Christmas in Tsukishima

Tsukishima's Monja-dori, with its countless monja and okonomiyaki restaurants, and mom-and-pop shops selling everything from rice to old toys, may seem like one of the most staunchly traditional areas in Tokyo. 

However, even they are unable to resist the opportunity for decoration that Christmas provides.

 

Tastefully placed old stuff seems to be the appeal of this store. (I have no idea what their wares actually are.)

 

I fell instantly in love with this rotary phone cover. (Sewed using leftover fabric for the cushion covers, perhaps?)

A highly concentrated amount of advertising for such a small space. Note the Santa on the right, the tree in the middle and on the left, and the wreath. The bulletin board also shows a hand-drawn Christmas menu.

 "Please do not take these."

Oh please. We are looking at geraniums here, not even poinsettias.

Now if I were the owner, I would be worried about someone trying to steal this old-school stereo. (A classic Cicena.)

In the same way that Japan has created the tradition of couples going out on Christmas Eve, they have also made it a tradition to eat fried chicken for Christmas. Hence this man in a chicken suit, shilling Family Mart chicken on Christmas Eve. He clowned around with amazing commitment, but passers-by weren't impressed enough to actually buy anything.

Flowers Make the Home

In Tsukishima, in the narrow streets running parallel to the famous Monja Street. Although the nearby Kachidoki and Toyosu are considered new, posh areas, Tsukishima still has a shitamachi feel, clearly reflected in the architecture.

The narrow streets running vertical to the famous Monja Street are lined with nagaya (row houses.) In the photo above, diners enjoy their food outside of the restaurant -- the cramped Tokyo's equivalent of dining out in a terrace. 

Though the houses are old, and some seemingly run-down, the inhabitants put a lot of effort into making their spaces beautiful in manageable ways. Many houses have so many potted plants out front, you'd think they were running a gardening shop.

 

Columbines seemed to be particularly popular.

Turtles are a popular choice of pet.

Two sets of two turtles stacked on top of each other.

Surreptitiously-kept goldfish also seemed to be popular.

Was there once a shrine here?

I'm guessing the initial idea was to prevent cats from walking through, but somewhere along the way it simply became a repository for garbage.

Tokyo City Lights

 A view of Tokyo by night, viewed from my grandmother's place in Tsukishima. This is the River Sumida. The spot of orange near the center of the screen is Hongwanji Temple.

 To he left is Tsukishima's famed Monja-dori.

Kachidoki Bridge, and, of course, Tokyo Tower as the sun sets.

 A miraculously unblurry close-up.

You Can Always Go Downtown

A ...something (store? cafe?) called Downtown, in the least downtown-looking place ever. (Abandoned on both sides and surrounded by apartment buildings.) Geographically, it's only one street over from Tsukishima famous Monja Street.

Scarecrows for Rats

At first glance, just another cat on Tsukishima Monja Street. But this one isn't made of hair and skin and bones, just porcelain.

This isn't a display of someone's kitsch taste; the fake cat serves to scare off rats and also discourages dogs from urinating on the walls.

Real cat.

Dissecting Matsuri Outfits

 

The annual summer festival in Tsukishima was last weekend. Unfortunately, I didn't get to see the actual event, but I walked down the main street just as it was beginning to prepare for the festival.

Hundreds of names are listed on this wooden board -- names of everyone (generally from the community) who donated to the festival.

 

The man in white walking in the center of the photo is wearing a koikuchi shirt ("carp mouth" shirt, because the opening of the sleeve looks like a carp's open mouth) and momohiki pants in a pattern that makes him look a bit like a walking skeleton. The white tabi shoes also add to the overall effect.

I particularly like seeing kids dressed up in festival gear. It's simply traditional clothing, but it makes them look practically avant-garde today. The little boys here are wearing a harakake, a tunic/apron that is generally favored by women. Even their tenugui cloths (worn on their heads) match their outfits!

The No-Barf Zone

(In Tsukishima.)

The yellow sign reads, "Please don't barf here." Or to be more precise, "Please don't barf (throw up) here." I like the insertion of less vivid language.

Brimming and Bursting

(In Tsukishima.)

What Light

Hōzuki, or Chinese lantern plant, sold in bushels at a flower shop in Tsukishima.

A smart business move would be to sell the fallen fruits at 20 yen a pop, instead of simply discarding them.

Everyone Has a Story (Including Turtles)

In front of a monja restaurant in Tsukishima's Monja Dori, a tiny little turtle on display for passersby to see. Apparently, he had been found abandoned in front of the restaurant, all covered in grime.

 The owner of the restaurant named him Mi-chan, because he's green (=midori in Japanese). People in the neighborhood donated the contents of his tank (which explains the randomness), and he's become a mascot of sorts.

And in a practically fairy tale-like twist, he's become famous for dancing to bon odori (a kind of folk dance) songs. The owner of the restaurant will very happily tell anyone who stops to admire the turtle, "Wait until his favorite song comes on! He'll do a dance!" I couldn't wait around that long, but he was bobbing his head back and forth to the music. Perhaps we're seeing the midpoint of a future rags to riches situation?

Dinner, Grandma-style

An impromptu visit to my grandmother's in Tsukishima resulted in an invitation to dinner, after which it was determined that my attire was not suitable for dining out. Instead of staying in and cooking at home, I ended up borrowing my 84-year-old grandmother's dress, belt, necklace, and sandals. I did not receive any compliments.

Fishing Floatables

At a neighborhood festival in Tsukishima, a rubber animal scooping stall has been set up. 200 yen will get you a paper scooper which you then use to scoop up as many rubber toys as you can before the flimsy paper deteriorates into a soggy mess. But ultimately, it doesn't matter how good you are -- the "nice" toys (the whales and rubber duckies) are limited to two per person.