Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum

We met with Mariko’s college friend to attend an exhibit of old art. It’s the oldest known example of fanciful artwork of anthropomorphic animals. What’s really odd is it was in the collection of an old Buddhist Temple in Kyoto, Japan.

http://www.tnm.jp/modules/r_free_page/index.php?id=1707

It’s notable for art historians and pop culture types who follow manga (the written cartoons) and the anime (the animated cartoons). Some speculate and say these artworks are the historic precedent to Japan’s current day manga. I don’t know if that’s true but let me tell you, this exhibit was very crowded as it is closing down tomorrow (Sunday June 7th). I’ve been in long lines while in Japan. Both Tokyo Disney Sea and the Skytree had long lines. But we spent the whole part of 1 day waiting to see the vital first volume of the Choju-Giga. And it was worth it. It was very well drawn and funny. A lot of frogs and rabbits wrestling or presenting gifts to an Emperor figure drawn as a monkey. So here now is also the visual component of today’s outing as that’s what most people want anyways is to see where you’ve been rather than READ about where you’ve been.