And So It Goes

Okay, above is the link to yet another in a continuing series of stories from the New York Times about how Japan is a Strange Country, Yes?. But I found it interesting, despite the cheesy romance angle, for its look at one of the many small museums you can find here in the Tokyo area. Yes, I've actually heard of the Meguro Parasitological Museum--it's down the road from my old office in the Meguro district, and I always intended to dropped during lunch sometime. I never did, so I should do that sometime soon. Besides, I want to pick up an official Meguro Parasitological Museum t-shirt. Hope they carry extra-large.

But there are lots of other small museums in the area, a few rooms or galleries devoted to some esoteric knowledge or obsession. Some of these I have visited, and some I haven't. These include:

The Japanese Sword Museum: My friend Charlie, visiting from the US, spent two hours in the two galleries, gazing intently at about 40 examples of the swordmaker's art and describing to me, in mind-numbing detail, aspects of their technology and design. Thankfully, because I met him there, I only had to listen to one hour of his lecture.
The John Lennon Museum: Officially sanctioned by Yoko Ono, this fairly elaborate (and slick) overview of the life of the late Beatle is located in the suburbs of Tokyo--specifically, in a corner of a domed sports stadium called the Saitama Super Arena. The Beatles are, as they say, Big in Japan, and the place was mobbed on opening day back in May of 2000 (I had to wait a couple of hours to get in) Musical instruments, clothes, and even the notebooks that John used to write some of his most well-known songs. A lot of emphasis on Yoko Ono's contribution to John Lennon's life (not surprising, given that she authorized the museum and she is, after all, Japanese), but I didn't see a single reference to his first wife, Cynthia.
Beer Museum: on the former site of Sapporo Beer's Ebisu brewery (now a shopping mall and office development called Ebisu Garden Place). Includes a somewhat cheesy virtual reality brewery exhibit. No free samples, but you can buy tasting sets at the end.
The Bicycle Culture Center: across from the US Embassy, is a museum"bringing together bicycle culture and information from around the world and dedicated to the display of precious bicycles, including those from overseas."
The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum: devoted to the Chinese noodle (yes, ramen, despite the ubiquity of Top Ramen in the US, is actually a Chinese dish here. I'll probably write about that in a later entry, right after I pay them a visit and sample some regional varieties from the eight ramen stands on the premises).
The Japanese Kite Museum: Still unvisited by me, but given how colorful Japanese kites, I look forward to it.
The Tobacco & Salt Museum: Still unvisited by me. Until, I believe, the mid-1980s, both these commodities were government monopolies, a notion I still find hard to believe. Japan Tobacco, Inc., which bought RJ Reynolds (makers of Camel and Winston), still holds the sole right to produce tobacco products in Japan.
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