Edo-Tokyo Museum (江戸東京博物館)

I went back to Tokyo again on Sunday. I had arranged to meet my friend Kazumi and go to the Edo-Tokyo Museum.　　She brought her friend Mitsuko.

Mitsuko has a kiln at her home and she gave me a beautiful vase she'd made herself!!

This picture was taken using auto-everything.










This picture was taken with manual focus using Live View on the the Canon. I also used the aperture priority setting. Either way, it's a beautiful vase, don't you think?

This is the second time I've met Kazumi in person. The first time was, we figured out, three years ago when I came to Yamasa for the second time. That time, she gave me detailed instructions on how to get to a station near her house in Chiba prefecture, including how to get to the right platform at Tokyo Station. This time, we just agreed to meet at the west gate of Ryogoku Station (両国駅）. I feel so accomplished! For those of you who want to go to the Museum, it's right outside the west gate of the station.

Tokyo has been a big city for a long time. It was previously called Edo, and the Edo period of Japanese history started when the first shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu moved there in 1603. By the mid 18th century, Tokyo had a population of more than a million. By 1965, it was the first city to have population of over 20 million.

Back to the museum. It has several large models of the Edo-era city. It also has a good overview of the Tokugawa shoguns.

Currently, there is a taiga drama on NHK called "Atsuhime". It's about a princess in the time leading up to and during the Meiji restoration (1868). The museum has some pieces actually owned by the real Atsuhime. Sadly, photography is not allowed in that exhibit.

Here are some pics.

This is a picture of a 1/30 model of the area where the townspeople lived.













This is a model of the Nihonbashi area.












This is a model of buldings in Edo Castle.












I can't go to Tokyo Station without going to Maruzen bookstore. Here are some lights outside the Oazu building where Maruzen is. Just go out the Marunouchi North exit and there you are.