Japan, The Mintee Way

After I found my hotel for the next day it was time to goto Popeyes.  I’ve been looking forward to going here the entire trip but I saved it for last.  Luckily it was only 3 train stops from my hotel, so I got dressed up a bit and went venturing.  It wasn’t too hard to find and I had no fear what so ever on entering this place, so I pulled the door and walked right in.  The place was packed, I didn’t see anywhere to sit other than one place at the bar.  There was a person at the front door inquiring as to what I wanted but I didn’t have time to bother with them, I felt that I was in my own little world now.  -No Time For Trying to Translate, There is Beer to be Drunk -  Excuse me, I’ll just sit there at the bar.

I made a B-line to that seat.  The employee from the front followed me.  I noticed there was a 1/2 full beer sitting at the barseat, and I asked the “white” man sitting beside it, “Is there anyone sitting here?”  He assured me there was and the employee was standing behind me still inquiring as to what I wanted to do.  Yet again, I had made a minor fool of myself and tried to explain to him that I just wanted to sit down and have a beer and food.

He seated me at a table that had 2 seats, but I was alone.  Along came a waitress with a Japanese and English Beer menu, Food menu and a little dish oh what looked like some kinda of pickled bacon.  I ordered a 1/2 pint of Yonayona pale ale.  When it arrived it had a looked much better than the Asahi that I’ve been drinking, and had a very pleasant but light malt flavor with a fresh hoppy nose.  “Now we’re talking,” I thought, as the employee from the front seats a Japanese male patron beside me.  We sat a the table together, quiet for a few minutes until I said something to him.

I eventually ordered some Japanese Pickles  and ribs as well as a few more 1/2 pints.  We tried out hardest to converse and had fun doing it.  He eventually left and I was escorted to a stool at the bar.  I wound up sitting beside one of the goodbeerclub.  I explained to him that I brewed beer back in the States and he seemed very excited about that.  He told the bartender\owner and then the Photobooks came out showing pictures of their meetings.  All the recent pictures of group shots showed the owner holding a big picture of the late Micheal Jackson, The Beer Hunter.  Turns out that Micheal Jackson had frequented Popeye’s on multiple occasions, and there were pictures scattered  throughout the establishment of Jackson and the owner toasting to each other.

Couple beers later and it was time for me to go.  I snapped a few pictures of the taps, my new, yet short lived friends and started heading back to my hotel with the knowledge of tomorrow being a long day in Nakano looking for my new (shady?) hotel.

After a little break of recomposing myself in America, I am back to finish up my story.

Before going to Popeyes for dinner and beer, there was a problem at hand.  Not sure if I mentioned this in the blog before, but I missed my original flight from Philly to Japan.  The original flight was scheduled for a Monday morning, but I awoke late, and was told the wrong way to go by every person in the PHL (ghetto) airport.  So I rescheduled my flight for the next day and extended it out an extra day so I still could have my 12 days.   This posed the problem of finding a hotel room for that one extra night as I booked everything else way in advance.

Typical procrastination put me in the place of looking for the hotel one day before I had to stay there.  This isn’t a good idea, especially in Tokyo.  I asked the current hotel, I asked at the pervious hotel, I asked for recommendations, and I DID NOT call them… I went there and asked face to face as it was much easier to explain what I need if I’m there as to the awkward broken language phone call.   After visiting about 4 other neighborhoods and being referred to one place after another, I finally found a business hotel where the man behind the desk spoke next to no English, but understood my situation.  He did not have any vacancys however he called 3-4 other business hotels in hopes to find me a place.

He did, I understood part of the conversation with him on the phone and it turned out he found a hotel called Easton Hotel located in Nakano.   He handed me the phone, and I got nowhere with the conversation as the gentleman on the other end spoke absolutely NO English.  I handed it back, we wrote some numbers back and forth on a piece of paper including my passport number, the price of the hotel and the phone number.

I was set!

