Toro iseki (archaeological site):August 12, 2024

I visited Toro iseki, an archaeological site of the 1^st century (about 2000 years ago) in Shizuoka City.

People made a village here and lived mainly on rice cultivation. Total 12 traces of houses have been found so far. About 60 people were estimated to live here.

 It was called Yayoi era (10^th century BC – 3^rd century AD) when the village in Toro was built.

There are rebuilt pit houses in the site. The site is now surrounded by houses and buildings.

 

Raised floor warehouses have also been rebuilt.

 

Rice fields are also arranged. Old types of rice are cultivated there.

 

There is a museum of the history and findings of Toro in the site.

 

 

 

Ikebukuro: July 2, 2024

I visited Ikebukuro for the first time in several years. It is one of Tokyo's terminals, along with Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Tokyo Station area. Commercial and entertainment districts spread rather than business districts in Ikebukuro.

 

JR Yamanote Line, Tobu Line, Seibu Line, and subway lines run through Ikebukuro. Tobu Department Store is located on the west side of the station, and Seibu Department Store is on the east side, both of which are the icons of the area.

Seibu Department's Ikebukuro Store was sold by Seven & i Holdings to a US investment firm in September 2023. The store's composition is planned to change significantly, with a large electronics store moving into the core of the building. At the time of the store's sale, a strike by the department store's labor union occurred, which became big news.

Currently, a notice of renovation work is posted at the entrance.

At the west exit of the station, there is Ikebukuro West Gate Park, famous for a novel by a novelist Ishida Ira. There is a Global Link there. I found many people sitting on the benches and spending their times. Art theaters and high-rise buildings are around the park. (See also the top photo)

 

The west exit also has an entertainment district with restaurants, bars, and amusement facilities. In the evening, police officers patrol the area and used loudspeakers to warn of illegal touts.

A large-scale redevelopment project is scheduled to start 2027 in the west exit district. High-rise buildings will be built. The scenery around the area is expected to change drastically.

 

Ikebukuro is also famous for the Sunshine City, a commercial complex with a 60-floor skyscraper and other facilities. It takes about 10 minutes from the east exit of Ikebukuro station through the Sunshine Street to the Sunshine City.

Toshima City, which includes Ikebukuro, has a population of about 280,000 and is the most densely populated municipality in Japan. According to the city's website, it aims to be a "theater city" and a city that is advanced in the SDGs activities.

London： May 30-June 3, 2024

 

I stayed in London for a couple of days and walked around the city. It was my first stay in five years. I found that many things had changed.

 

One of the big changes is increased number of bicycles. There were many cyclists running in the Strand, Bloomsbury and some other areas five years ago. In addition, I found many bicycles in Westminster, Oxford Circus and other central parts of the city. (See the 2nd photo)

 

More lanes for bicycle have been arranged. Some “bus only” lanes have turned to “bus and bicycle” lanes. The photo was taken in Holborn area.

 

Increasing number of delivery service by bicycle was also a new development. The photo was taken on the Brick Lane, eastrn London.

 

Wars in Ukraine and Gaza are, of course, big topics for the country. I saw a gathering to support Ukraine in a square in front of the Parliament on Sunday, June 2nd. (see also the top photo)

 

A meeting of foreign Chinese was also held in the square. One of Chinese member joined the Ukraine meeting and delivered a speech to call for supports for Ukraine, Hong Kong, Taiwan and democracy.

 

I also met across small meeting of activities of both pro-Israel and pro-Palestine people.

 

The pandemic of Covid-19 was over, but it has brought various changes for the society. Expansion of delivery services of food and other goods is one example.

On the wall of St. Thomas Hospital in the South Bank (opposite side of the Parliament), I found many messages for the victims of the disease. The wall is about 500-meters long. Some people were writing their messages in the empty places.

Renovations of the towns have proceeded in many places. I found new tall buildings in the City area.

 

Tourists are back. I found many people gathering at famous tourist spots auch as the Buckingham Palace (See also the 4th photo of the Mall);

 

Piccadilly Circus;

 

And the British Museum. 

