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A fast approaching end to the trip forced me to put some efforts
into my search for souvenirs. I had a list of things to buy and
very vague idea of where to look for them. So, Thursday was set
aside for a shopping excursion. However, to sweeten the deal a bit,
first stop of the day was the Japanese Sword Museum.
The proclaimed mission of this museum is preservation and popularization
of Nihon-to. The preservation part they got down pretty well, all
the items on display seemed to be in excellent condition. Popularization
part, however, needs some work.
For starters, the museum is out of the way of any but the most
determined tourist, it is not advertised in any tourist guide books
or pamphlets that I've seen, it has no English explanations to go
with the display pieces, and no literature in English in the museum
store. Basically, only somebody who already has a strong interest
in Japanese swords would find himself at the exhibit. And that is
sad because they did accumulate a beautiful collection of blades
and sword fittings. It's not large, just one moderately sized room,
but it's the largest collection I've ever seen in a museum. The
blades seemed to cover the golden age of Japanese sword making.
I say 'seemed' because there were no dates that I could read attached
to the swords, which makes me think that they were designated by
eras, in Japanese. Terribly useful. And by myself I can miss dating
a blade correctly by a few hundred years.
Also, there was no photography allowed, which I find completely
idiotic. I understand how flash photography can be damaging to,
say, paintings. What possible harm can photography do to a steel
blade? And if you are not letting people photograph, why not have
a color brochure available with pictures of all the exhibits? In
English. And some other languages, too, actually. Not here, though.
It was completely infuriating not being able to take anything away
from there except memories. And since I don't have a photographic
one, in a few weeks all I will be able to remember will be the fact
that I visited the museum and liked it a lot.
After the museum I was ready to start my shopping with ... Japan
Sword store. It was recommended by the guide as a place that "sells
copies and souvenir items of traditional swords at prices much lower
than those of the very expensive historic swords". Well, they didn't
really. They had few iai-to's at the usual price for such things
and very few souvenir items, also at their usual prices. But the
rest of it was better than any museum.
The place had three floors and as far as I could tell they don't
let everybody go to the two upper floors, where the larger portion
of the antiques is displayed. I started with the first floor (not
even knowing of the existence of the other two), some of the items
there very quite spectacular and even though they were on sale I
wouldn't have been able to buy them even if I did have the money
- they were rated as national treasures and not permitted to be
exported out of the country. But I wouldn't be able to afford even
the ones I could have brought back with me. And the cheapest of
sword fittings, a very plain and simple 18th century tsuba, was
around $200.
As I was admiring the displays I happened to note that I was liking
them better than the Sword Museum (what's with the personal guided
tour from the sale's person and the English descriptions) and then
the guy uncertainly asked me if I would be interesting in seeing
the special exhibition that just happened to be open on the second
floor. I sure was and, oh, my god. It was like letting a child into
a candy store. I spent the next two hours with my nose to a huge
collection of blades and fittings, left all to myself, unless I
felt like asking a question. And nothing was covered by glass! It
was a dream come true.
The guy who was sitting on this floor was so impressed with my
enthusiasm that after I was done he took me to the third floor where
the armor and the other samurai paraphernalia were displayed. And
I know they don't let just anybody up there because he had to unlock
the room to let me in. Some of the items there at different times
were loaned to museums around the world for special exhibitions
and some of them can be seen on book covers. All of it was fantastic.
And the guy, who turned out to be the owner of the store, was completely
willing to answer all my questions. For me it was an experience
of a lifetime.
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end, and my next stop
were department stores in Ginza. I visited two: Matsuya, which was
a bit like Bloomingdale's, and Mitsukoshi, which, I think, is more
like Macy's. That was terribly painful and I think I got the hell
out of there in an hour with no purchases. Department stores depress
me and leave me incapable of making any sorts of decisions, especially
when I am there by myself. I was looking for some kitchenware stuff
and I even did see some items that I liked but I couldn't choose
anything and just wanted to be someplace else.
So, I went to Kappabashi Dori, where the wholesale kitchenware
stores are located on a couple of blocks filled with everything
you might need to set a table. In fact, there were so many stores
and choices that I felt like that donkey, which starved trying to
pick between two stacks of hay. As you can guess, being the hopeless
case that I am, I didn't really get anything there either and returned
home mostly empty handed. My last hope for shopping was Tokyo Oriental
Bazaar, which I couldn't visit on Thursday because it was closed,
and the souvenir shops of Kyoto, where we were headed the next morning. |