Well kids, this is my last post until I arrive back in the states.  The hotel room I will be in tonight will not have internet access, not to mention I doubt it will be big enough for me to even open my laptop, heh

Last night I went to  Bakusyu Club Popeye.  They have 40 beers on tap, and that’s saying alot for Japan.  They aren’t much for drinking outside of the realm of Asahi and Kirin.

No time to mention any details, I have to shower and check out of the worst hotel of the trip. Tokyo Green.  Bleh.   Cya back in the states.

AKA Movieland.

I had a day to kill in Kyoto and didn’t know what to do, so I decided to goto Movieland.   I didn’t know anything about the place, I just remember someone mentioning it to me.  So I asked around and found out what train to take and where to get off.  So, I did, and when I arrived in Uzumasa I asked the train attendant where it was, she pulled out a hand drawn map and drew a read line as to where I was supposed to walk.

So I walked, and about a mile later there it was, Kyoto Studio Park.  This place has more names than I can keep up with.  I pondered around outside for a few minutes trying to decide on what exactualy was going on inside.  From the looks of it, it was just a movie theater, and I looked at the prices and they were 2200Yen for admission.  I thought, I’m not spending $20 on a freaking movie that I can’t understand…  not to mention I didn’t even know how to ask the lady at the counter for the tickets…  so I just walked around making sure to look like I was waiting for someone and not looking like a complete idiot until I noticed there was a ticket machine.

So I bought a ticket, convinced this wasn’t just an ordinary movie theater, at least for that price.

It wasn’t.  It was a museum of props, entire sets and costumes of Japaneses movies from the 1940’s to  around the early 1990’s (as far as I could tell, I’m sure someone will correct me on the dates.)  At first I walked around there were the typical sets and props of older Samurai movies, which I respect but never really got into them, and then I walked upstairs.

I don’t even know what movies or shows these things came from but they were freaking awesome.  There were about 100 entire mannequins  dressed up like Power Rangers and Ultraman characters.  You’ll just have to look at the pictures to understand.  It was pretty rad.

Then I walked back outside, and I knew I had to be leaving soon because the time for me to catch my train back to Tokyo was drawing near, but I had a few minutes left.  There was a woman dressed as some kind of Japanese clown or jester waving people inside this building, so I walked in too.  It was a stage with plenty of open seats.  I didn’t have a clue what was going to happen, but I sat in the front row, off the the left side, alone.

Few minutes later a man walked out dressed as a Samurai with a sword on his side.  I thought, awesome… some action!

The only action was him walking right up to me after telling a few jokes and asking me, in front of about 200 people, if I understood what was going on.

I said, “Iie, wakarimasen.”  (No, I don’t understand)

Everyone laughed, as did I.  I wasn’t embarrassed, it was fun regardless of whatever the hell was going on.   Next he asked me where I was from and when I said Philadelphia, he obviously didn’t know where that was, so I corrected myself and said “Nu Yoku” (New York.)  Then he goes on and on about New York, me, and keeps pointing at me.  At one point he asked if I understood any Japanese in which I replied, “Hai, sukoshi” (Yes, a little).

He was not making fun of me or anything, I could tell that, he was just having fun because the guy that has no idea what’s going on decided to sit in the front row.

Later he did some kind of trick using the sword, some vaseline (I think),  and an old lady he plucked out of the crowd.

I didn’t understand the trick, but clapped anyway.  Then he said “Sayonara” and I knew it was time to leave.   I walked back to the train and prepared for my trip back to the MegaCity.

I woke up the next morning after the long light at Ishimaru, and felt like crap, so I took a showered and packed my bags to check out and head back to Tokyo. I walked down stairs with my head pounding and walked to the front desk and handed her my key and said, “Checking Out.”

She looked at me kinda funny and began to explain to me that I wasn’t leaving then… I had another night.

That day I lost when I flew over here is catching up to me I guess. I didn’t have any idea what day it was, what did it matter anyway? So I walked back up stairs, threw my luggage back on the floor and headed out for some breakfast.

