Friday, June 30: Cheers! Welcome to my third cocktail hour here in Japan. We’re meeting at the local Family Mart again tonight. I find it hilarious to meet here because it’s so ridiculous and unexpected. Who would have thought of having a happy hour sitting out in front of a Family Mart (like a 7-11)? Of course, I give credit to my Brit friend, Graham, because he’s the one who started the ritual. We always have a grand time here, so I think you’ll enjoy. 🙂
I only have three more weeks and one day of teaching, and four weeks on my contract. But… who’s counting? After August 1, I’ll travel around Japan for one week, then I’ll head back to the USA on August 8. If I have time for a July cocktail hour, I’ll be sure to send out an invite!
Please do tell me about your summer. Have you traveled anywhere exciting over the summer months? Have you seen any good movies? Watched any good TV shows or read any good books? Have you eaten fresh fruits and vegetables, or visited any pretty gardens?
June here was a long and tedious month, teaching 5 days a week with nary a break in sight. At least in May, we had the Golden Week break, but in June, it was just work, work, work. On the weekends in June, I went to Fuji Five Lakes, Enoshima and Hasadera, Asakusa and Senso-ji, The Big Buddha in Kamakura and Hasadera again, and back to a neighborhood near Ueno. I also went on a couple of shopping sprees because June is the rainy season and some of the weekend days were tainted by drizzle and downpours.
The biggest challenges I had to deal with at work this month were: 1) the tedious marking of 55 poorly written academic essays; 2) long and stifling days in the office because the university wouldn’t turn on the air-conditioning until after June 9, and then only when the temperature was over 28C; 3) general lack of motivation and ability of the students, 4) the infernal dust in my apartment, hard to get rid of because I have carpet and no vacuum cleaner.
Work is drudgery, not at all rewarding except in rare moments. I feel like I have reached the end of my teaching-abroad career. Though my teaching gigs abroad have given me many opportunities to live and travel in a country, to delve deep and to experience a culture, I simply no longer enjoy teaching non-motivated students who have little reason to learn English. As miserable as the adjunct teaching jobs in America are, at least the students want to study abroad in America and are motivated to succeed. This is not the case for the students I teach when I’m abroad.
Monday, June 5: Walking to work this morning, I had to take a picture of my favorite pink house with laundry hanging on the balcony. My half-hour walks to work have generally been fine, but now that it’s getting hotter and more humid, I’m not thrilled to be dripping with sweat by the time I arrive at the office; as the office is not generally air-conditioned, I’m in misery even after I get to work. Oh, how I hate the summer heat. I am a cold-weather girl through and through.
laundry at the pink house
Thursday, June 8: I made my weekly stop at Kiyariya. This time, the server presented me with a poorly translated English menu in addition to Kenji’s beautifully hand-written and changeable menu. I ordered the gyoza from the English menu. Of course I had the delectable eggplant and my draft beer. 🙂 Everything Kenji prepares is fabulous. 🙂 Not only that, but the atmosphere, the service and the music are delightful.
Gyoza at Kiyariya
As I left the restaurant this time, the server, who speaks a smattering of English, walked me to the front door and said, “See you next week!”
Tuesday, June 13: Tuesdays and Thursdays are my nights to eat out because I get off at 5:40. On M-W-F, I get off at 6:30. I never feel like going out on those late work nights. This evening, I stopped again at Curry Naan and enjoyed the same meal I always have: vegetable curry and a huge piece of naan. And of course my 100 yen beer. 🙂
I love listening to the music in both of the restaurants I frequent. I don’t recognize most of the songs I hear at Kenji’s, but I like them very much. Here, at Curry Naan, you won’t find Indian music of any kind. Here it’s all classic rock, especially the Beatles. A favorite here seems to be Paul McCartney’s “Listen to What the Man Said:”
That people will find a way to go
No matter what the man said
And love is fine for all we know
For all we know, our love will grow – that’s what the man said
There’s John Lennon’s “Imagine” and “Stand by Me,” along with his version of “Happy Xmas (War is over).” Then there’s a whistling song I’ve heard before; sadly, I don’t recall the name of it. What an interesting array of music for an Indian restaurant.
Vegetable curry at Curry Naan
Thursday, June 15: This evening, Graham and I headed to the Family Mart for a couple of beers. We found it hard to believe, but some Japanese guys were occupying our chairs! We ended up going to a park on the other side of Fuchinobe Station. I had never been there before, but it had a nice pond with three swans in it. There was only one bench with a back, and we sat there and talked for quite a long while. He’s of the same political beliefs as I am, so we had quite an involved political discussion – of course, it was an agreeable one. 🙂
Friday, June 16: June has been all about the hydrangeas. I’ve made several weekend outings in search of them, and here are some I see on my way to work.
hydrangeas in the neighborhood
Sunday, June 18: A month or so ago, I went to a Meetup in Hashimoto and met a nice Japanese lady named Reiko. She added me on Facebook and we’ve been in touch through Facebook chat. As we were chatting on Sunday morning, I mentioned that I planned to go shopping; after all it was forecast to rain that afternoon. She said she’d meet me one metro stop away at Kobuchi, and she’d take me to her favorite discount stores. We did just that, walking quite a distance to get from one place to another, and enjoying lunch together at one of the shopping malls. I had worn my favorite sandals with heels, but with all the walking, I regretted that decision. My feet were killing me! Total steps while shopping: 10,326 (4.38 miles). It was a fun day and I came away with too many tops and one pair of pants. 🙂
Monday, June 19: Our lecture topic this week was Cultural Expectations in the Classroom. To give the students a feel for American classrooms, I showed them the Key & Peele Substitute Teacher video from Comedy Central:
I reminded the students of my first days in class with them, when I couldn’t pronounce any of their names. I’m not sure the students got the humor, but I certainly enjoyed it. 🙂
Earlier I said I don’t generally go out to eat on Mon-Wed-Fri because of my late work hours. However, this Monday, I felt like a treat so I stopped at Kiyariya. Once again, I enjoyed the wonderful eggplant, and this time I ordered grilled fresh barracuda. It was delicious!
my favorite eggplant dish at Kiyariya
Kiyariya
Kiyariya
Kenji’s artistic menu
Tuesday, June 20: We continued the theme of Cultural Expectations in the Classroom, with today’s lesson focusing on discussions about the topic. I promised the students I’d show some classroom scenes from great American movies, so I showed several episodes from The Dead Poet’s Society. After showing two preliminary videos for context, I showed my favorite scene. My students laughed as I wiped away the tears in my eyes and told them I always cry at this scene.
