Putaansuu Post: Tokyo Mori Art Museum and Star Show 12/28/2010 Bier

AFN radio has a little blurb for 'Outside the Gate.' The Japanese lady who does it says (to my ear), "Owsahdahgate," in about half a milisecond. So, I often tell people about events in the area I've heard of, and tell them I heard it from 'Owsahdahgate.' They usually laugh.

So, when I heard about a 3-D star show, I was interested. We took the train up to Tokyo to Roppongi. Where I immediately got turned around. For some unexplainable reason, the Japanese don't put North at the top of their maps. So, you print out the map, head out, get the right exit from the subway, and have no clue where you are. I finally asked a man where Mori Art Museum was, and he pointed at the tallest skyscraper in the area with Mori on it. We were by then far enough away that we had perspective to see it. When you're closer to it, you can't see it. So, we back-tracked and got there. We thought this sculpture on the plaza was nice.

William wanted a picture with Academy Hills. They work on education in International Business, and introducing the latest technologies. Maybe William is looking toward his future?

There was no flash photography inside. But, the museum is on the 52nd floor. We paid ¥1800 per adult, and ¥800 for William for entrance. But that got us up, in the star exhibit, and the art museum, as well.

Okay, so I took my camera out, and leaned it on the railing, and took a pic. Basically, the first room was a model of Tokyo, and it had the sky animated throughout the day and night. This, obviously, was night, but you can see which stars there were.

This poster shows the second room. You are on a platform, and walk 'through' the constellations. The ones you knew would brighten for awhile. Kind of interesting. The information said it was accurate for all the latest known stars in the universe.

One of the rooms was a video that had you going through space at such a clip (the speedo was to the right bottom) that you flew faster than the speed of light, but you got such a cool perspective, it was neat. And then you flew back to earth, and at the center, Japan. It's all how you look at the globe now, isn't it? One room was just the stars going by. It needed to be a round room. The last room was the souvenir store. :)

Then we went to the art exhibit. It was really cool. The Japanese artist had done some really interesting pieces, and we enjoyed looking at them. I think I enjoyed the infinity room (mirrored ceiling and floor) with animated sides (think a room with video screens) that had water falling. That was a funky experience!

Then we walked around the observation deck on a beautifully clear day in Tokyo. We've been looking at the Mori Tower from the Tokyo Tower and The New Sanno hotel before. So today, we found the landmarks around Tokyo that we've been to!

William wanted to take a picture of us.

Then we got a picture of him.

We got an gelato break in. It was so GOOD!

Double click on this pic and see the wavy building. How cool is that? It's in the middle of the picture, near the Heliport.

On the way there, Tim spotted a German restaurant. Maybe it was the giant beer mug. William had spotted the Burger King. William loves Burger King and lobbied hard. Tim won.