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Remember the controversy of Yasukuni Shrine that was reported in the Straits Times in 2005?
On 17 October 2005, Koizumi visited the shrine for the fifth time since taking office. Although he claimed that his visit was a private affair, it came only days before Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura was scheduled to visit Chinese officials in Beijing to strengthen Sino-Japanese relations. Considering the shrine a glorification of Japan's past military aggression, China responded by cancelling the scheduled visit.
On to the Imperial Palace.....
Near Tokyo Station - me charting on the map to locate the Imperial Palace
Imperial Palace (kokyo) - residence of the Emperor of Japan
Moat
Train ticket
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building - we're gonna ascend it
Tokyo's gonna bid for hosting the Olympic Games in 2016
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building is a "super structure" constructed to withstand strong earthquakes in an earthquake-prone Japan. The concept is called "ramen structure," because the building has the flexibility to bend, just like ramen
Tokyo Tower - the white & red structure
Topsy-turvy
Shinjuku
Kinokuniya in Tokyo aren't like in Singapore - it is about 8 storey high; I walked the first level and decided to leave because they were all in Japanese..... 
Tokyo at 11pm is still full of people everywhere... it was a sunday
My throat was killing me, so dd bought this can of beer - Japan-made Asahi - hopefully can reduce heatiness; I gulped it down in seconds; oishikatta (means yummy in past tense)
Labels: Japan 12-21 April 2008
