TOKYO TODAY

One of the benefits of travel is that you absorb yourself in the daily lives of the local populace, read the mutterings of the intelligentsia and gain a personal perspective about that location.  After Fukushima, you would have thought that the people of Japan would be depressed and all would be woe.  Well, that's not my impression.

I thought I'd take the subway to a new development called Tokyo Skytree (above photo taken from the middle of a street in Asakusa), which only began full operations last month, located a little more than four miles northeast of Tokyo Station.  I thought, okay, just another tall structure to send broadcast signals, for the now old Tokyo Tower is about half the height, and nearby high rise buildings were beginning to affect performance. You can also speculate on the resultant health effects.  While the above photo doesn't show the immensity of the structure, this one below does:

Wow, was I wrong!  First, this is the second tallest (2080 feet) tower in the world, only exceeded by the Burj Khalifa (2723 feet).  At any one time about 3000 people can enjoy the views.  The problem is that you need advanced reservations costing $25 (for adults) to board the elevators.  Nothing was available even for tomorrow.  

But there is a new Sumida (because this site in Tokyo is named so) Aquarium, also for $25, so I went.  Frankly, for that sum, I would have expected a couple of whale sharks, so it's not worth the cost.  A sea worm exhibit was interesting, and to the right is a chambered nautilus.

What surprised me most, though, was that a whole new massive shopping city was built integrated with the tower. Considering this was a normal Monday, I was astounded at the swarm of visitors and vitality of the enterprise.

The color is supposedly a bluish white.  I call it a grayish white.  They could have selected a more exciting finish.

Well, here is the latest news from Tokyo:

1.  As predicted in my blog of 9June2012, Japan will re-start two Oi plant nuclear reactors.  71% of Japan remains opposed to the re-start.  Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda will not last long, because he will further need to work on re-starting most of remaining 48.  I can speculate that 75% will be operating by the end of 2014 because there is a double penalty for permanently shutting them down.  Not only will Japan lose the electricity from them, but the de-commissioning cost will exceed the asset value of these utilities.  Also, too, Noda is charging ahead on doubling the sales tax from 5% to 10%.  I joke about this, but, perhaps, Japan has found a cure for a broken democratic government.  Have your leader sacrifice his political life by having him push for unpopular decisions.  There have been 7 prime ministers over the past 7 years!

2.  How's this for a reversal?  China has rejected 24 tons of saury from Japan because of grave cadmium concentrations.  That's bad enough, but Fukushima is being implicated.

3.  A Japan Times editorial today mentioned:

  -  Japan's fertility rate in 1947 was 4.54, but has dropped to 1.39.  A level of 2.07 is required for a stable population.

  -  The average age of marriage is now 30.

  -  The population of the country DROPPED 202,765 last year.

4.  This is a small surprise, but Japan (127 million) has 50% more people than Germany (82 million) and is slightly larger in land area.  Further, there are 60 countries with more land than both countries.  But Japan is #9 counting both land and Exclusive Economic Zone.  Again, the seas offer Japan its greatest future hope.

Now already a super long posting, one must eat, so, for my cuisine fans, let me continue.  First,  a suggestion for consideration by the Tokyo Westin.  I've been coming here since 1994 when you first opened.  While the pumpkin and corn soups are great, you have not changed the Executive Club appetizers, nor drinks, since day one.  I should mention that I like to stay here because it has warm toilet seats and three shower options for your rear (and front):

I went down for my free breakfast, which is a gigantic buffet.  Here is what I selected:

Went back to my room and noticed just below me, Robuchon's: 

There are two restaurants (3 and 2 Michelin stars), a bakery and wine store in that mansion.  I had recently been to the 3 Michelin starred Robuchon's in Las Vegas, so I thought, why not compare it with this 3-star version.  However, I've been there a number of times, so I instead decided to try Robuchon's 2-Star, La Table, located on the ground floor, because it would be my first time and I had recently been to two 2-Star Michelins in San Francisco, Benu and Coi.  This comparison would be more contemporaneous.  Plus, I thought I would save some money.

Here is a dark view of the inside, which is about the same as the 3-Star upstairs:

Note that there aren't many diners.  When I left, perhaps a quarter of the restaurant tables were being occupied.    The background music was American slow jazz from a radio station. I had a merlot from Australia and a white from Japan:

First came a pea mouse and al dente peas:

Excellent.  The tomato gazpacho with crouton and basil was the best I've ever had in my life:

The pan fried scallops were lukewarm.  It should have been sizzling.  It was okay, but I registered a complaint anyway:

The pan fried duck liver with rhubarb and port white was good.  Forgot to take a photo.  The grilled tuna cheeks with root vegetables and aromatic condement was overcooked and too aromatic.

But the butter sauce was extraordinary.  The full entree was a steak from Ibaraki, which is not that far from the Fukushima nuclear reactors.  There must be a concerted effort to help out the region.

I was tempted to ask from where the vegetables came, but didn't.  All in all, La Table compares well with Benu and Coi.  However, this is Tokyo, so the meal cost as much as a 3-Star Michelin restaurant.

Super Typhoon Guchol is now down to 90 MPH, will pass right over Osaka, with the eye projected to move just west of Tokyo.  There will be a lot of rain this afternoon through tomorrow morning when I bus to Narita for Seoul.  The more worrisome storm now is Talim, while only at 50 MPH and not expected to become a hurricane, nevertheless threatens to affect my Yeosu Ocean Expo period:

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