Thursday, June 22: Thursday night seems to have become our night to stop at the Family Mart. This time, Dee joined us. You can see our cozy little spot below.
Dee and Graham at Family Mart
Friday, June 23: Today was a special Yukata day on campus. Many of the girl and boy students wore yakuta on campus. Yukata comes in cotton fabric and is worn during the summer season. On the contrary, a kimono comes in silk fabric. I took some photos of my rambunctious “I” class.
my students from I class on yukata day
my students from I class on yukata day
my students from I class on yukata day
Tuesday, June 27: On my way home from work tonight, I stop again at Kenji’s place, Kiyariya. This time, they have an English menu and I choose a delicious shrimp dish from that. Every time I leave the restaurant now, Natsumi, the server, walks out with me and says happily, “See you next week!”
Shrimp with sauce at Kiyariya
Wednesday, June 28: Today my students presented their inventions. As I only have my G class on Wednesdays, their inventions are shown below. They had to do a sales pitch for their product, telling why people should buy it, and what it does. They were really cute and inventive. 🙂
Click on any of the posters to see a full-sized slide show.
Thursday, June 29: Today we had debates in class where the students had to prepare for opposing sides on the topic: Single-sex schools are better than mixed-sex (co-educational) schools. I divided the class in two and gave them time to prepare.
It’s difficult to get Japanese students to speak aloud under any circumstances, but this was an exercise in futility. For one, even though they had plenty of time to prepare, you’d think I just asked them a question on the spot, for as long as it took them to formulate and speak their arguments. Then, when they spoke, they all, without exception, spoke in katakana English; in this botched English pronunciation, they add an “o” sound to the end of words. Even my best students, whose English pronunciation one-on-one with me is great, resorted to this botched English, which is typically spoken between Japanese students. Sometimes, I think the good students don’t want to appear too smart or too capable of speaking English, and in a whole-class speaking session, they resort to katakana to fit in with their classmates. It drove me absolutely crazy, and I wanted to jump into the middle of the debate and call them on it right away. I restrained myself during the debate session but resolved that I would speak to them about it the next day.
After work, Graham and I headed to the Family Mart, but again, we found our plastic chairs occupied by a couple of Japanese guys. Graham said that he has never found people occupying those seats except when he’s been with me; he said I’m jinxing our Family Mart gatherings! Haha. Anyway, we had no choice but to go to the park and sit on our bench. We had a very enjoyable conversation about a variety of subjects from politics to books to relationships to everything bizarre and wonderful about Japan. A cool front must have been moving in because it was breezy and comfortable, though still a little humid.
After one beer, I went to use the public bathroom at the end of the pond. Japanese toilets have all kinds of flush mechanisms. Some are buttons on the wall and others are on the back of the toilet. There are also other buttons of unknown purpose; they are actually to call for assistance, but it’s hard to tell which is which. Tonight I accidentally pushed the wrong button and a loud beep burst forth from the toilet stall, and it kept going and going! As I hurriedly walked out of the stall, trying to be inconspicuous, a man from the office nearby came running toward the bathroom to see what the ruckus was about. I bowed and said, I’m sorry! I pushed the wrong button!! I’m so sorry! He probably had a good story to tell his kids that night. 🙂
Friday, June 30: When I asked a couple of my strong students why on earth they were speaking in katakana English during yesterday’s debate, they said they wanted to make sure their classmates could understand them. I told them they are perfectly capable of speaking correct English and they should not cater to their classmates, but instead be an inspiration and a role model for correct English pronunciation. They apologized profusely. Speaking to the whole class, I told them all to STOP with the katakana!!! I said I’m going to be on them from now till the end of the semester because if they go on their study abroad in the fall and are speaking like that, no one will have a clue what they’re saying!
Saturday, June 24: I can never resist a walk that’s all mapped out, a route just begging to be followed. Today, I set out to explore a neighborhood I missed when I went to the Ueno area of Tokyo soon after I arrived in Japan. The City Walk comes straight from the pages of Lonely Planet Japan: ‘Strolling Yanaka,” and I opt to do it in reverse from the way it’s laid out in the book.
I start by going to Sendagi Station and looking for Yanaka Ginza, a mid-20th century shopping street. It’s easy to find; I simply follow the crowds. Soon, I’m walking under the archway at the street entrance.
Though compact, the district is chock-full of restaurants and shops selling yukata, souvenirs, flowers, fans, Hello Kitty paraphernalia, fruits and vegetables, flip-flops, baskets, pillows, housewares, and anything else a person could want. Jovial folks snack and drink beer while sitting on overturned milk crates. It’s quite a festive atmosphere.
shops in Yanaka Ginza
Yukata in Yanaka
Yanaka Ginza
produce for sale in Yanaka
produce in Yanaka
Yanaka Ginza
straw sandals
menus in Yanaka
Yanaka archway
bicycles in Yanaka
cute shop with bicycle in Yanaka
Yanaka Ginza
Yanaka Ginza
shop in Yanaka
At one point along the street, I find a small hole-in-the-wall that sells okonomiyaki, a Japanese savory pancake containing a variety of ingredients. I haven’t yet tried one yet, because I’ve read that most of them contain squid, which I despise. I type into my Google translate app on my phone: “Can I get one without squid?” and show it to the shopkeeper. He shakes his head no, so I move on. Instead, I stop at a little bakery that sells slices of pizza and get one to carry with me. I munch on it as I walk down the road, even though I know it’s considered rude to eat while walking in Japan. I have no choice, however, as all the milk crates are occupied. 🙂
Yanaka Ginza
exotic merchandise in Yanaka
At the far end of the street, I climb the Yuyake Dande, literally “Sunset Stairs,” until I approach Nippori Station.
Yuyake Dande, literally the “Sunset Stairs”
baskets for sale
shopfront in Yanaka
I take a sharp right at the train tracks and walk along them until I reach the entrance to Yanaka-reien, or Yanaka Cemetery. Here, the paths are well-manicured and wide, presenting a good trail for a tranquil stroll. The grave of Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last shogun of the Edo period, is located within the cemetery, according to Japan-guide.com.
Yanaka-reien
According to Lonely Planet Japan, Yanaka-reien is “one of Tokyo’s most atmospheric and prestigious cemeteries.”
Yanaka-reien
gate at Yanaka-reien
small shrine at Yanaka-reien
Yanaka-reien
Yanaka-reien
Yanaka-reien
Yanaka-reien
Yanaka-reien
Yanaka-reien
Yanaka-reien
hydrangea in the temple area of Yanaka
hydrangeas in Yanaka’s temple area
hyrangeas in Yanaka’s temple area
I continue on my walk toward Ueno Park, taking several detours to visit some of the temples in the Yanaka area. It’s hot and humid today, so I’m sticky with sweat and my mouth is dry. Thank goodness for all the vending machines on street corners. I buy one of my favorite flavored waters and continue walking, dipping into the various temples along the way.
