Shrines, crazy fashion, onsen, and more great food!

On Sunday, I had one incredible experience after another!

Chihiro and I had breakfast at a “family restaurant”, so named because they are inexpensive places to eat.  I had a traditional Japanese breakfast—miso fish which was served with rice, seaweed with dried tuna, miso soup, and tsukemono (pickled cucumbers). 

 

I told her a traditional American breakfast would be eggs, sausage, toast with butter, and cereal with milk.  "And orange juice!" she said.  I didn't even think that that was unique to American breakfast!

We then went to the Meiji Shrine in Shibuya.  We walked though a wooden gate to approach the temple.  It was a decent walk through a beautiful forest lined with trees that still had their leaves.  In the autumn they are red and yellow. 

 

 

We walked past a group of volunteers who come every day to sweep the road clean of leaves.

 

When we got to the temple we performed Omairi, a purification rite.  You take water from the basin with a wooden and pour it over your hands.  Then you put water in your mouth from your hands , swish it around, and spit it out. 

 

On reflection, it seems so interesting to me how emperors are diety figures in Japan!  Japanese will come here on large occasions like weddings, or once a year.  We did see a wedding party and Chihiro asked them if I could take pictures with them! When I joined their group, other tourist took pictures of us. I think they were jealous!

I'm with the bride and groom!  I look so happy!

Friends of the brides and groom wearing kimonos

The shrine was first built in 1912, but was rebuilt after it was destroyed during the World War II air raids on Japan.

 

 

We left the Meiji Shrine and walked over to Harajuku, the place of “crazy fashion” (and the title of a Gwen Stefani album).  Again Chihiro asked people if I could take pictures with them.

I asked, "Do they wear this every day?"  She said they do.  "Even when they go to work?" I asked again.  She said "yes".  They really rebel against norms.  They looked like they were going to Halloween costume parties.  Chihiro said you see more crazy fashion in the spring because people cover up with coats in the winter.

We walked along the fashion district, and down.  We got crepes at Santa Monica ironically named since its a Japanese crepe company.  Chihiro told me it is very famous.  I would have walked right passed it! 

This is the crepe I got.  It has vanilla ice cream, whipped cream and a slice of cheesecake!

 

We then went to Asakusa to see the famous shrine,  Sanja-sama.  It was spectacular!  This shine is what I think of when I think of Japan.  

 

Chihiro took me to get Udonn another famous Japanese dish made with noodles. 

 

 

Then I had one of the most amazing lifetime experiences—a bath at an onsen!  We got discounted tickets for 20,000 yen.  The place was beautiful beyond description.  It is very fancy inside with swimming pools, gardens, lounge chairs, and nice smelling aroma.  This must be how the wealthy in America live every day! 

Saunas are on several floors.  Each sauna has a different temperature and ambiance.   All play really relaxing music.  One of them was so hot I could barely stand on my feet.  When we entered the sauna, we laid out our towel and then lied on top of it, and fell asleep.  After we woke up, we went to a different sauna.

One of the saunas is a light therapy sauna with different color lights that you can select.  Another sauna is in a cold room which has a tank of jelly fish!  After the sauna, we relaxed on lounge chairs overlooking the skyrises and ferris wheel of Tokyo!  It was all lit up!

We spent over 2 hours in the different saunas.  Then it was time for the onsen!  We took off our robes and were completely naked the rest of the time.  All we had was a small hand towel!  Everyone walks around totally naked!  We sat on little stools to take a bath and wash our hair. 

Then we sat and relaxed in the several pools.  Each of them have different tempatures.  It could be warm, hot, or cold.  The water was brown color.  "It makes you skin look younger!" Chihiro told me.  We both put it on our faces. 

My favorite pool was located outside on a sort of roof top deck!  I thought I would freeze but it was one of my favorites because the air is so fresh. 

After the pools, we rinsed off and drank milk from the vending machine!  Why milk, I really don’t know!  But its customary.

We re-robed, sat in front of the mirror to blow dry our hair and put on lotion.  We got dressed and when it left it was just past midnight!  The onsen is open 24hrs!  Even near midnight people, some elderly, were still entering!

It was one of the best experiences of my life!  Chihiro goes once a month, and takes her sister there for her birthday.  There are even mixed saunas where you can go with your significant other.  The one we went to was all female. 

And for a cute story:

After I paid for me breakfast, I got 2 yen back in change.  100 yen is a little more than 1 dollar.  Next to the register was an empty plastic jar.  Chihiro said to me, “do you want that?” after I got my receipt and change. Naturally I assumed she meant my 2 yen, and I said, “no, not really” and thew it in the plastic jar.  “No!” she said, “I meant the receipt!” and she took out my money and put the recitp in the jar.  Haha!  I said, “Americans love to give away their money!  People can get back 80 cents in change and trhow it in the tip jar”.  She said, “Well Japanese are very stingy!”