosswalks became death zones of umbrella edges, and around every corner there was usually one or two foreigners inspecting some sign or walking doggedly on through the crowds. I was a little much, but nothing compared to when I entered a 10 level multi complex building comprised of nothing but floor after floor or womens clothing stores, all blaring music or containing sales women screaming about bargain prices waving brightly colored sales signs. 5 floors later I was glad to be back outside in the streams of umbrella wielding bodies. Whew. After some standing sushi to sooth my stomach, a peek at the Hachiko statue to satisfy my curiosity and I was back on the train to Shinagawa-shuku.
Boy my feet hurt.

Tomorrow there will be pictures. I promise.

Take care,
~Kira