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
Yanaka temples
hydrangeas in Yanaka
temple area of Yanaka
After leaving the temple area, I cross over Kototoi-dori and continue my walk through neighborhoods on Sakura-dori until I reach Ueno Park.
pink house on the way to Ueno
I pass by the Tokyo National Museum thinking that if I have time while I’m in Japan, I really ought to visit the museum. I also walk past Rinnoji Temple, also known as Rinno-ji Ryodaishi-do, a Buddhist temple on the outskirts of Ueno Park Tokyo; it was originally a part of the cathedral of Kaneiji Temple and was called Kaizan-do or Jigen-do, according to GoJapanGo.com.
Rinno-ji
Within minutes I’m on an overpass looking down on the extensive rail tracks converging on Ueno Station. My goal is to get to Ueno Station and find a tapas restaurant my friend Graham has told me about. I don’t know the name of the restaurant, so I put “tapas restaurant” into Yelp and find one called Vinuls. The app says it’s near Ueno Station, which is where Graham said it was. I then put the name into Google Maps and let the app lead me to the restaurant.
Ueno Station
I find Vinuls Spanish Bar & Restaurant right outside Ueno Station. It is so easy! It’s hot, so I sit inside at the bar and order a glass of cold wine and two small plates, one with prawns and one with tomatoes topped with garlic and olive oil.
Vinul’s
Vinul’s
Vinul’s
My young Japanese waiter, who is attending high school in Tokyo, tells me in perfect English that he lived for a long while in Barcelona and so also speaks fluent Spanish. He’s friendly and confident; I find when I encounter Japanese people with a command of English, they seem very confident; whereas those with little English ability are very shy in the face of a foreigner.
tapas at Vinul’s
Vinul’s
After enjoying my wine and tapas, I walk across the street to Uniqlo, a discount fashion store much like Zara or H&M. This is only a small branch of the store, but the clerk tells me they have a big store at the end of the adjacent shopping street, Ameya-yokocho. Purely by accident, I thus find one of Tokyo’s popular open-air markets. This market got its start as a black market after WWII, when American goods were sold here.
Ameya-yokocho
These days, the market is crammed with vendors selling fresh seafood and produce, Hawaiian shirts, jeans and camouflage clothing. There are also small restaurants and watch shops.
Ameya-yokocho
I’m surprised at these small markets to find so many Hawaiian shirts being sold. I think they are so passé, but I find many Japanese young men, and even young women, wearing them. Even some of my students wear them to class.
Hawaiian shirts at Ameya-yokocho
seafood at Ameya-yokocho
Ameya-yokocho
fresh seafood at Ameya-yokocho
seafood for sale at Ameya-yokocho
produce at Ameya-yokocho
produce at Ameya-yokocho
At the end of the shopping street, I see the huge Uniqlo store across a major intersection, so I wait until the traffic passes and cross over.
Tokyo taxi
At Uniqlo, I get in a bit of trouble buying a couple of shirts, although they’re not very expensive, about $15 each. However, right after leaving Vinuls, I also stopped into another more expensive shop and bought two other tops. I won’ t say how much those cost. 🙂
One thing I can say about Japan is that it’s a very consumer-driven society, and as a person who has a weakness for shopping, I have a hard time resisting the enticing goods for sale! 🙂
Saturday, June 17: By the time I make it to Myōhonji, in the southeastern hills of Kamakura, it’s 3:40 and I realize that the chance of getting back to Hasedera by 5:00 is very slim. I seriously doubt I’ll have the energy to tackle that crowded Enoden Line to get back there; nor do I feel energetic enough to even stand in the line to see the hydrangeas. Instead, I take my time trying to find some beautiful mossy steps that my Japanese friend Yukie posted on her Instagram feed.
Myōhonji is one of several temples of the Nichiren sect of Japanese Buddhism; it was founded by Hiki Yoshimoto in 1260 (japan-guide.com: Myohonji Temple).
gate to Myōhonji
Myōhonji
The Nichiren sect of Buddhism was founded by Nichiren in 1253. The sect was exceptional due to its intolerant stance towards other Buddhist sects. Nichiren Buddhism still has many millions of followers today, and several “new religions” are based on Nichiren’s teachings. (japan-guide.com: Buddhism)
gate at Myōhonji
Myōhonji
There is an extensive cemetery on the temple grounds and I go exploring every nook and cranny in search of the mossy steps.
cemetery at Myōhonji
cemetery at Myōhonji
I find one set of somewhat mossy steps, but they are not the ones I saw in the photographs.
somewhat mossy steps at Myōhonji
I continue to search, but, while I admire the pretty cemetery, I can’t seem to find those steps. 🙂
cemetery at Myōhonji
cemetery at Myōhonji
cemetery at Myōhonji
cemetery at Myōhonji
cemetery at Myōhonji
cemetery at Myōhonji
cemetery at Myōhonji
Coming down a path from one section of the cemetery at Myōhonji, I see this leafy path and wonder if the steps might be found here. I wander down the path for a bit, but I don’t find them.
a leafy path
A statue of Nichiren stands to the left of the main hall on the temple grounds.
statue of Nichiren
statue of Nichiren
I walk up some other non-mossy hydrangea-lined steps to another section of the cemetery to no avail.
stairway to heaven
cemetery at Myōhonji
stairway lined with hydrangeas
cemetery at Myōhonji
cemetery at Myōhonji
Myōhonji
Myōhonji
I love the colorful carvings over the door of the gate.
gate at Myōhonji
If I can’t take pictures of mossy steps, I might as well take some fern photos.
ferns, but no moss
I follow another path, but it only leads to another small shrine.
hydrangea path at Myōhonji
bicycle in the bushes at Myōhonji
small shrine at Myōhonji
hydrangea pathway
Myōhonji
In the end, I give up. I can’t find the mossy steps anywhere. It’s 4:20 when I finish at Myōhonji, and though it might be possible to make it back to Hasedera, it will be too much of a rush. I have a long walk back to Kamakura Station, plus I have to wait again for that frustrating Enoden Line and then climb up that hill through all the crowds at Hasedera. I’m simply to hot, tired and exhausted after visiting Meigetsu-in, hiking the Daibutsu Hiking Course, visiting two temples along the way, seeing the Great Buddha and visiting Hasedera and Myōhonji.
