Belated Japan Pics
Here is a crop of belated Japan pics.
First, here is the entrance to the Asakusa shrine/marketplace/tourist battle zone. This giant bell/lantern hanging in the gate faces a busy street that is infested with bicycle rickshaw drivers who are more persistant than a tick. They humourously evoke a driven salesman-ish friendliness that disappeared from the US in 1972. Think Gill the salesman from the Simpsons. (where else?)
A closer look at the latern reveals some symbols written on the base. At first blush I stupidly thought it was a swastika, but it is reversed. That means it is a symbol for Good Luck that predates Nazism.
If you walk straight through the gate and keep going, you pass what seems like hundreds of vendor stalls hawking an amazing variety of fried rice crackers, toys, postcards, traditional mumbo jumbo, clothes, and candies. Keep going and you come to another gate that contains the actual Asakusa shrine. This courtyard is immediately flanked by two long buildings that serve as fortune telling machines (see pic). The buildings have a long table running along it. On these tables are various cylinders about the size of a pringles can. Inside are numerous sticks with numbers on them. You shake it until one comes out. The number on that stick matches a small drawer on the side of the building. Inside that drawer is your fortune for the year. Mine was the best possible fortune.
Don't believe me? To quote:
No.87 THE BEST FORTUNE
You will meet good luck by chance just like getting a gem from the rocks while you are digging.
Even if you are righteous and have a chance to be successful, nothing can be achieved unless you work hard.
*Your wishes will be realized. *The patient will get well. *The lost article will be found. *The person you are waiting for will come. *Building a new house and removal are both good. *It is good to make a trip. *Both marriage and employment are good.
Of course, the wife's fortune was pretty bad. Everything's going to fall apart. I kidded her that this proves I'm doing all the heavy lifting in the relationship.
In the middle of this courtyard is a smoking cauldron that is burning some kind of incense. You are supposed to lean over it and wave the smoke onto your body for health and good luck. If you want knowledge, wave the smoke onto your head. Your ass hurts, wave it down below. I waved some on my head. You can see this smokey pot in the pic above. In the foreground of the pic is the entrance to the actual shrine looking back onto the courtyard. The big box is for donations. I tossed in a few yen for the good fortune.
Another view of the entrance to the courtyard. In the background is the towering Five Story Pagoda.
All around the courtyard are other shrines and monuments. This one is for the children who were killed or orphaned during WWII. People who had lost children or family members in the war bring hats and scarves for the children statues on cold days. They also bring them milk and warm tea, as you can see. The heart-breaking inscription on the monument explains that this is for all those who died in the bombing and fires, for the mothers who lost their children, for the children who lost their parents, and for all the families who were seperated, never to see each other again.
Another monument. I can't remember what this one was for.
Entrance to a small shrine for a famous warrior.
This great old bell is located on a small hill that overlooks a playground. Children use the hill, the ancient stone markings, and the bell tower as a hide-and-seek haven. At least they were when I was there. If I remember right, this bell is rung on new years.
A better look at the Five Story Pagoda.
Located in the courtyard, this statue/fountain has something to do with luck. I don't remember the particulars, but there is a ladel in the water and you are supposed to actually drink this water. I saw a foxy young lady actually drink this water, though her two cute friends did not. Not wanting an intense intestinal bug, I did not drink it.
Spidering out from the walkway to the Asakusa shrine are these tiny indoor/outdoor malls. These passageways sit inbetween buildings and sometime stand on their own without building around them. They were too numerous to fully investigate, but they contain an assortment of shops and restaurants. We bought some nice luggage and had dinner in one of these alleyways.
And finally, here is the WND visiting the location where they shot the Hoth scenes in Empire. Actually, that's our backyard a day or so before leaving for Japan.
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