Another fun and busy day.
On the train over to Meiji Jingu on the always spotless trains.
fcapffffffffffcapffffffffffcapffffffffffcapfffffffffThe long and beautiful walk to the shrine.
Amazing tori gates.
Handwritten wishes an prayers.
The fam.
This is a Shinto shrine dedicated to the emperor and empress who helped modernize Japan. Built in 1920 and rebuilt after WW2. It's an impressive, serene and vast place that feels worlds away from the city which surrounds it.
Checking out the botanical gardens. Bonsai trees on display.
Lotus garden in the water.
Irises are in bloom. They have a collection of hundresds of varieties.
Pretty!
Each bunch is carefully labeled.
Mother and daughter enjoying the garden.
Look at this girl.
Welcome to Takeshita Street in Harajuku - a young, hip, and far too busy shopping street.
Desperate for food and to get out of the heat, we got some delicious ramen here.
um!
Platipus!
Crazy shops.
Back near Shibuya to catch a train home.
Evening in Asakusa.
Pretty all times of day.
Guardian spirits.
Todd's friend Louie lives in the neighborhood and he took us out for a type of food we had not yet had. It's the Japanese interpretation of American food circa 1950. When Japan started opening to the West, they were fascinated with American food and made what they thought was American food. A new style of cuisine was invented which includes stuff like spaghetti with a ketchup sauce, a strange pizza and hamburgers with weird toppings, Of course, now you can get the most amazing burgers, pizza or even Italian in Japan, but the Japanese people loved their strange interpretation of American food so much it became a food style on it's own. Definitely a locals kind of place, we got a kick out it.
Otani is everywhere in Japan. Dexter was feeling the spirit after he bought the same green tea at a vending machine.
