Asakusa

Today, for lunch, we were taken to the Asakusa district of Tokyo. When there, we were given one hour (and when they say one hour they do not mean an hour and one minute) to eat and then walk to our meeting point.

I ate quickly, partly because I was not that into the food and partly because I really wanted to see the area.

The first thing that I saw outside the restaurant was a large red gate, covering the entire road. We were told red gates in that shape represent Shinto temples. After the gate there was a long block that took you to the temple. Inside this gate there were shops the entire way leading to the temple. These shops sold souvenirs, shoes, candy, and more. There were also those annoying barking dog toys that flip over, which is always cute the first time-just not the hundredth. I walked along the shops for a while, just looking at the things as I went along. Today was the most beautiful day! Sunny and about 70 degrees.

At the end of the block, before the temple, there was a large pot-like structure. It was releasing a large amount of earthy incense. As it turns out, people pay 100 yen to purchase bundles of insence from a booth. Then, the incense is lit on a special burner device and placed in the pot. Then, people use their hands to wave the smoke towards their bodies and faces. I decided to pay my 100 yen to try it myself (about 80 cents).

Then, I went into the shrine. It was beautiful. There was an alter area with flowers and a place for people to pray. There was also a place that people could throw coin money into as an offering. There was also a place that you could pay 100 yen and then pick a stick then out of a canister. Then, you matched the symbol on your stick to the same symbol on a drawer within a huge bureau of drawers. Inside, there is a fortune. I got my own

Overall, the Asakusa district was amazing and I very much enjoyed it. It I had more time I would head back over there, but I am not sure that it going to happen with all the other plans that I want to make happen.