At Kamakura Station, I get on the train to go back home. After arriving at Fuchinobe, as I ride my bicycle home, I decide I’ll stop in at Curry Naan to have dinner. I don’t feel like cooking after today, and I’m really sick of eating Bento boxes from the 7-11. I enjoy my regular vegetable curry and a huge piece of naan. For some bizarre reason, the beer is filled to the brim with ice cubes. I’ve never encountered that here before! I’m paying for mostly ice and very little beer. 🙂
Vegetable curry at Curry Naan
This has been one very exhausting day!
Total steps (including Meitgetsu-in, the Daibutsu Hiking course, the Great Buddha, Hasedera, and Myōhonji): 23,379 (9.91 miles).
I’m wiped out! Luckily it’s supposed to rain tomorrow, so I can finally have a relaxing day. 🙂
Saturday, June 17: It’s 2:15 by the time I arrive at Hasedera. As I walk through the gate, I’m given a ticket with a number on it for the hydrangea walk. I ask, “About how long is the wait?” The young man tells me, with a pained look on his face, that it will be about 3 hours. He says, “But you can leave and go do something else, and come back later if you like.”
I can’t believe it. I have come all the way back to Hasedera at what I thought was a reasonable hour, and now I have to wait 3 hours. What will I do for 3 hours? If I had known the wait would be this long, I would have come directly here, gotten the ticket, and then gone back to see the Great Buddha. But now, I’ve seen the Great Buddha, and I even enjoyed an ice cream, and now there is nothing more of interest to do in this area. I’m hot, tired and sweaty and I don’t want to waste all that time sitting around doing nothing. Feeling defeated, I take a quick walk around the temple grounds while I ponder what to do.
I already attempted to do the hydrangea walk at Hasedera last Saturday, on June 10, and wrote about the temple here: a hopeful trip to hasedera (attempt #1): too late for the hydrangea walk 😦 There isn’t much point to me going over the historical details of this temple again, so if you’d like to know more, feel free to check out my previous post. 🙂
gate at Hasedera
I stroll around the grounds, enjoying the stone lanterns and the iris pond, the Buddha and Jizo figures, the scattered hydrangeas, and the main hall.
pond at Hasedera
a line of holy characters
hydrangea
iris gardens in the pond
iris pond
hydrangea
Jizo statues
Jizo statues
Fukujyu Jizo
When I get to the top of the hill near the main hall, I find, once again, the cute Buddha footprints in a bowl of water.
Buddha footprints
I can also see the queue to the hydrangea walk, which I will have to wait 3 hours to join!
the queue for the hydrangea walk
The saving grace to this visit to Hasedera is the clear view over Sagami Bay. The view is better than it was the first time I was here.
view over Sagami Bay from Hasedera
view over Sagami Bay from Hasedera
view over Sagami Bay from Hasedera
At Kannon-dō, the Main hall, people are sprawled out all over the steps. I can only assume they’re waiting for their turn to enter the queue for the hydrangea walk.
Kannon-dō (Main hall)
Kannon-dō (Main hall)
Kannon-dō (Main hall)
I’m certainly not going to sit around on the steps at Hasedera’s Main Hall for 3 hours! I originally had in mind to visit another temple in Kamakura proper, Myōhonji, which supposedly has some beautiful mossy steps. My Instagram friend Yukie posted some pictures of the steps and I was hoping to visit the temple after leaving Hasedera. Since I have three hours to wait, I decide I will go to Kamakura proper, visit the temple, and if I have enough energy, I’ll return by 5:00.
I realize as soon as I arrive at Hase Station that the Enoden, or Enoshima Electric Railway, will again be a challenge. The station platform is packed. I wait in the sweltering heat with the always-patient Japanese. Finally, the train arrives, already packed. A few people from the platform are able to get on the train. I have to wait another 10 minutes for the next train, and this time, I am the last one to get on the train and the doors can barely close as I hold my breath to pull my nose out of the doors’ trajectory.
When I get to Kamakura, I walk toward Myōhonji, making a brief stop at Daigyoji Temple to admire the hydrangeas in the garden. As if I haven’t seen enough hydrangeas today!
entrance to Daigyoji Temple
hydrangea at Daigyoji Temple
hydrangea at Daigyoji Temple
hydrangea at Daigyoji Temple
hydrangea at Daigyoji Temple
hydrangea at Daigyoji Temple
I continue to Myōhonji Temple in search of those mossy steps. 🙂
Saturday, June 17: After leaving the relative serenity of the Daibutsu Hiking Course and being thrust out alongside the busy road, I stop at the first available vending machine and buy a bottle of water. I’ve grown fond of a particular brand of flavored sweetened water, and as is usual, I get the orange flavor. Hot, tired and parched, I gulp it down in several minutes.
By 1:00, I’m at Kotoku-in Temple and in front of the Nio-mon Gate. Kotoku-in belongs to the traditional Buddhist Jodo Sect founded by the priest Honen (1133–1212). He was a devotee of Amitabha, Buddha of the Western Pure Land, whose vow is to liberate all beings, irrespective of sex, age or social standing, regardless of whether the individual has engaged in good or evil deeds in their lives. According to the Jodo Sect belief system, one only needs to chant the nenbutsu to receive Amitabha’s protection and be reborn in his Pure Land. The nenbutsu is “Namu Amida Butsu” (I take refuge in Amitabha Buddha). (Kotoku-in: The Teachings of Kotoku-in).
gate to Kotoku-in Temple
The main draw of Kotoku-in is the Kamakura Daibutsu, or the Great Buddha of Kamakura. A colossal copper image of Amida Buddha (the Buddha of Eternal Light), it is unusual among Japanese Buddhist statues in that it sits in the open air. Designated a National Treasure by the Japanese government, the Buddha is some 11.3 meters tall and weighs around 121 tons. Though in size it falls short of the Great Buddha of Todai-ji Temple at Nara (an image of Rushana-butsu [Vairochana Buddha]), it essentially retains its original form; as such it serves as an example of Japanese historical Buddhist art (Kotoku-in: The Great Buddha).
Directly behind the Great Buddha are the hills of the Daibutsu Hiking Course that I walked over to get here.
the Great Buddha at Hase
The Buddha sits on a lotus throne on a stone platform, holding its hands in its lap, palms upward and thumbs touching; this is the mudra (position) of “Steadfastness of Faith.” Its serene face and half-closed eyes reveal the Buddha’s calm nature. This serenity should be the goal of the true believer.