The metropolis was full of energy.

 

 

 

Liverpool in UK : May 30, 2024

I visited Liverpool in the U.K. for the first time in my life. It was about 2 hours by train from London.

 

The city is famous as a hometown of the Beatles. I attended the “Magical Mystery Tour.” The bus tour brought me several places related to the band. They included Penny Lane, Strawberry field, the houses where the members were born and raised. (See also the 2nd photo)

 

There is a mural of Ringo Starr near his birthplace.

The tour guide explained the situation when the Beatles appeared. It was after the World War 2 and the lives of the working class were hard. The influence of Beatles was not limited in music. The band brought social and cultural revolution – he expressed.

 

I visited Mathew Street in central Liverpool after the tour. The Beatles played at the Cavern Club in their early days and became popular. The club once closed in the 1970s and reopened in the 1980s.  (See also the top photo)

There are many music pubs now in the street.

 

I saw the statue of John Lennon standing in the street.

 

I akso found Eleanor Rigby’s statue on a street nearby.

 

I also visited the Beatles Story Museum. Various information on the Beatles is exhibited there. The replica of the white piano used in “Imagin” is displayed.

 

Liverpool developed after early 18^th century as a major port in the U.K. The city was heavily destroyed by air attacks by Germany in the World War 2. It revived as a city of tourism and other business.

The Pier Head and its surrounding district was registered UNESCO’s World Heritage from 2004 to 2021. It was cancelled as developments of commercial and residential buildings had proceeded in the area. (See also the 3rd photo)

 

The photo is a Maritime Museum in the area. They display the history of Liverpool, including its negative history of slave trade.

 

There was a meeting and demonstration march to support Palestine when I visited the city. Several hundreds of people gathered. (See also the 4th photo)

 

Kids also attended the event with their parents. They wore T-shirts with Gaza map design.

 

 

Brussels: May 20-29, 2024

I visited Brussels for the first time in five years (and first time after the Covid pandemic). During my stay there, I visited Amsterdam, Paris, Luxembourg and Brugge.

I found several changes in Brussels since my last visit five years ago.

 

There are more bicycles than there were. They have more cycle lanes in the roads. The photo shows a lane in front of European Commission.

 

I saw stations for bicycle in many places in the city. The photo was taken in Pl. Espagne near Grand Place. Bicycle sharing services are more popular now.

 

Many bicycles are also used for delivery of foods and other goods. It may be partially an outcome of the Covid pandemic.

 

I also found renovations in such fields like towns and transportation system. The pavement is renewed in Bd. Anspach and many new shops are open.

 

The information board in many railway stations and metro stations are more useful than before.

We can now use public transport system easier than before. Payment is made when we put our credit cards on the reading machines in railway stations and in buses. I also found various change caused by information technology developments.

 

Wars in Ukraine and Gaza are the biggest issues which shake Europe (and the world). I did not find direct reactions to the issues (such as demonstrations) during my stay in Brussels, but found some scenes related to the topics.

Thirty flags were raised at NATO’s headquarters as Finland and Sweden joined the organization after Russia’s invasion into Ukraine in 2022.

 

A sticker to call for “boycott Israel” was pasted on the window of a bus. I also saw Palestine flags in some parts of the city.

 

Belgium plans to have elections – for the federal government, local governments and European Parliament – on June 6^th. Campaigns were going on.

Migration is one of the biggest issues in the election. I found many posters of PS (French-speaking socialist party) in Molenbeek district near central Brussels. Many immigrants live in the area and PS offers relatively pro-immigrant policies.

 

The European Parliament call for people to vote for the EP election. (See the 3re photo)

Various Belgium parties put their posters for the elections on the board. The photo was taken in Luxembourg square near European Parliament.

 

Many people were spending their ordinary lives. I saw local people as well as tourists enjoying beers and foods in Grand Place. (see also the top photo)

 

I also found many people enjoying their times in Park de Bruxelles near the Royal Palace.