Later on I was thinking about what Yasu, from Ishimaru Shoten, said about Kurama and the hot springs. I really did want to go, but I really felt like poo, so I thought… and looked at the map. Then plotted the route… then jumped on the train. I figured the best thing for a hangover would be a hot springs bath. I was off to visit Kurama. (As you can see from the Wikipedia link, there isn’t much known about this place. As far as the internet tells ya.)

Turns out Kurama is home of yet another temple… and yet another temple on top of a mountain. I got off the train and followed everyone else and seen a big map on the side of the road that pointed to all the lovely things Kurama had to offer. I noted where the Hot Springs was and decided to check out the temple first, not realizing that it was 2 miles up the mountain.

The path was carved of stone steps all the way to the top, crossing left and right, back and forth until you were standing in front of the temple over looking the Mountains of Japan. It was a beautiful and breathtaking site. I sat down and rested for a while and doing so noticed that the majority of people up there were older folks, in their 60’s 70’s and maybe even 90’s. I was astonished that they climbed the mountain, and figure they probably do it once or twice a month if not more. After considering that and looking at more people I also noticed the majority of girls were wearing high heels. Crazy Crazy is all I could think.

Then there it stood… A sign pointing off into the forest. It read 400m with some Kanji on it that I didn’t understand. People were walking there, so I followed, camera in hand being the good little tourist that I am. Once I arrived at the unknown 400 meter mark there was another map and some a tiny bit of English, (Actually I think it was just pictures… regardless, I understood) seemed like a Nature park, a place to see Animals.

I didn’t see any animals.

Instead I walked another 3200 meters up and down the mountain with the old folks and the girls in high heels. Everyone was panting and sighing and saying it was hard. I would walk by some of the older folk and say, “Ganbattane!” which has about the same meaning as “Break A Leg” or “You can do it, keep up the good work.” They would laugh at my mispronunciation and thank me.

Finally at the bottom of the mountain I figured I would be back at the start… and kept thinking that as I kept walking down the street. I passed many little restaurants that over looked the river and waterfalls beside them. Their attendants were women in Kimonos and greeted me and everyone else as we walked past.

Turns out I was in the next town over, who’s name I have forgotten. I believe it is a place for Japanese people to go for vacation. It was beautiful. People were putting stationary candles in the river as I was walking by, lining them up to illuminate the water as people at their meals over looking. It was still daylight outside.

Finally I came to an end… but it wasn’t the end I was expecting. It was the other end, meaning I had to walk all the way back to where I came out from the forest and head the other direction. My feet and legs were really starting to hurt at this point, but I had too much dignity to ask someone. (That and I was just shy to ask after walking that far)

Tack on another 3000 meters and I was at a train station, but it wasn’t the Kurama train station, it was the previous station before ending at Kurama. I hoped on and headed back to Kurama… It was starting to get dark now.

Back at Kurama, walking towards the Hot Springs, I wondered if they would still be open. What if the train stops early, what if I’m stranded out here. There was nobody around at this point. Just me and the street full of vacation homes that appeared vacant.   The legs were aching and the Hot Springs wasn’t anywhere in site, until…

Looking like a camp for kids there was the Kurama Health spa…  I was confused until I looked up the hill at yet another rock stair case with a man sitting in a booth.  I walked up to the booth and noticed it said, “Outdoor Bath.”  Bingo, found it, now I just have to figure out how to do it.

I asked the man if he spoke English and he said a little, and he pointed at the machine to his right where I could buy tickets for the bath as well as tickets for a towel.  How convenient.

I walked up to the bath locker room, took off my shoes and placed them in a bag to store in my locker as the badly written English signs said, then walked in 2 more people.  I took my time acting like I knew what I was doing while I watched them.  *shudder*

Yep, time to get naked in pubic… my first time ever.  I took off all my cloths, wrapped the towel around me and headed for the sit down shower.

Traditionally speaking, with good reason, you are supposed to scrub your body and rinse before jumping the man soup.  Who would want to bathe in a tub with other dirty men?  Wait…  I don’t even wanna bath in a tub with clean men, what am I talking about.  Whatever, I cleaned myself and walked over to the 20 foot x 20 foot body of steaming hot water.  I hopped right in and started stretching out my legs.   Very long story short, I sat in the water for about 30 minutes, hoping in and out as my body requested.  After I got out, I took a quick rinse off and put my cloths back on.