Daibutsu, the Great Buddha
the Great Buddha
Daibutsu
the Great Buddha
Warazori, traditional Japanese straw sandals, hang on a corridor wall facing the Great Buddha. According to Kotoku-in’s website, they were a 1951 gift from the Matsuzaka Children’s Club of Hitachi-Ota City (Ibaraki Prefecture). As Japan was still recovering from the ravages of World War II, the sandals were given with the wish that “the Great Buddha would don them to walk around Japan, bringing happiness to the people.” Since 1956, the Matsuzaka Children’s Club has continued to weave these giant warazori and present them to Kotoku-in once every three years.
Buddha’s sandals
Daibutsu
the Great Buddha
girls in yukata with the Great Buddha
lotus and Buddha
me at the Great Buddha
The Kangetsu-do Hall is believed to have been part of the imperial palace in mid-15th century Hanyang (present-day Seoul), Korea. The Hall houses a standing image of Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva (Kannon Bosatsu), probably from the late Edo period.
Kangetsu-do Hall
Hydrangeas are all the rage here in Kamakura, and Kotoku-in is no exception. Near the Kangetsu-do Hall are some pretty pink blooms.
hydrangea at the Great Buddha
hydrangea at Kotoku-in Temple
hydrangea at Kotoku-in Temple
hydrangea at Kotoku-in Temple
hydrangea at Kotoku-in Temple
It’s only about a 7 minute walk from the Great Buddha to Hasedera Temple, so I walk down the street to see if I can make it into the queue for the hydrangea walk. I was too late to get in the queue last Saturday because I arrived after 4:00, having visited Enoshima during the earlier part of the day. On the way, I’m enticed inside a cozy little air-conditioned ice cream shop, where I treat myself to an ice-cream cone.
a tiny ice-cream shop
ice cream shop
The ice cream is a wonderful refreshment, as is the break from the heat. I love the churro stuck into the ice cream; it takes me back to memories of Spain.
an ice cream treat to beat the heat
After finishing my ice cream at 2:00, I continue my walk to Hasedera Temple, where I’m certain I’ll finally get to do the hydrangea walk. 🙂
Saturday, June 17: After leaving Meigetsu-in at 10:40 a.m., I go in search of the Daibutsu Hiking Course, a 3km trail which begins at the steps just up the lane from the pretty temple, Jochi-ji. The trail connects Kita-Kamakura with the Daibutsu, or Great Buddha, in Hase. I begin the hike at 11:00, thinking the trail can’t possibly be that difficult, or that far. I am quickly disavowed of this idea.
the beginning of the Daibutsu Hiking Course
The dirt trail climbs up and down over hilly terrain and through dense forest, over exposed serpentine tree roots and rocks. Most of the time the trail is clearly marked, but at one point, several small groups are standing at a trail juncture not knowing where to go. Luckily we’re directed by a passer-by to take the path to the left. It’s hot and humid in the forest and with all the climbing, it’s not long before I’m covered in a layer of sweat.
through the woods
After a while, I come upon a clearing with picnic tables and, off to the side, Kuzuharaoka Shrine, a love shrine lined with rows of blooming hydrangeas.
hydrangeas at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
hydrangeas at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
There are stacks of heart-shaped ema, wooden plaques on which people write their wishes or prayers.
heart ema at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
Kuzuharaoka Shrine has a miniature version of Meoto Iwa, or Married Couple Rocks. Meoto Iwa, a couple of small rocky stacks found in the sea off Futami, Mie, Japan, are joined by a shimenawa (a heavy rope of rice straw); they are considered sacred by worshippers at the neighboring Futami Okitama Shrine. According to legend, the rocks celebrate the union in marriage of man and woman (Wikipedia: Meoto Iwa).
Kuzuharaoka Shrine
Kuzuharaoka Shrine
In front of the shrine is a small pond with pretty irises.
irises at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
irises at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
iris bud at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
Kuzuharaoka Shrine
There are some beautiful hydrangeas here, and it is quite deserted compared to the crowded Meigetsu-in!
hydrangea at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
hydrangea at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
hydrangea at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
hydrangea at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
hydrangea at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
hydrangea at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
hydrangea at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
I love how the path to Kuzuharaoka Shrine is lined with colorful hydrangeas.
pathway to Kuzuharaoka Shrine
Kuzuharaoka Shrine
pathway to Kuzuharaoka Shrine
Kuzuharaoka Shrine
dragon at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
marker at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
hydrangea at Kuzuharaoka Shrine
Kuzuharaoka Shrine
Kuzuharaoka Shrine
Kuzuharaoka Shrine
After spending quite some time admiring the hydrangeas at this quiet little shrine, I sit at one of the picnic tables in the adjoining park and eat a sandwich I bought at a Kita-Kamakura Family Mart before starting the hike.
After walking quite a while up and over hills and stumbling over more exposed rocks and boulders, I find a fork in the path. One sign indicates that if I go left, I can visit Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Jinja Shrine, better known as the “money washing temple.” To the right is the path to Daibutsu. It’s a long downhill detour to the shrine, but it is well worth going despite knowing I’ll have to climb back up that hill to get back on the Daibutsu Trail.
The shrine was founded around 1185 by Minamoto Yoritomo (1147-99), although the present buildings date from some time after the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923. He built the shrine after a god appeared to him in a dream and advised him to build a shrine to bring peace to the country. The dream occurred on the day of the snake, in the month of the snake, in the year of the snake. Because of the timing, the shrine was later dedicated to the Benten, a Buddhist goddess associated with snakes (japan-guide.com: Zeniarai Benten Shrine).
The shrine was originally dedicated to the kami Ugafukujin, whose symbol is a snake with a human head. Kami are spirits worshipped in the Shinto religion and can be elements of the landscape or forces of nature, as well as beings and the qualities that these beings express; they can include the spirits of venerated dead persons (Wikipedia: Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Shrine).
The entrance is through a tunnel carved out of a natural stone cliff topped with moss, foliage and trees.
entrance to Zeniarai Benzaiten
The tunnel continues through a line of torii gates on the other side of the cave entrance.
torii gates at Zeniarai Benzaiten
Sadly I can’t find the significance of the rooster ema at Zeniarai Benzaiten Ugafuku Jinja Shrine.
ema at Zeniari Benzaiten
Zeniarai Benten Shrine fuses elements of Buddhism and Shinto. Many other shrines were stripped of their Buddhist connections when the Meiji government attempted to separate Shinto from Buddhism.
Worshippers are advised to get a set of three candles and incense sticks from the shrine office, and to borrow a basket. At the main shrine, they should light the first candle with the big candle there and put it on the candleholder, and place incense sticks in the incense burner. They should bow twice, clap their hands twice and bow once again to pray (jntoJapan: the official guide: Zeniarai Benten Shrine).
