Japan 2016

 

Sunday, May 8

After breakfast in the hotel and a briefing by our trip leader, Akiko, we set out to explore Tokyo.

We saw the 7th century Asakusa Kannon Temple (Sensō-ji), a Buddhist Temple which is Tokyo's oldest Temple.  Adjacent to the temple is a Shinto shrine, the Asakusa Shrine.

Old meets new:   Here is the Five Story Pagoda with the Sky Tree in the background.

Today's Five Storied Pagoda was reconstructed in 1973 after the pagoda built in 1648 by Tokugawa Iemitsu was destroyed in firebombing of March 1945.

Below is the Temple with the Five Story Pagoda behind it and the Sky Tree in the background.

Located just before Sensoji after Kaminarimon or “Thunder Gate”, a massive paper lantern dramatically painted in vivid red-and-black tones to suggest thunderclouds and lightning, Nakamise is one of the oldest shopping centers in Japan.  Apart from typical Japanese souvenirs, various traditional local snacks from the Asakusa area are sold along the Nakamise.  In fact, every shopping area in Japan had lots of food, including department stores!  I bought a lemon cake in one of the shops, and found it was delicious!

We drove through the Ginza district, famous for its high-class shops and glitzy galleries.  For lunch, we went to the basement of the department store there, Mitsukoshi's depachika, which serves up the flavors of famous shops from delicatessen style items, bento, and sweets to alcoholic beverages, features a "Kayuan" section, and bought food which we took to the 9th floor rooftop terrace to eat.  I had a salad with shrimp, octopus and salmon, and a spring roll.

Afterward we visited Yasukuni Shrine, a Shinto shrine in central Tokyo that commemorates Japan's war dead. The shrine was founded in 1869 with the purpose of enshrining those who have died in war for their country and sacrificed their lives to help build the foundation for a peaceful Japan.


Next to the shrine buildings stands the Yushukan, a large museum that commemorates Japan's wars from a conservative Japanese perspective with detailed information in English.  Photos were not allowed in this building.  Each zone of the museum had a rubber stamp: 

 
On our way back to the hotel, we drove by the Imperial Palace (at least as close as we could get to it), as seen from the Seimon Ishibashi bridge, which leads to the main gate.

For the welcome dinner, we regrouped at a local restaurant.  We had Yakitori:  edamame, 2 salads, 5 skewers, rice cake, chicken soup and ice cream.  I also ordered two glasses of plum wine.

That night we packed our backpacks for two days as our big bag was to be sent by truck to Kanazawa.