Outside of the JR新橋駅 (JR Shinbashi train station) in Tokyo there is a steam locomotive.
This is because Shinbashi Station was the first train station in Japan. It was built in 1872 and at that time trains were powered by steam.
The steam locomotive is outside of JR新橋駅 (JR Shinbashi train station) but that’s not where the first station stood. It’s near the same site…but not exactly.
A ukiyoe painting of the first train station in Japan by Hiroshige
In April 2003 a replica of the original Shinbashi Station was built as a monument and also as a small museum of the history of Japan’s rail service.
It’s called 「旧新橋停車場」 (“Former Shinbashi Train Depot”).
We went there last Sunday because the 「旧新橋停車場」 (“Former Shinbashi Train Depot” (or “Old Shinbashi Station”)) is currently exhibiting photos taken of Tokyo decades ago by Koyo Ishibashi.
Click here to read a post that I wrote about that exhibition.
「旧新橋停車場」 ("Old Shinbashi Station")
It’s an interesting place to see if you’re in Tokyo. Admission is free and if you go before 2011 March 21 you can see Mr. Ishikawa’s excellent photos there too.
After we left 「旧新橋停車場」 (“Old Shinbashi Station”) we walked around the 新橋 (Shinbashi) area of Tokyo.
Tokyo utilizes all space available...restaurants and shops can often be found under train overpasses. This one has a street sign telling cars that the clearance of this narrow road is 2.1 meters
More restaurants under the train overpass
I've never eaten at the "Budweiser Carnaval", but supposedly the waitresses there wear tight "Budweiser" mini-dresses.
Tokyo Five 
That Budweiser Carnaval looks like a quaint place to have a burger, fries and yes… a cold beer. We have Hooters here in the U.S. which has girls wearing skimpy t-shirts and tight shorts. I’ve never been to one my entire Metal life though. 😦
It’s all good however, cause I frequented plenty of “strip joints” during my “youthful twenties”. 🙂
Back in the 80’s, they used to play all the GREAT Heavy Metal songs of the day too… I remember Motley Crue’s “Girls, Girls, Girls” being very, very, popular! That song was absolutely meant for those “establishments”. Gee Metal whiz, here you are, trying to convey some nice and historical information about a Tokyo train station and I’m blabbing about “strip joints”.
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>We have Hooters here in the U.S.
I know “Hooters“.
In fact, the first Hooters restaurant was in my hometown of Clearwater, Florida.
And Hooters opened a restaurant here in Tokyo last October:
https://tokyo5.wordpress.com/2010/10/24/hooters-in-japan/
>here you are, trying to convey some nice and historical information about a Tokyo train station and I’m blabbing about “strip joints”.
Well, I guess it’s not “totally” off subject since I have a photo in this post of the “Budweiser Carnaval” restaurant and I mentioned their “Bud Girls“.
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I have a similar picture of the steam locomotive just outside the JR Shinbashi station. Too bad I didn’t know about the Former Shinbashi Train Depot as I would have loved to have seen it. Thanks for sharing.
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Well, then you’ll have to come back and visit Tokyo again to see it. 😉
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