We’ve spent the second half of this week exploring a variety of museums and galleries. There has been a real mix of traditional works mixed with modern elements. The Emerging Science museum displayed some of Japan’s vital research & investment into future technologies whilst paying homage to historic technologies that laid foundations for this work to be possible.
Emerging Science Museum #
We visited the emerging sciences museum down in Odaiba, it was worth the effort of getting down there. It can be summed up as Perth’s Scitech on steroids. The scale of the exhibitions was huge and there was lots of information for English speakers.
As an Australian, it was interesting to see the emphasis and investment that the Japanese government had put in to encouraging research and setting the examples set for the younger generations. It made me feel passionate about my own studies and making a difference in the world, and reflecting on emerging technologies in my own field.
We spent the afternoon checking out the life-sized Gundam and DiverCity shopping center. We wandered into PlayNow to have a go in the batting cage, which was a good way to spend the arvo!
Hokusai Museum #
Thursday morning, we staid within the Tokyo suburbs and visited the Hokusai museum. Katsushika Hokusai is a Japanese artist that lived from 1760 - 1849 that painted some pieces of work that have had huge global influence, such as his 36 views of Mt Fuji & the Great Wave painting. It was fascinating to learn more about Hokusai’s life and the differences and evolutions he made in his own practice whilst also respecting tradition.
I found that there were parallels between Hokusai’s life & work and the building that housed them. The museum itself is built from reinforced concrete & steel, and split into 4 sections. The building was designed to promote openness and to encourage people to pop in, whilst also not impeding on the park next-door or nearby residences. More can be read about it here This integration between traditional culture & modern technologies is a frequent theme in Tokyo. I find that buildings are being built using progressive designs & materials, whilst stores take cash only, fax is still common, and homes still have landlines.
Asakusa #
Asakusa is an important Japanese cultural site and has been extremely popular for tourists for many years. At the end of the famous Nakamise shopping street, there’s the Sensoji Buddhist temple (the oldest in Tokyo).
This site has been around since the 1600s and has been preserved throughout various conflicts (info found here). Unlike the two other locations mentioned above, it’s important that it has been preserved in its current state due to it’s tradition and heritage importance.
Tokyo Bay and Other Photos #
I thought I’d drop in some photos of the bay that I took while walking to the train station. It was the perfect timing to capture some of the nice sunset colours on a Tuesday night!