Walking out I noticed some vending machines and I was thirsty.  As I walked towards them there was another booth that had the sign for minutes right beside the number 15, and the sign for Yen right beside the number 200.  I looked in and there was 2 vacant shiatsu chairs.  Oh yeah, for about $1.65 I could get a 15 minute massage.  Sold!  So I went to grab a water first and noticed they had beer vending machines.

Did I mention this was heaven?

Massage and beer finished I walked back to the train station which was also vacant.  All but one girl.  I asked her if the train was coming and she assured me it was, so I sat and waited patiently while playing on my Nintendo DS.

The train came and we took off…  and here comes the icing of the cake.   I’m on the train, playing my game and all the sudden all the lights go off.  The outside lights as well as the inside lights.  I look up, (as I was sitting in the front row seat) and low and behold we were going threw a Maple forest that was artificially lit up.  The trees were every shade of red, green and orange you could ever imagine.  It was magic.  People were running to the front of the train with their camera phones and yelling “Kirai!”  (Beautiful)

I just sat there and watched as the glory of the universe unfolded before me.

The next day after Ishimaru Shoten, I awoke and hopped back on my bike. It was a busy day for me. I rode up to Nijojo (Castle) and snapped a few hundred pics and marveled at the real moat they had surrounding the castle. Then off to Kinkakuji The Golden Pavilion, where I again snapped a few hundred pics.

There is too much to say for these places. I cannot put what I seen into words, so I just suggest you take a trip to Kyoto yourself to marvel at the udder wonderment that is.

After leaving Kinkakuji I fancied the idea of finding a place to eat Okonomiyaki. I walked into a tea house and asked some folks where I could find such a place. They were intrigued with my Japanese and I had the most indepth conversation I’ve ever had in a foreign language even thought it mostly consisited of…

Me: “Do you know where I can find a Okonomiyaki Store?”
Old Lady: “Oh my, his Japanese is so good!”
Me: “Oh Thank you so much, but really, it’s not very good.”
Old Man: “I think there is a few down the road.”
Me: “The closest one is fine.”
Old Lady: “Where are you from?”
Me: “Philadelphia.”
Old Lady: “Oh, America.”
Me: “Yes, That’s right.”

…and the old man continued to tell me where the place was but I wasn’t understanding any of it… So I thanked them, and left. I finally gave up and just ate a beef salad in a department store’s food court. It was good.

The two aforementioned locations were North of my hotel, but it was time to travel south to Fushimi Inari. I kinda got lost for a little while, but then I found the huge orange gate which was the start of the 2 mile uphill path called Fushimi Inari.

Early in the route I noticed another Gaijin (Foreigner) and asked in Japanese if he spoke English. He said yes and we chatted a while about where we were from and what not. Turns out he is from Manchester and had been living in Osaka for the past year teaching English for Nova. Interestingly, his girlfriend lives in Lancaster, PA. Heh, small world.

We walked up the mountain talking, laughing, and taking pictures. I asked him about Okonomiyaki and he told me he knew of a great one. We shot some pics of the sunset at the top of the mountain and I asked him if he wanted to go eat and grab a beer. He agreed and we were on our way.

Turns out the Okonomiyaki joint was about a block away from Ishimaru Shoten… We ate delicious Okonomiyaki, then he introduced me to a 280Yen place where they serve food and drink and everything on the menu is 280Yen. The employees screamed in unison anytime anyone ordered anything. Just another dose of the energy of Japan.

In turn, I introduced him to Ishimaru Shoten where we had a whiskey and another beer. He left, I stayed and hung out with the locals, having broken conversations until the wee hours of the night. When I left, the train had stopped running and I had to take a Taxi…

At the hotel, I fell on the bed and passed out.

