Page 78 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

76  T OK Y O AREA B Y AREA

Five minutes Hideki Tojo and 13 other
beyond, over a Class-A war criminals. Visits
main road and left by cab inet ministers, even
down the hill, is the in a private capacity,
National Museum are controversial.
of Modern Art. The Beside the shrine is the
permanent collec- Yushukan, a museum
tion comprises dedicated to the war dead.
Japanese works Many exhibits put a human
from the 1868 Meiji face on Japan at war: under
Restoration to the a photo of a smiling young
present day; visiting officer is a copy of his last letter
exhibits are often home, and there are mementos
excellent. Nearby of a nurse who died from
is the National overwork. Still, romanticized
Museum of Modern paintings of Japanese soldiers
Art’s Crafts Gallery. in Manchuria and displays of
Inside this 1910 guns, planes, and even a
Neo-Gothic brick locomotive from the Thai-
building is an Burma Railway may be
exquisite collection troubling to some.
of modern workings
Visitors enjoying boating in Kitanomaru Park of traditional
Japanese crafts – r Jinbocho
w Kitanomaru Park pottery, lacquerware, and Booksellers’ District
damascene (etched metal arti-
Kitanomaru Park Jinbocho Booksellers' District
facts). Some pieces are for sale.
Map 3 A5.  Kudanshita stn, Map 3 B4–5.  Jinbocho stn, Toei
Hanzomon, Toei Shinjuku & Tozai Mita, Hanzomon & Toei Shinjuku lines.
lines; Takebashi stn, Tozai line. e Yasukuni Shrine
National Museum of Modern Art:
Three of Japan’s great uni-
Tel (03) 5777-8600. Open 10am–5pm Yasukuni Shrine
Tue–Sun. & ∑ momat.go.jp/ Map 2 F1. Tel (03) 3261-8326. versities, Meiji, Chuo, and
english Crafts Gallery: Tel (03) 5777-  Kudanshita stn, Hanzomon, Tozai Nihon, started out in this area
8600. Open 10am–5pm Tue–Sun. & & Toei Shinjuku lines. Open 6am–6pm in the 1870s and 1880s, and
Science Museum: Tel (03) 3212-8544. daily. Yushukan: Open 9am–4:30pm soon booksellers sprang up
Open 9:30am–4:50pm Thu–Tue. daily. & ∑ yasukuni.or.jp/english selling both new and used
& ∑ jsf.or.jp/eng books. At one time 50 percent
The 2.5 million Japanese, of Japan’s publishers were
Lying to the north of the soldiers and civilians, who based here. Although only
Imperial Palace, Kitano maru Park have died in war since the Meiji University and Nihon
is reached through the massive Meiji Restoration are enshrined University are still here, dozens
Tayasumon (gate). A former at Yasukuni Jinja (Shrine of of bookshops, several selling
ground for the Imperial Palace Peace for the Nation), which ukiyo-e prints, remain, all
Guard, the area became a park was dedicated in clustered around the
in 1969. Before entering, walk 1879. Its history junction of Yasukuni-
past with Tayasumon on the makes it a sobering dori and Hakusan-
left to reach Chidorigafuchi place to visit. dori. For English
(the west moat), one of Tokyo’s Until the end of books on Oriental
most beautiful cherry-blossom World War II Shinto subjects try Kitazawa
viewing spots. Row boats can was the official state Books or Issei-do;
be rented here. religion, and the for ukiyo-e prints,
Within Kitanomaru’s pleasant ashes of all who visit Oya Shobo –
grounds are a number of died in war were all are on the south
buildings. Near Tayasumon is brought here side of Yasukuni-dori,
the Nippon Budokan (see p353). regardless of the walking away from
Built for the 1964 Olympics families’ wishes. Hakusan-dori.
martial arts competition, it is Unsettling for some The change in the
now used mostly for rock of Japan’s neighbors, Browsing in one of economic status (and
concerts. A short walk farther on the planners and Jinbocho’s bookshops priorities) of students
is the Science Museum. Some leaders of World War II is evident here. Shops
of the interactive exhibits are and the coloniza tion of selling surf- or snowboards
fun, including virtual bike rides China and Korea are also are every where. Music shops
and elec tricity demonstrations enshrined here, including selling electric guitars seem as
(explanations are in Japanese). wartime prime minister numerous as the bookshops.
For hotels and restaurants see p302 and pp324–6

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