Zeniarai Benzaiten
incense at Zeniarai Benzaiten
Next, visitors are advised to go into the cave, put the second candle on the candleholder, and wash money in the basket by pouring the holy water on it with a ladle (jntoJapan: the official guide: Zeniarai Benten Shrine). It is variously said that money will double or multiply if washed in this stream, and by the number of people who are here washing their money, it seems many hope this will actually happen.
inside the cave at Zeniarai Benzaiten
money-washing at Zeniarai Benzaiten
shrine inside the cave at Zeniarai Benzaiten
origami cranes in the cave
origami cranes
activity in the money-washing cave
ema at Zeniarai Benzaiten
waterfall at Zeniarai Benzaiten
Visitors should then offer prayers at Shichifuku-jinja Shrine, which is said to have power to bring prosperity in business, and put the last candle there.
shrine at Zeniarai Benzaiten
creature in the garden
Next, worshippers should climb the stairs and visit Kaminomizu-jingu Shrine and Shimonomizu-jingu Shrine to pray.
shrine at Zeniarai Benzaiten
shrine at Zeniarai Benzaiten
torii at Zeniarai Benzaiten
ema at Zeniarai Benzaiten
Finally I leave the money-washing temple and climb the steep hill back to the Daibutsu hiking trail, where I continue my walk over undulating terrain. Strangely, I find this rather Western-looking house right along the trail.
a house along the Daibutsu Hiking Course
I find a nice view of Sagami Bay from the mountain trail.
view of Sagami Bay and Hase from the Daibutsu Hiking Course
About an hour and a half after beginning the hike, I make my descent from the mountains and by 12:30, I’m on the road leading to Daibutsu, the Great Buddha.
Saturday, June 17: This Saturday morning, I get up early to tackle an ambitious quest. My plan is to arrive in Kita-Kamakura by 9:00, visit the Hydrangea Temple Meigetsu-in, then take the Daibutsuzaka Hiking Course to the Great Buddha of Hase, called Daibutsu. After that, I plan to go to Hasedera for the second time to hopefully make it on the hydrangea walk.
It’s a hot day today, and I have a lot of walking ahead of me. Little do I know how exhausting it will be. I get a bit of a later start than I intend, arriving at Kita-Kamakura at around 8:45. When I walk out of the station, the crowds are already thick. People seem to be in some kind of slow-moving queue, but I don’t think it can be a queue for Meigetsu-in because a sign indicates it is a half kilometer away. At a certain point the loose queue takes a sharp left at a road where the sign points to Meigetsu-in. At that time, it dawns on me that these people are in fact in a queue for the temple. People have been walking to the right of the queue and I’ve just been happily following along. But at the point where the road turns left, the people I’m following peel off to the right and I realize I should have been in the queue. I hope I can just blend in and join the queue at this juncture; I keep my head down and merge in, hoping I won’t arouse anyone’s ire. The Japanese are generally too polite to say anything. I feel bad, but there is no way I’m going to go back to the end of that queue upon my belated realization.
Still. Even though I join the queue at this juncture, it’s still another quarter kilometer to the temple. It’s already hot and humid, and the queue is moving slowly. I’ve come a long way and I’m not about to turn around and give up, so I will myself to be patient and just go with the flow. It’s hard! Patience and crowd-tolerance have never been virtues of mine. 🙂
Finally, at about 9:15, I pass through the entrance to Fugenzan Meigetsu-in (福源山明月院), a Rinzai Zen temple of the Kenchō-ji school (Wikipedia: Meigetsu-in). Meigetsu-in was founded in 1160 as the Meigetsu-an (Bright Moon Hermitage) by Yamanouchi Tsunetoshi for the repose of the soul of his father Toshimichi, who died in the Battle of Heiji the previous year. This battle was part of the struggle for power between the Taira and Minamoto clans in the late Heian Period.
Meigetsu-in, the Temple of the Clear Moon
Meigetsu-in later became part of a larger temple complex called Zenkoji, which was abolished during anti-Buddhist movements soon after the Meiji Restoration, leaving only Meigetsu-in to remain as an individual temple today (JapanGuide.com: Meigetsuin).
The main object of worship is the Kannon Bodhisattva, the deity of compassion. This bodhisattva is variably portrayed in different cultures as either female or male (from the Meigetsu-in brochure).
hydrangea at Meigetsu-in
Famous for its hydrangea that bloom during June’s rainy season, it’s also known as Ajisaidera, The Temple of Hydrangeas. About 95% of the hydrangea here are of the Hime Ajisai (“Princess Hydrangea”) variety; they are thus named because of their pretty blue colors.
hydrangea heaven
blue hydrangea
Though the hydrangeas are beautiful, I am annoyed by the crowds, which make for slow going. It is also nearly impossible to get pictures with the hydrangeas and the temple buildings together, which is the point of coming here. I could see hydrangeas anywhere, but to see and enjoy them in this setting, in the midst of the temple complex, is the enticement for being here. However, it’s a challenge to take photos without people in them.
Meigetsu-in. the Temple of the Clear Moon
hydrangeas at Meigetsu-in
the crowds at Meitgetsu-in
hydrangea and bamboo
the crowds at Meigetsu-in
lovely hydrangea
pale hydrangea
a peek at the temple
I love the ema at Meigetsu-in with their painted hydrangeas.
ema at Meigetsu-in
ema at Meigetsu-in
Buddha cradling hydrangeas
hydrangea ema
The founder’s hall (Soyudo) is a thatched roof building that enshrines the temple’s founder and stores mortuary tablets of the succeeding head priests (JapanGuide.com: Meigetsuin).
Founder’s Hall (Soyudo)
water purification
hydrangea love by the Buddha
hydrangea
blue hydrangea
pale hydrangea
I love how the statues wear blue bibs and have hydrangeas artfully arranged around them.
hydrangeas at Meigetsu-in
Buddhist dignitaries
Buddhist dignitaries and hydrangeas
Buddhist figures
In the back of Meigetsu-in’s lush temple grounds stands the main hall (Hojo). The building features a nice circular window, which frames the scenery of the inner garden behind it. Sadly there is a huge crowd around the hall and a long queue to take a photo of the circular window. Maybe if I have time, I can come back when hydrangea season is over and get a photo of this.