Back at the hotel, I decided to look for some place to eat. I was reading the tourist guides the front desk clerk gave me and in it there was a small ad for Ishimaru Shoten. The ad reads…

ISHIMARU SHOTEN (Japanese Bar)
        Located on roji alley #13 (look for the #13 sign at the alley entrance)
        very narrow alleys about 200m north of Shijo, east of Kiyamachi or
        west of Pontocho; Tel: 213-0966; Open everyday: 18:00-3:00 (until
        4:00 on weekends); cozy, fun Japanese-style bar; the friendly owner
        welcomes Japanese and international visitors; very reasonable prices;
        food (light meals, snacks, Japanese dishes): 220 yen-580 yen; drink
        (beer, shochu spirit, Japanese sake): 370 yen-580 yen; credit cards
        not accepted; Eng. menu.  

… So, sounds like fun to me, so I start asking various people how to get there. I jump on a train, to another train and I’m finally in the neighborhood. This is where the fun starts.

I ask a girl outside a bar if she knows where it’s at, she points in one direction. I go that way and ask a guy where it’s at, and he points the other direction in which I came. This goes on for about an hour, seriously. Finally someone tells me to ask at Koban (the police box) on the corner. I do so… the police man breaks out like 5 different maps and takes about 15 minutes before he says, “Wakarimasen” (I don’t know)…

I’m starting to starve at this point, but I feel that I must complete the mission in finding the one and only Ishimaru Shoten.

Walking up and down these alleys that are about 4 feet wide I finally notice there are smaller alleys on the side of the alley I’m on. One of the alleys has the number 20 on it… Could it be? Could it be that 7 alleys down would me my haven?

Yes… Yes yes yes. I find an alley with the number 13 written on it. Small and in the upper corner of the alley, almost hidden. I had past this point about 6 times already. 13 Roji alley is about 3 feet wide and there was a few stores in it as well as a door with a hand written sign that read, “Ishimaru Shoten.” I was a little scared, but I didn’t search for nearly 2 hours to walk away.

I open the door…

There is 1930 jazz music playing low, 2 Japanese men at the bar and a bartender. I take a seat at the bar and look around as they finish up their conversation. The bar is about 6 feet wide and 8 feet deep. A total of 4 people could set at the bar and there was about 6 other seats with miniature tables. Yes… The place is about 2 times the size of my closet and covered with business cards, posters, signs, various money from around the world, and a caricature painting of Hitler dropping a bomb out of a plane. I order a beer.

Shortly after another japanese guy walks in and sets beside me. He gestures to me and starts to speak in English. It was very good English as well, better than most people I’ve talked to. His name is Yasu, and we have a few beers and talk back and forth to each other for a few hours. He recommends me to goto Kurama because I was asking about hot springs. I get his email, thank him and the bartender, take a picture of everyone, and head out the door, feeling accomplished and joyful to the utmost extreme.

So I know I’m way behind in the bloggage, however, by the time I get back to my hotel room I have about enough energy to check my email before I pass out from exhaustion. Tonight I’ll make an exception.

So I’ve been in Kyoto for a few days now, and I cannot begin to describe it any further than “The most beautiful place on Earth.” Monday and Tuesday I rented a Bicycle and road all around Kyoto, from 40km North to 40km South of my hotel room. I’ve been to more than a few temples and\or shrines. No way I can write in detail about them all, so I’ll do my best to speak briefly of a couple.

My first day here, I checked into my hotel room, played with the toliets 15 buttons for a few minutes (not kidding, there is 15, including a butt dryer) and went back to the front desk to ask about renting a bicycle. Turns out there was a place about 100 meters from the hotel, so I went over and grabbed a bike for 1000Yen a day.

I’m not much for planning so without looking at a map I just started to ride around. About 20 minutes into the ride I noticed what looked like a temple in the distance, so I rode towards to. Next thing I know I’m at this temple, looking up at it’s architecture and people coming to pray, burn incense, and light candles. I watched for a while before I started to walk back towards my bike. During the journey back to my bike an alleyway going uphill started calling my name…. “Jimmy, come this way.” So I did.

