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By our fourth day in Tokyo, we were old hands at the metro. No problem to make our way many stations to the north, swapping from the Habiya line to the Asakusa line with barely a second thought. Our destination in the morning was the great Buddhist temple of Sensoji, dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon (aka Akalokitesvara). Stepping out from underground, into a brilliant blue sky day, we made our way under the Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate) to Nakemise-dori, the temple shopping street, lined with wooden stalls, selling local foods and souvenirs.
The great Hozōmon gate guards the entrance to the temple grounds with its imposing main prayer hall, and elegant 5-storey pagoda. To be honest, I could not see a lot of difference between the rituals practiced here at a buddhist temple, to those underway at the shinto Meiji Shrine the previous day. There was washing at a sacred well, wooden plaques to hang, and of course, fortunes to be bought. A big incense pot was very popular. Folk would place their incense sticks and then waft the supposedly sacred smoke into their faces, for as long as they could endure, bringing them it was said, good health!!
It was quite interesting to sit and watch the goings on - there were images to rub, (enjoying an apple tart and local sweet bread). It was nearing lunch time though, and Minuk and I left Stephen and Clare to head off to Oeno Park, whilst we headed off in search of lunch. We agreed to meet at the Kikyo-Mon gate of the Imperial Palace between 3:00pm and 3:30pm.
The great Hozōmon gate guards the entrance to the temple grounds with its imposing main prayer hall, and elegant 5-storey pagoda. To be honest, I could not see a lot of difference between the rituals practiced here at a buddhist temple, to those underway at the shinto Meiji Shrine the previous day. There was washing at a sacred well, wooden plaques to hang, and of course, fortunes to be bought. A big incense pot was very popular. Folk would place their incense sticks and then waft the supposedly sacred smoke into their faces, for as long as they could endure, bringing them it was said, good health!!
It was quite interesting to sit and watch the goings on - there were images to rub, (enjoying an apple tart and local sweet bread). It was nearing lunch time though, and Minuk and I left Stephen and Clare to head off to Oeno Park, whilst we headed off in search of lunch. We agreed to meet at the Kikyo-Mon gate of the Imperial Palace between 3:00pm and 3:30pm.
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Quite by chance, as we had stopped to admire the futuristic buildings across the Sumida River (Tokyo Sky Tree and the Golden Turd), we spotted a pair of newly or soon-to-be weds, with photographer and rickshaw driver, posing for photos. Very thoughtful of them.
We made our way back to Roppongi, where we enjoyed a very reasonably priced (760 yen) sushi set at Sushizanmai, on the main bar and restaurant street of Roppongi. We were in luck too, because the restaurant was smoker free from 10am to 3pm. Smokers in restaurants is an occupational hazard in Japan that one had quite forgotten about.
We made our way back to Roppongi, where we enjoyed a very reasonably priced (760 yen) sushi set at Sushizanmai, on the main bar and restaurant street of Roppongi. We were in luck too, because the restaurant was smoker free from 10am to 3pm. Smokers in restaurants is an occupational hazard in Japan that one had quite forgotten about.
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Yum. Minuk's was identical. Best of all was the sushi prawn, smooth sweet and creamy, not stale like we get so whenever these are served in Australia. Apparently because prawns are always frozen and never presented fresh in raw form as should be the case for sushi.
We also stopped in at Don Quijote (aka Don-ki), six floors of of random goods of all types, from bike parts to electronics to food and medicine and souvenirs (where the evening before, I'd found a Europe to Japan power adaptor, needed because I'd inadvertently brought the wrong one).
Back on the metro, we headed for Otemachi station, where, since it was early, we decided to walk through the East Palace Garden before catching up with Stephen & Clare. The best made plans of mice and men, gang aft agly though, as there were two flaws to this plan.
We also stopped in at Don Quijote (aka Don-ki), six floors of of random goods of all types, from bike parts to electronics to food and medicine and souvenirs (where the evening before, I'd found a Europe to Japan power adaptor, needed because I'd inadvertently brought the wrong one).
Back on the metro, we headed for Otemachi station, where, since it was early, we decided to walk through the East Palace Garden before catching up with Stephen & Clare. The best made plans of mice and men, gang aft agly though, as there were two flaws to this plan.
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First, the Kikyo-Mon gate turned out to be a private one, from which one could not exit the gardens. Secondly, we had chosen one of the few days per year when the grounds of the Imperial Palace are open to the general public. The Otemon Gate, by which we entered the garden, was the exit from the hordes of Japanese Probus members who were marching toute suite in the opposite direction to us, 12 abreast and in a seemingly endless column! On later consultation, we found that S & C had been dragooned into this frogmarched tour of the palace, being swept along so precipitately by the marshalls of the event so as not even to have sufficient time to take photographs.
The last impression I have of the East Palace Gardens is the winding entrance path, leading through massive defensive walls and battlements, constructed from massive unmortared, but finely worked stone which fit tightly together in a crazy paving style which was made to resist earthquakes. These looked for all the world as if the Inca had popped across the Pacific with Thor Heyerdahl for a valedictory construction job. Once we had climbed through the maze of walls and moats, we were rewarded with a view of the foundations of the old keep of Edo Castle, where folk picnicked on the grass, and paused to admire the cherry blossoms.
The last impression I have of the East Palace Gardens is the winding entrance path, leading through massive defensive walls and battlements, constructed from massive unmortared, but finely worked stone which fit tightly together in a crazy paving style which was made to resist earthquakes. These looked for all the world as if the Inca had popped across the Pacific with Thor Heyerdahl for a valedictory construction job. Once we had climbed through the maze of walls and moats, we were rewarded with a view of the foundations of the old keep of Edo Castle, where folk picnicked on the grass, and paused to admire the cherry blossoms.
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After failing to find Stephen and Clare at Kikyo-Mon Gate (we were 15 minutes late after all) our plan was to ride the trains all the way to Tachomae, where a free observation deck is found on the 45th Floor of the rather grandiose Tokyo Government Building. We were rewarded with an expansive view of the seemingly neverending metropolitan area, which transformed into a sea of lights as dusk turned to night.
It was a long ride back to Roppongi and home, with a short detour via the Preese Supermarket to pick up dinner. Outside the Mall, the cherry blossoms were lit up for an evening of drinking beneath the branches, should one have so desired.
It was a long ride back to Roppongi and home, with a short detour via the Preese Supermarket to pick up dinner. Outside the Mall, the cherry blossoms were lit up for an evening of drinking beneath the branches, should one have so desired.