One of the places I always head to in Tokyo is the National Parliamentary Library. It is open to the public (and gaijin like me) and it is the key place for me to retrieve resources I need for my research. I've been coming here since my days as a graduate student at Tokyo University, some time last century.
Although the library has introduced computers over the years somewhat, it wasn't always thus. There is a decided pattern to the day's work that hasn't changed over the years. You can't borrow directly from the holdings, you have to order, wait, collect; then, if you want to copy items, you request, wait, collect, pay. It's rarely been an issue for me but my Japanese friends are usually surprised I spend so much time there.
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| Government central |
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| And then it was dark |
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| And darker, with fewer protesters |
The coffee shop downstairs in the 'new' section (although that is now more than 25 years old, as long as I've been going there...) hasn't changed. Indeed, even some of the staff have been there that long. It's an integral part of the day, drinking coffee while I wait, either for the journal requests, or the photocopying to be completed.
The day goes quickly. I might go in in broad daylight and come out at sunset. Being Friday, I also walked around the the Parliament building. Protesters gather on Fridays and start their demonstration around 6pm. There weren't as many people here as there were in July last year, but they were gathering.
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| And dinner...yum |
Meanwhile, I had to get home, to dinner, because...well, dinner. Every time.
It's the end of one of my favourite sorts of days.
[Camera : iPhone 6, 12.33pm, 5.22pm, 5.34pm, 7.07pm]
