TOKYO - Week 3
This week has been less busy than the previous ones. With my Japanese classes, I have less time to explore the city. In the Ryōgoku district, known for sumo in Tokyo, an important annual tournament was taking place this week. Although I didn’t attend the matches because the tickets are quite expensive, I was able to enjoy the lively atmosphere of the neighborhood. However, I had been wanting to attend sumo training sessions, which are free. Normally, it’s possible, but since it was the tournament period, I couldn’t attend… maybe another time! (In fact, even outside of tournament periods, it’s now very complicated to attend training sessions without going through an agency).
Ryōgoku is also known for its museums. The most famous is the Edo-Tokyo Museum, which is unfortunately closed until mid-2025 for renovations. So, I visited the Japanese Sword Museum, where I was able to see an impressive collection of swords. Right next to this museum is Ryōgoku Park. Despite its small size, it’s very pleasant to visit. I also returned to Koishikawa Kōrakuen Park, but this time at night. Although all parks in Tokyo close at night, a temporary night exhibition and short performances were organized there.
This weekend, I met up with a couple of friends I had met in Lyon. Since she is Japanese, I was able to converse with her, as well as with her friends and family, in Japanese. On the first evening, we went to an izakaya (Japanese bar), then to a restaurant specializing in sake (called nihonshu in Japanese). I had the opportunity to taste sake from different regions. Great atmosphere. On the second evening, we went to a Japanese barbecue, my very first! Until now, I had spent most of my days alone (except for my classes), so these moments spent with them were truly precious. Memories I will surely never forget.