Japan Day 3

I’m starting to get writers block so I’ll just list out our itinerary for the day and let you look through the pictures….

1) Ate at a restaurant close to the hostel for breakfast. I noticed that a lot of people had the fermented soybeans so I decided to give it a try - they were probably one of the grossest things I’ve ever eaten…they were slimy and rotten smelling and tasting…they gave you some mustard and soy sauce to put on them but that barely masked any of the taste…

2) Went to Ueno which has some nice historical sites. I believe it’s also the old capital of Tokyo

3) Walked around the Ameyoko open market. Watched this weird plinko game where players had buckets of sliver beads that they fed into machines.

4) Walked around Ueno park which had a lake in the middle

5) Went to the Benten Hall temple in the center of the lake

Japan Day 3

6) Had snack of noodles at the roadside

7) Went to the Shitamachi Museum which provides a charming example of what life was like in 19th century Edo / Tokyo

Japan Day 3 - Part 2 (Shitamachi Museum)

8) Walked towards the Tokyo national museum

9) Watched a street performer entertain large crowd

10)We happened upon a large group of people sitting in a perfect square hunched over in front of a platform and microphone. We thought that it was a group of middle aged people waiting for a concert or to do some outdoor exercise – much to our surprise it was a group of homeless people who were patiently waiting for their curry and rice. It was pleasantly orderly and calm in the middle of a park in front of the largest museum in Tokyo. Another example of Japanese structure, order, and politeness shining through.

11)Walked through the Kanei-ji temple. It was listed as a really nice temple but it was closed and not so interesting.

12)Then we took the subway 2 stops to Asakusa – also another historical section of Tokyo

13)There is a huge temple called the Senso-ji temple which is the center of Asakusa. Two large gates lead up to the temple and in between the two large gates is a very long corridor of stalls selling foods and trinkets. On the outskirt of the hallway of shops and leading up to the second gate and the temple are stalls after stalls of every Japanese street food possible. Possibly one of the largest street food markets that I’ve seen in a long time.

14)There was a festival going on where about 20 people carried a shrine atop two long poles and bounced up and down while chanting. They slowly walked around the area for a good part of the afternoon and into early evening.

15)We walked down the main strip and shopped; ate some street foods – grilled chicken, noodles, and a huge vegetable pancake.

16)Took pictures at the huge Senso-ji temple, Kaminarimom (Thunder Gate) and Asakusa shrine which is a 5 story pagoda

17)Walked further north and there was more food, a handicraft museum, and a drum show.

Japan Day 3 - Part 3 (Asakusa)

Video of Asakusa shrine dance:



Video of some kind of dessert bun creation: