Iwate and Sendai Trip Journal, Thursday, Sept. 11th

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Arrival

On the flight from Honolulu to Haneda there was a movie called “Sunset Sunrise” about the very region we were traveling to. It was a romantic comedy about a Tokyoite who comes to the Sanriku area and falls in love with the area and a local woman. It’s funny that this wasn’t the first time there was a movie on the plane about the region we were going to. As we approached Haneda, we saw the clouds light up with lightning. The plane did a few lazy circles while waiting for extreme weather to clear over the airport. There were reports of flooding.

Getting on the Monorail for Hamamatsucho with our bags, it was hot and muggy even though it was late evening. Some people were wearing those portable cooling fans. As the train skirted the concrete-lined canals connecting to Tokyo bay, multicolored lights from LED signage danced off the wavelets. It was like something out of a global-warming cyber-punk novel - if anyone’s ever written one of those.

Monorail Departing Haneda Airport

Walking to Super Hotel Hamamatsucho, we passed lively groups of people who had undoubtedly been enjoying the many restaurants and pubs in the area.  I went to get some seiseisui (purified water) for my CPAP machine at a nearby drugstore. Tokyo tower loomed in the distance, illuminated with magenta LEDs. It wasn’t raining but occasional thunder echoed up and down the glass canyons. 

Diners enjoying a late meal.

Tokyo Tower glowing in the distance.

A most excellent taiyaki shop.

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