7:11 AM - Sunday, 12th Feb 2006 – Visit to The NHK Museum & Atago Shrine

All I wanted to do was buy a bag and get back home as early as possible. I got out of Shimbashi station and walked towards Ginza. At least – that’s what I thought I did by following some Japanese map - My friend comments that it is very typical of me to lose ways (. Finally, after walking in some direction along an unknown road, I came to the conclusion that I have lost my way. Now stood two direction indicating boards – Atago 1 on the right and Nishishimbashi on the left. I choose Atago.
I went to Atago after walking somewhere near Tokyo tower. Going near Atago hills, I climbed the Atago tower stairs and went through the tree filled park to reach Atago Shrine and NHK museum.
I choose to enter the NHK Museum first. The NHK museum is actually a simple place. But it got my memories rushing... Unfortunately... I have the habit of feeling nostalgic - memories of Ooty and myself?
Starting from the carbon microphone used in the studio in 1925 to the latest HDTV broadcast... there were all kinds of exhibits and demos. Then I went into a studio, where they show how the newsreader reads news (some 50years ago) you can go and sit in front of the camera and read some Japanese stuff yourself... I did try to read it anyway. And I did look like a newsreader? Now that’s difficult to answer. Then there was a simulation of how a moving train is pasteurized inside a studio and I sat in the seat while there was a image of background moving... in a static train cabin setting.
After that – comes the major fun part. There was a free movie show @ 2pm (everyday, I think – u know information is encrypted in Japanese)!!
Unfortunately, they didn’t playback the recordings of me on train, reading news etc. (
When I went inside that theatre it was fully crowded with people – I mean it was fully occupied. Lot of Japanese Granny's and Grandpa's. I was the ONLY YOUNG person sitting in the entire room!
My friend comments that I should be going to other places in case I want to put an end to my solitary lifestyle – not where Granny’s and Grandpa’s are around… Then the movie started…Japanese, Japanese, and more Japanese… And It was not me (
A traditional solo comedy talk show was playing… even the Grandpa’s and Granny’s didn’t have a good laugh – OR that’s what I thought! But that was good... even though I didn't understand a single bit of information. After half hour - there was cartoon. Of course, as expected – more Japanese. I had to say "sugimasen" to get out of the hall... freedom at last!
What brought my memories back were:
1. Old Tape recorder (Not the cassete tape - the big SPOOL Tapes) – vacuum tube types
2. Gramaphone records
(I have both in my house... my mother wants to get rid of them - but I just love them)
Then comes something very interesting:
Radio has always fascinated me – one reason why I choose to take Communications as my major and not computer science in my engineering.
When I was entering the museum - I was thinking about how I failed several times to make a crystal radio set when i was in school and I saw a crystal radio there!
First time, I am seeing a crystal radio that was implemented and working and probably commercialized at some time in history! Started thinking all about my experiments at school and how many times I had to face embarrassment when someone came home and I kept fiddling with my non-workable crystal radio set when I should have been around socializing.
For those who do not know the special feature of a crystal radio set – It can playback the radio waves WITHOUT A BATTERY.
God Google can help a lot now-a-days on this, I think – but when I was in std. V, I had only one book  - that too copied in a tiny piece of paper when I went to a friend’s home.
After all this high teach – come I walked out and enjoyed spirituality in the Atago shrine (one striking aspect was the mention of memory of Mr.Mehta in one place in the shrine – Indians making India proud everywhere).

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