The main attraction of Asakusa is Sensou-ji, a very big and very pretty temple. It's one of the most well-visited in Tokyo, and the five-tiered pagoda is the second tallest in Japan. We took the Ginza line, which starts in Shibuya, all the way to its opposite end to get there.
Everything you've ever heard about Tokyo subways is true... very clean, fast, efficient, and crowded. We found a prime spot under the air conditioners in the centre of the car, which oscillate back and forth.Lunch was a sandwich at Starbucks, since we were hungry but not starving. They heat up the sandwiches to a ridiculously hot temperature, and give it to you on a plate and tray. After we were finished eating there was a man standing directly behind us, waiting for us to hand him our trays, which was really nice. Also, the little juice I got there was really cute :3
We went to the temple, which starts off with a huge gate housing a gigantic lantern. That's me under the lantern...! (Also, you can click to make it bigger.) (Also also, notice how all the girls in the picture look so well-dressed... it's a theme in Tokyo :<)
After that is a covered area with dozens and dozens of little stalls selling all manner of souvenirs, from kimonos to keychains to rice crackers. A particular highlight were the freshly make rice crackers that we got hot off the grill, ¥100 each. They were crunchy and salty and yummy. I picked up a bunch of things in the stalls, some for me but mostly for other people. Most of the things they sold were very Japanese, as it were, so they make good gifts.After meandering through all the stalls, there's another gate and then the temple. Well, actually, before the temple there are numerous stalls to get your fortune, as well as to buy charms for luck, etc. Then there's a giant bowl of incense, which people wave on over and rub into their bodies for health. There's also the fountain for purifying oneself before entering the temple.
Finally there are the stairs up to the temple itself, which houses a fountain for throwing in coins (before praying), more charm and fortune stalls, and the contents of the temple, which were beautiful although I don't know what they're all for. Even the ceiling was painted with really nice pictures. One of my favourite things about the temple besides just how nice it was in general were all the little shrines nearby. They were for various things, from a famous samurai to Buddha, and they were peaceful and charming. Near those shrines we got some really delicious popsicles and headed over to the big bell, which was at its own shrine.We stopped in a few other shops down side streets on our way back to the main intersection in Asakusa, selling goods made from washi (hand-made paper), fabric prints, and other pretty things. We also walked back through the covered vendor path to make our final selections. I also found a Hello Kitty vending machine, where I got a little canvas tote bag featuring Kitty with a gyoza head :< It's so cute...
We ended up taking the train to the kitchen district, which is one main street and some side streets dedicated to the sale of all things cooking, baking, serving, and selling food. I got a few things but I decided to save other purchases for later, since it's easy to get to and only my second day here (and yet, the marathon blog posts still...).
There are lots of ceramics and other serving things, chopsticks and holders, pots and pans, signs, displays, and a billion other things. I found a couple of cute bento things at a 6-story grocery/general goods store. Mrs. Black showed me where to get bargains on some of the Japanese items we saw in the stalls at the temple, although at many of those stalls, the prices were very good also. I got a Miffy spoon and a rice mould, and what's essentially a taller, stronger cookie cutter... you push things like carrots through it to make them a shape when you slice into them.They also sell those awesome plastic food models that you see everywhere in Tokyo outside of restaurants. They're expensive, but so cool.
After seeing a tonkatsu (fried port cutlet) curry model, I was hungry for it... which made Mrs. Black hungry for it... so we went back to Shibuya (and, during the ride, I managed to fall on top of a Japanese business man... oops >_>) where she took me to a great little curry-only restaurant. It was called CoCo Curry, which I thought was really nice. I wanted a kids meal because it looked so cute, but of course we both got tonkatsu curry to get our fix... it was really good.I spent a good amount of time in Loft, which is a really cool 7-story store that sells all kinds of things, from office supplies to furniture to general cute stuff. Oh, and also... BENTO! Holy crap, an entire bento section, and it was awesome. I'm saving it for my last few days when I see how much money I have left... otherwise bad things would happen >_> Another cool thing they had at Loft that's just going on until Sept. 11 are little booths where designers and artists set up a display of items, along with some business cards, etc. They are unmanned booths, but the art ranged from more well known/professional artists to lesser or unknowns of varying levels. I picked up all the cute little free handouts I could, as well as the free fan/advertisement and booklet about the show. I wandered around for a bit afterwards... got some pineapple aisu (ice cream) which was yummy and played a few more crane machines (I'm addicted... ._.).
That's it for today... I just had a nice toasty shower ^_^ I know these posts are really long but when I come home I'm going to use this as my record for what I did, so I want to write about everythingeverything.
Oyasumi...
