Childrens Day

Well actually Children's Day was yesterday, but as that was a Sunday, today was the public holiday.

Pete and I headed off to Jinbocho (or Jimbocho as it is sometimes known) to look at books.  This is the area of Tokyo's second-hand book stalls and stores and Pete had finished his book so was after the next in the series.  Unfortunately as today is a public holiday, many of the stores, including those that hold English books, were closed.  We did look around a really nice children's book store and a music store specialising in second hand classical and Jazz CD's.  Plus a stall selling old movie memorabilia.

We then sat upstairs in a coffee shop (they don't have Nero in Japan, so we have adopted Doutor  for the duration) and watched the world go by.

Andrew, Noriko and Kio joined us and we wandered into the next area of Tokyo being the Musical Instrument area.  Starting with a massive Gibson guitar store the shops followed one from the other, more guitars, loads of guitar shops, drums, ukuleles, violins, trumpets, amps and pedals, you name it, it was there!  

Lunch at Bagel & Bagel, then we caught the train to Ginza, shopping centre of the world (or so it seems). The wide road on which most of the main shops sit was closed to traffic and people streamed backwards and forwards (except for those resting at tables and on chairs laid out on the road for their use).  If there is ever a living definition of a consumer society, this is it!  

We took Kio to the giant toy shop and she ended up buying a doll set kindly paid for by her granddad, well it is children's day, and I don't see her very often  :-)

Today's photo is taken in Ginza, I immediately thought Abbey Road when I saw them, using the crossing even though though the road was closed to traffic.