About 300 meters up the hill, I was smack dab in the middle of an enormous graveyard. I’m talking at least 12 football fields full of elaborate tall standing head stones, going up and down the mountain side. I proceeded to walk up the path, completely alone, not a soul around. Just me and a couple crows that kept yelling as if I was intruding upon the dead. 15 minutes up the hill I noticed an orange roof top sticking out of the trees. This looked like another temple. So I continued until I reached a set of open gates. On the otherside of the gates there were hundreds of people, mostly consisting of school children and elder folk. Seems I hit a huge temple. This was nothing like the little temple I started at down the hill.

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves as I cannot begin to explain the beauty of this place.

I asked someone and it turns out I landed at the Kiyomizu Temple. I strolled around, made some wishes, ate some soba, and started walking back down the graveyard where I grabbed a great shot of a crow on a head stone. Tears were starting to dwell in my eyelids the entire time. I ventured to find my bike.

Just for your information, I am a bit behind on my blog, but then again, I didn’t come to Japan to sit in front of a computer and type.

Friday Night, after Akihabara I thought I would check out Roppongi. Roppongi is the party district of Tokyo. What this means to me is, a very typical party district, full of foreigners and jerks.

I was right. There were so many Jamaicans (maybe) hustling drugs or prostitution (not sure, I didn’t really stick around long enough to find out) in the streets. I walked up and down looking for an ATM and finally found a citizens bank with an english menu. I withdrawled 20,000Yen and proceeded to find a place to hang out.

First I went into a bar\club, alone in an alley, away from all the other clubs and restaurants. I ordered a beer and a slice of pizza, and ate it by myself with no conversation. Boring. At this point I decided to just head back to Kichijoji and either find something there, or goto sleep.

As I was walking back to the train, this one bar was practically glowing and calling my name. I walked towards it and noticed is was tiny, and full of foreigners (as is everything in Roppongi), how ever I was instantly greeted by a couple “White Fellers.” I say down, ordered a beer from the English-Spoke Indian bartender and got into a decent conversation with the “White Fellers.” The bar was covered with english graffiti on the inside. Reminded me of home.

2 Brits, 2 Aussies, and one guy from Texas. Sounds very strange, but they spoke English and enjoyed my company. Next thing I know, I’m being offered another beer from one of the Aussies.

They all lived and worked in Japan, and spoke fluent Japanese. (jealous =P)

After the 2nd beer they persuaded me to goto Motown. Yes, it was as it seems, a Motown themed bar smack in the middle of Roppongi. We pillaged thru the hustlers and slut and walked up the steps to Motown. Another round of drinks followed by another, all provided by my new friends. I did manage to force myself to buy a round of drink.

We exchanged information and plan on hanging out again after I get back from Kyoto.

It was 11:30pm, and if I wanted to get back to Kichijoji I had to leave. I said my good-byes and hit the train.

Back in Kichijoji, somehow, I wound up on the oppisite end of the train station and somehow became lost, but that wouldn’t have anything to do with the beer that was in me.

Wondering around I notice a McDonalds and decide to give it a shot. I ordered an Ebi Filet, and that’s a Shrimp Filet sandwich for those of you that don’t have your Sushi lingo down. Ordering wasn’t as easy as you’d think. I walked up and said, “Ni-Kombo o Kudasai.” which was followed by the clerk turning her neck and giving me the I-have-no-idea-what-you-just-said-look. I pointed and nodded and nodded and pointed until I had a sandwich in my hand. No drink, No french fries, just a sandwich.

Turns out, Combo is not a word in Japan, instead it’s Seto. Now I know, not that I’m going to be eating McDonalds alot, but regardless, that Shrimp Filet sandwich as good.

Finally I was on my way back to Tokyu Inn, my hotel. Wondering the streets, trying to find my way, another sign is calling my name. Pub Rabbit. A purple sign, written in English but had the word Karaoke written in Japanese, which I could read.

I thought, “No, I’ve had enough to drink, I need to goto bed.” But somehow my legs carried me up the stairs to my destiny.

