As much as I enjoy getting lost and wandering the streets without a direction in mind, I think you always need to take that experience and all that information gathered and condense it into an understandable nugget. Taking those wandering walks and cross reference those minute intricacies you've seen and link them to historical information. This, I find, is the best way to really enjoy your environment. Looking at the place at all scales of observation. 1.35m above grade (eye level), in maps, plans, books, etc.
I was fortunate enough to come across this jewel of foreigner interpreted Tokyo at Books TSUTAYA. Graphically a stunning piece of work, but the information it contains for a nomadic student is absolutely invaluable.
But I would warn you first, Get Lost in you travels, take the first couple days...weeks to take in you immediate environment. THEN COME BACK TO THIS BOOK.
Luckily enough I happened to stay in Roppongi and a good portion of the introduction is dedicated to understanding the geography and how it
So today I went back to the site that I have in mind for further exploration (on my way to Harajuku, I thought today that I would walk there instead of taking the subway...50 min. walk in the rain....). And I though this would be a good opportunity to talk about how "hilly" Roppongi actually is.
Suribachi: low land regions bound by 3 high land plateaus. Historically occupied by the common folk.
Yamonote: High lands. Historically occupied by Samurais and Shoguns
All throughout Roppongi are roads defined by sharp concrete walls, basically impenetrable from the street front. Today, these areas are occupied by the wealthy as well as many of the worlds embassies. As mentioned before, these upper plateaus were occupied by Samurais, after the banishment of these samurais in the early 19th century these lands were then demolished to make room for goverment and nation relations buildings. This all the more made it easier to build onto of low density samurai housing than to relocate and building in the suribachi (low land) higher density zones.
Look at the elevation cross section of this route through Roppongi. Elevation goes from 5m above sea level to +30m. It only appears to change 25m, but as one who walked this route would tell you that its pretty steep in certain areas.
This relationship to elevation and societal class has been passed through history and still remains today in Roppongi. In the past the upper class were Samurais and Shoguns, now they are the wealthy, those that deal in national affairs, those who must be more accustomed to caviar than pizza.
But there is a surprisingly large number of "Italian Style" restaurants in Roppongi. I should mention that they basically surround the Italian Embassy.
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