The Main Hall
The inner garden is known for its irises and is open to visitors only during two periods of about two weeks per year: in June when the irises are in bloom, and in late November/early December when the autumn colors are at their best (JapanGuide.com: Meigetsuin)
raked sand in the inner garden
pond in the inner garden
the inner garden
iris in the inner garden
irises
irises
irises in the inner garden
irises in the inner garden
irises in the inner garden
irises in the inner garden
irises in the inner garden
irises in the inner garden
I enjoy walking around the iris garden; I find a little waterfall on an adjacent path.
waterfall in the inner garden
From the inner garden, where the crowds are not so thick because of the additional entrance fee, I can see the round window of the Main Hall from the back side. The round shape of the window means to be complete or perfect in Buddhist terminology.
the round window in the Main Hall – view from inner garden
the inner garden
Back in the main temple grounds, I make my way slowly to the entrance of the temple. It’s slow going with the crowds and the many times I must stop to take photos. 🙂
water bowl
hydrangea
hydrangea
hydrangea
hydrangea
hydrangea
flowers
pink flowers
There’s also a pretty bamboo grove at Meigetsu-in that towers overhead and glows in the sunlight.
bamboo forest at Meigetsu-in
bamboo looming
sculpture in the bamboo garden
sculpture in the bamboo garden
Oh, the hydrangeas at Meigetsu-in! They’re so beautiful; I guess it’s no wonder Tokyo residents come out in droves to see them.
hydrangeas
hydrangeas
hydrangeas
hydrangeas
hydrangeas
hydrangeas
hydrangeas
hydrangeas
hydrangeas
Meigetsu-in
hydrangeas
view from a hill
Meigetsu-in
When I’m finally able to get a photo of a shrine at Meigetsu-in, there are no hydrangeas in sight!
shrine at Meigetsu-in
Due to the temple’s name’s connection to the moon (Meigetsu literally means “bright moon”; and phonetically can also mean “harvest moon”), rabbits are associated with it in relation to the Japanese folklore of a rabbit pounding a rice cake on the moon. Accordingly, rabbit designs are found on some of the temple’s decorations, while a few real rabbits are kept in cages on the temple grounds (JapanGuide.com: Meigetsuin).
rabbit at Meigetsu-in
rabbits at Meigetsu-in
garden at Meigetsu-in
garden at Meigetsu-in
garden at Meigetsu-in
garden at Meigetsu-in
Meigetsu-in
Meigetsu-in
Meigetsu-in
Meigetsu-in
Meigetsu-in
At long last, I’m released from the crowds at Meigetsu-in. Now I need to find the beginning of the Daibutsu Hiking Course, a 3km wooded trail that connects Kita-Kamakura with the Daibutsu in Hase, and passes several small, quiet temples and shrines.
Sunday, June 11: After leaving Senso-ji, I continue my walk toward Kappabashi-dori, a street full of shops supplying the restaurant trade. These shops sell everything from knives and other kitchen utensils to mass-produced crockery, restaurant furniture, ovens and decor, such as lanterns and signs. The street also has some shops that sell plastic display foods (sampuru, derived from English sample) found outside Japanese restaurants.
“Shop Planing & Antique” on Kappabashi-dori
I drop into one shop that actually sells the plastic food items to tourists.
plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
desserts: plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
ice cream: plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
pizza: plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
sushi: plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
snacks: plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
plastic foods on Kappabashi-dori
I don’t buy any of these enticing but oddly unsatisfying plastic foods, although in retrospect, they might have made for some interesting gifts. 🙂
I continue my walk to the train station, stopping in briefly at Honzan Higashi Hongan-ji along the way.
Approximately 400 years ago, in 1651, the Tokyo Hongan-ji Temple was established in the city of Edo (modern Tokyo) under the patronage of Shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu by Kyonyo Shonin (1558-1614). It was then known as the Edo Gobo Kozuiji Temple. After a fire in 1657, Higashi-Hongan-ji Temple was moved to its current site in Asakusa and was called Asakusa Hongan-ji Temple. Then in 1965, Higashi-Hongan-ji Temple changed its name again to Tokyo Higashi-Hongan-ji Temple.
It is presently the headquarters of the Jodo Shinshu Higashi Honganji Sect with a following of some 400 temples. The door to this living Buddhist temple is open to all races, nationalities and people of the world.
Higashi Hongan-ji
Higashi Hongan-ji
I continue my walk to the train station, admiring all the offerings of plates and crockery along the way.
Sunday, June 11: After enjoying my conveyor belt sushi lunch, I head to Sensō-ji, Tokyo’s oldest and most popular temple.
According to legend, in the year 628, two Hamanari brothers, Hinokuma and Takenari, fished a statue of the Buddhist deity Kannon, the goddess of mercy, out of the Sumida River, and even though they put the statue back into the river, it kept returning to them. Consequently, Sensō-ji was built nearby for the goddess of Kannon. The temple was completed in 645, although most of its main buildings were rebuilt with concrete after they were burned down in World War II.
The temple’s first gate, the vermillion Kaminarimon Gate (Thunder Gate), boasts a huge paper lantern, or Chochin, which is illuminated at night. Chochin are Japanese lanterns traditionally made with a bamboo frame covered in silk or paper; that have been crafted in Japan since 1085.
Kaminarimon Gate
After the Kaminarimon Gate is a long shopping street called Nakamise-dori, the Inside Shops Street. This shopping street is within the temple compound. Lots of people come here dressed in yukata, mainly to take pictures of themselves on the temple grounds.
the yukata stroll
Nakamise Dori
Nakamise Dori
Nakamise Dori
Every sort of thing can be bought in the 150 shops that line this 984-foot-long street: masks, fans, Buddhist scrolls, combs, traditional sweets, woodblock prints, kimono and other robes, sandal socks, mobile phone straps, traditional sweets and meals.
masks on Nakamise Dori
fans on Nakamise Dori
fans on Nakamise Dori
what-nots on Nakamise Dori
socks on Nakamise Dori
Down one of the side streets, the Tokyo Sky Tree is visible, an ever-present reminder of a modern city encroaching on a traditional temple.
Nakamise Dori
painting at Senso-ji
At the far end of Nakamise-dori is the Hozomon Gate, the Treasury Gate, of the temple. The upper level still stores some 14th century Chinese sutras (Buddhist scriptures). A large paper lantern hangs in this impressive gate.
the Hozomon
the Hozomon & the crowds
To the Hozomon’s left is the five-story Asakusa Pagoda, which was rebuilt in 1973. The pagoda contains bits of Buddha’s bones, a gift from Sri Lanka.
the Goju no To five-storied pagoda and a corner of the Hozomon
the Hozomon
lantern in the Hozomon
I encounter a couple of monks playing tourist on the temple grounds.
monk at Senso-ji
lantern in the Hozomon
Between the Hozomon and the Hondo (Main Hall) is a large bronze incense burner. People stand around the incense sticks burning in the burner and, with their hands, waft the smoke toward afflicted parts of their bodies. The smoke from the incense is said to have curative powers.
