Tokyo Japan (July 21, 2013)

So I said before that the subway system is easy to use in Tokyo... but that's only after you figure out the map! There's so many lines, as you can see! Today we went back to the Ueno park area to see the famous Buddhist temple called Senso-ji and also see the Tokyo National Museum- best museum of the trip!

 

Here is Senso-ji. It is Tokyo's oldest temple (645 AD). Yes, I use AD on purpose because I like it better. :P It was bombed during WWII and later rebuilt. A shinto shrine is also located inside.

 

 

At either end of the big lantern were the two guardians of the temple. They looked pretty fierce!
Also notice that this is a huge tourist trap!

 And here's where you get trapped! After the gate is a long walkway with merchant's stalls on either side. I didn't have time for much shopping later so I got most of my souvenirs here.

I love the drawing of the rabbit!

 

 

I think Japan is where restaurants first started using plastic models to advertise their food.
I can't believe there could be so many flavors of soft serve!

 

 

 

 

 

 I'm pretty sure this is the Shinto shrine because people were dropping coins, clapping, and washing their hands like in Meiji-Jingu.

 

 An interesting difference here- in Taiwan's temples you burn incense and stick it straight up into this "recepticle," but here people were using their hands to waft the smoke onto themselves.  

 This is NOT a nazi sign!

 This is where you throw some coins in and clap your hands to show your respect/pray.
 

 

 

 

 

 

I got to see my favorite Japanese friend, Aya!! We met in Taiwan where she was working as a Japanese teacher.
She's taught me all I know! ;)

 Ok! Zombie attack!!! I guess it was some kind of special parade? Dress like a zombie day? This was on our way to lunch.

 Lunch was really interesting! We had to cook the food ourselves on the metal plate there.

 

 

 Next we're back to Ueno park. The Tokyo National Palace is right there in the distance!

Tomadachi!

 

 



 I liked this museum SO much better than the Natural Science and Art one. It had lots of interesting Asian art and statues! Here's a photobomb!

 

 

 

 

 

Samurai gear!

 

 

 

 

 And at the end of a long (and unfortunately sunburnt) day I fell in love with this ice cream you squeeze from a bag! Arigato, Aya Sensei!