(To be continued)

Well, I’m currently riding on the train to Kyoto.  I’ve been listing to my Japanese audio files to maybe help me speak some more.  It’s not nearly coming back to me as fast as I had thought.  I feel rather dumb, but then again, I guess I am in one of the most advanced and hardworking countries in the world.  I’m not going to beat myself up to much.

So yesterday was Sunday.  It’s was the day for The Mandrake Toy store at Nakano and Meiji Shrine at Harajuku.

We arrived at the Nakano Broadway shopping center that contains the 4 story toy store.  (It’s not really a store as you maybe thinking.  It was almost like an indoor flea market of toys, comics, and cosplay cloths.

There isn’t much to write about the Mandrake store other than it was fun to walk thru and look at the hundreds of thousands of action figures dating from the 1920’s to Current time.  I snapped a few pictures of things in the hallways, as there was a sign stating for no cameras inside the stores.  I didn’t realize until a small Japanese woman starting rushing at me with a very pissed off look on her face when I took a picture of the cosplay costumes that were displayed in the hallways.

Upon leaving the Mandrake store, Tuk said he was hungry and there were many good Ramen shops located in Nakano, so we hit the streets and found one with a line of 20 people of more awaiting a get a seat inside.  The place had no doors to walk in and out of, it was just opened with some cloth hanging over the openings with some Kanjo written on them.  Tuk ordered for me because, well, I have no idea what I’m doing when it comes to ordering food.  The organization of the Ramen place was pretty amazing.  There was 4 employees.  One to take the order and set it up on what looked like a gameboard, another for boiling the noodles to individual order, one for the condiments (bamboo, sliced pork, hard boiled egg, and a piece of seaweed) and one to sprinkle pepper on the soup and hand it to the customer.

Once we stepped off the train in Harajuku there was the Meiji Jingu Bashi (Meiji Shrine Bridge) where all the cosplay gangs gather around.  The weather was a little bad because It had been raining for the past 2 days, so there was less crowded than usual, but there was still a few dozen cosplay kids.

Here is another strange part I’ve failed to understand.  The cosplay kids dress up like Anime characters, Maids, Nurses, and whatnot for what I would think would be attention.  However they are extremely shy.  Their backs were turned 99% of the time to the crowd that was waiting impatiently for a great picture.  In one specific case, there was young guy (I think, maybe it was just a really ugly girl) dressed as a french maid hiding behind her\his laced umbrella.  We made eye contact, I lifted my camera, he\she  pulled the umbrella over her squatted body.  In other cases, about 15 or 20 of the cosplay kids were gathered in a corner of the bridge, all facing away from the crowd talking to each other.  2 hours after coming back from the Meiji shrine, they were all in the same position.  Attention wanting shy kids, make up your mind.

Tuk and I proceeded towards the Meiji shrine where a huge gate was the entrance of the shrines path.  The isn’t a gate as you may think, the pictures I took should describe it, but instead 2 mammoth columns supporting a Japanese style design cut out of wood with a golden flower on it.  I snapped a few photo’s of it, but the pictures do no justice to it’s size.

Onward down the path there was a wall consisting of hundreds of Sake barrels.  Tuk explained  to me they were still full, and will always be left there, full of Sake.  They were a gift to god.  On the other side of the path there was a smaller wall consisting of about 30 full sized wine barrels, and yes, they were full too.

About 1/2 mile later we reached the shrine.  Before walking into the shrine you were asked to wash your hands and your mouth at a traditional Shinto washing station.  Washing in this case does not mean with soap and water.  It’s a spiritual cleansing.  Just dousing each hand with this water, then drinking some of the water from your hand and spitting it back out.  After proper cleansing, we walked into the shrine where there were people praying inside the shrine and an occasional loud bang from a drum the size of an elephant.  Every time the drum was hit everyone within 50 feet of it jumped from the blood shaking sounds of the massive thing.

There was a traditional dance of about 8 people dressed up as Shinto gods with a band playing traditional music.

Well, I’m going to enjoy the rest of the beautiful ride to Kyoto from my window seat on this train that’s going about 180MPH.