The Hondo (Main Hall of Senso-ji
Bronze incense burner with curative powers
I even do some wafting of the incense smoke, even though I don’t have any ailing parts to my body. 🙂
The Hondo
lantern in the Hondo
The temple is also known as the Kinryusan Senso-ji, the Golden Dragon Mountain Asakusa Temple, due to the legend of the dragon’s descent on the finding of the small golden Kannon. Because of this, a dragon has been painted on the ceiling of the Hondo, the work of Kawabata Ryushi, while the angels and lotus flowers surrounding it are by Domoto Insho.
Dragon painting by Kawabata Ryushi
Angels and lotus flowers on the ceiling of Senso-ji, by Domoto Insho
The Hondo (Main Hall) of Senso-ji
Honda of Senso-ji
the five-story Asakusa Pagoda
Hozomon Gate
the yukata stroll
On the backside of the Hozomon Gate are two oversized straw sandals, a gift from a provincial village to the temple.
giant straw sandals made to fit Deva Kings
monks in front of the pagoda
the Hondo
It’s fun to watch all the Japanese men and women here who are wearing the yukata, a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton or synthetic fabric, and unlined. Yukata are worn by both men and women.
beautiful yukata in front of a food vendor
Yogodo Hall is where Buddhist divinities who support Kannon Bosatsu are enshrined.
grounds of Yogodo Hall at Senso-ji
Yogodo Hall at Senso-ji
Little shrine
Inside Yogodo Hall
Yakushido Hall, built in 1649, is dedicated to Yakushi Nyorai, a Buddhist divinity of medicine.
Yakushido Hall
Awashima-do is the shrine of the guardian deity of women; this deity attends to female ailments. Women often bring dolls to shrines such as this, which have proliferated all over Japan, so their dolls can serve as substitutes, taking on the donor’s ailment. Eventually the dolls are burned in a religious ceremony in order to offer up prayers for relief from the ailment that has been transferred to the doll (Tokyo: 29 Walks in the World’s Most Exciting City).
another small shrine
a yukata gathering
colorful yukata
Tokyo Sky Tree
the five-story Asakusa Pagoda
The Asakusa Shrine is dedicated to the two fishermen brothers, Hinokuma and Takenari Hamanari, and their master, Hajo-no-Nakatomo. The Honden, or Spirit Hall, is said to hold the spirits of the two brothers who found the Kannon image and their master, who enshrined the image.
Asakusa Shrine
ema at Senso-ji
Shafu are seen dashing down roadways pulling large carts behind them, usually with a tourist or two along for the ride. These rickshaw-pullers in Japan, usually slim muscular men who have to run long distances each day with passengers in tow, are considered appealing by many young Japanese women, according to the Japanator: Japanese ladies love them some rickshaw-pullers.
Shafu, rickshaw pullers in Japan
In front of Asakusa Shrine, a young lady in a hat and yukata is selling some fruity gelato bars. I help myself to one of them and sit on a bench to enjoy.
ice cream for sale near Asakusa Shrine
the Hondo of Senso-ji
the Hozomon at Senso-ji
Two large bronze images of Bodhisattvas (enlightened beings who postpone entering nirvana so as to help those still living) sit on the temple grounds near the end of the Nakamise shops. They were a gift from a rice merchant in honor of his deceased master in 1687.
Two Bodhisattvas
I am in awe of this shrine and the people who have flocked here to visit. Though it is one of Tokyo’s major tourist sites, it also seems to be a place of active worship and a symbol of tradition.
I leave the temple to explore a bit more of Asakusa, stopping at Kappabashi-dori and the street’s purveyors of plastic foods. 🙂
Sunday, June 11: On this dreary Sunday, after my long Saturday at Enojima and Hasedera, I have just enough energy to attempt Walking Tour 8: Asakusa, Kappabashi and Minowa from my much-used book: Tokyo: 29 Walks in the World’s Most Exciting City. The main sight to see in this area is the ancient Buddhist temple Senso-ji; other than that the walk doesn’t cover much territory. I don’t intend to cover the Minowa part of the walk. I figure I can handle a limited stroll today, especially as it’s cloudy and not too hot.
As soon as I take exit #1 from Asakusa Station onto Kaminarimon-dori, I see a typical Tokyo street scene.
first view of Asakusa
I walk toward the Sumida River and onto the bridge, where I can see two of Tokyo’s iconic landmarks: The Asahi Beer Hall and the Tokyo Sky Tree. I’m glad to see the Asahi Breweries offices, as Asahi has become my go-to beer while in Japan. I love it!
The Asahi Beer Hall, one of the buildings of the Asahi Breweries, is also known as Super Dry Hall or Flame d’Or. Designed by French designer Philippe Starck, it was completed in 1989. The shape of the building is that of a beer glass, designed to complement the neighboring golden beer mug-shaped building housing the Asahi Breweries offices. It is noted for the Asahi Flame, an enormous golden structure at the top, said to represent both the ‘burning heart of Asahi beer’ and a frothy head (Wikipedia: Asahi Beer Hall).
The Asahi Flame is often colloquially referred to as “the golden turd” (kin no unko). Kin no unko (金のうんこ) or “golden poo” is a symbol of good luck, as the name is a pun meaning “golden poo” and “good luck” in Japanese (Wikipedia: kin no unko).
The Asahi Beer Hall itself is fondly known as “poo building” (unko-biru, うんこビル) by many Tokyo residents (Wikipedia: Asahi Beer Hall).
Asahi Breweries, Ltd. is a leading brewery and soft drink company in Tokyo. As of January 2014, Asahi, with a 38% market share, was the largest of the four major beer producers in Japan followed by Kirin Beer with 35% and Suntory with 15% (Wikipedia: Asahi Breweries).
view across the Sumida River to the 1989 Super Dry Hall, aka the Asahi Brewery Building and the Tokyo Sky Tree
The Sumida River
boat on the Sumida River
I’d have to get on the train again to visit the Tokyo Sky Tree, which looks closer than it is. Its observation deck is also quite expensive and it’s too cloudy to get a decent view today anyway. So I’ll have to admire it from afar.
parting shot of two Tokyo landmarks
On the corner near the bridge, I find this Sushi go-round restaurant, where sushi is served on a conveyor belt. No one speaks English so it takes me a while to figure out the system and the cost, but when I do, I enjoy a great lunch before going on my way to Senso-ji.
a conveyor belt sushi restaurant
inside the conveyor belt sushi restaurant
street in Asakusa
Below is my route to Asakusa this morning. As you can see, it’s always quite convoluted to get anywhere in Tokyo, since I live on the outskirts.
catbird in japan 