No doubt about it, the Minato Mirai 21 area is definitely my most favorite part in the whole wide world! Or OK, maybe just in Japan.
Today we went there again for the sole purpose of exploring the Red Brick Warehouse, which is a 100-year old building that was recently renovated, and is located right beside the Yokohama Bay. Well actually, there's two buildings, #1 and #2, and as their name imparts, they're entirely made of red bricks. The whole time we were there, I kept feeling as if I were in some old European town, or something. I even joked to my companions (Astiti, April and Annie) that it was the Buckingham Palace, but in red!
Now mind you, I have never been to London or seen the Buckingham Palace, or any European place for that matter, but that's just what I felt, partly because of the things I see on tv. Granted, it's not as elaborate as the Buckingham, but its design looks Victorian, I think (and looks almost similar to the Tokyo Station), so that's why I came to that conclusion. Even the ambience (lights, smells) of the place takes you into the past!
Now, you might wonder what could be in warehouse? Well, inside are really cool shops, cafes, and restaurants. There's just heaps of them! There was a shop that sold different kinds of international food, a pretty but totally expensive antique shop, and lotsa gift shops, among others.
The warehouse is located way, way deep into the MM21. It's virtually right beside the sea, and quite a walk from JR Sakuragicho or Minato Mirai station. But today, it was packed! So many people were there and it was hard to walk around. I guess it's because it's still Golden Week, even though today is the last day. Anyway, the place was cool and interesting. It was really cold out today, so I bet it would be more enjoyable to go there on a nice day.
Today I also got a copy of Tokyo Stories, a humorous fiction novel by a Filipina writer, Christine Cunanan-Miki, who has lived here in Japan for over a decade. It features short stories about the adventures and misadventures of foreigners here in Japan, particularly Tokyo. It looks interesting, so I hope it will be a good read.
Today we went there again for the sole purpose of exploring the Red Brick Warehouse, which is a 100-year old building that was recently renovated, and is located right beside the Yokohama Bay. Well actually, there's two buildings, #1 and #2, and as their name imparts, they're entirely made of red bricks. The whole time we were there, I kept feeling as if I were in some old European town, or something. I even joked to my companions (Astiti, April and Annie) that it was the Buckingham Palace, but in red!
Now mind you, I have never been to London or seen the Buckingham Palace, or any European place for that matter, but that's just what I felt, partly because of the things I see on tv. Granted, it's not as elaborate as the Buckingham, but its design looks Victorian, I think (and looks almost similar to the Tokyo Station), so that's why I came to that conclusion. Even the ambience (lights, smells) of the place takes you into the past!
Now, you might wonder what could be in warehouse? Well, inside are really cool shops, cafes, and restaurants. There's just heaps of them! There was a shop that sold different kinds of international food, a pretty but totally expensive antique shop, and lotsa gift shops, among others.
The warehouse is located way, way deep into the MM21. It's virtually right beside the sea, and quite a walk from JR Sakuragicho or Minato Mirai station. But today, it was packed! So many people were there and it was hard to walk around. I guess it's because it's still Golden Week, even though today is the last day. Anyway, the place was cool and interesting. It was really cold out today, so I bet it would be more enjoyable to go there on a nice day.
Today I also got a copy of Tokyo Stories, a humorous fiction novel by a Filipina writer, Christine Cunanan-Miki, who has lived here in Japan for over a decade. It features short stories about the adventures and misadventures of foreigners here in Japan, particularly Tokyo. It looks interesting, so I hope it will be a good read.
