Day 2 - Part 2: Hama-Rikyu Gardens and Asakusa

     Here's what was waiting for us outside our hotel when we got back from the market. Don't worry, there was a camera crew with them, so I can only assume this was the Anderson Cooper and Christina Amanpour of Tokyo. Look how professional they are.

     I get back to the hotel room to update some blog, and what do I see on TV? A Yankee game. A goddamn Yankee game. I don't get enough of these on ESPN?! Yes, I recognize that it's on Japanese TV and they're playing the Mariners so it's Ichiro vs. Godzilla Matsui, but that still...a Yankee game?! 

     I will admit to being throughly entertained when Hideki Matsui hit a line drive to Ichiro, which Ichiro dropped like a 5th grader distracted by a butterfly. The heads of the Japanese announcers exploded. It was the Japanese-American baseball equivalent of "Down Goes Frazier!!", but with 178% less actual sporting significance. I'm still glad I could see it. It's a moment I can tell someone else's grandkids about. 

     A quick regroup was convened in our room, then back onto the streets for further adventures. Here's the kind of neighborhood we're in. The Future is fancy, people. Get used to it.

     Carisa took some time to introduce herself to the neighbors, and then we were off again.

     

 

 

       First stop was the Hama-rikyu Gardens, which are riverside right by our hotel. This is a beautiful, beautiful garden. One of those rare, awesome parks in the middle of a vast urban area that make you forget that you're in a city. I will post some pictures here, free of smart-ass banter. That's how nice it was.

     

 

 

 

     There are many many more pictures of this beautiful space, and I'm setting up a Flickr account to post them all, so sit tight. It's worth the wait.

 

     This is Carisa and I in the Tea House located in the middle of the seawater pond in the Hama-rikyu Gardens. It was built by in 1707 by the Shogun to receive guests, and the subsequent Shoguns found it so relaxing they kept it. We purchased powdered green tea and bean curd cake , complete with a sheet on the proper etiquette for eating and drinking this particular snack. A meal and a lesson in manners for only 500 yen each. Can't beat that. 

 

     From there we caught the ferry up-river to Asakusa, a section of Tokyo that I will never pronounce correctly not once ever. I've given up and so should you.

 

     We took the opportunity on this trip to ditch all those pesky etiquette lessons and begin drinking again. This was Seibu River Hefeweizen, a beer specifically made to be drank on the ferry. Far be it from us to deny something it's destiny. We also had a lovely conversation with a man from Colorado named Dan. We make friends wherever we go.

  

 

     We arrived in Asakusa (yeah, you trying saying it) and after some walking arrived at the entrance to the main market, known as Thunder Gate. Incredible naming job there. Well done all around, Japan.

      

 

     Here's an introductory view of the Asakusa (at this point I might even be spelling it wrong) market, a market filled with every kind of a souvenir craft possible. 

  

     

 

     Every. Conceivable. Souvenir Craft.

     

     Here's the temple located at the far end of the market.

          

 

     And the Five-Storied Pagoda.

 

     And Carisa getting her picture taken with the Seven Gods. We meet celebrities wherever we go.

     After that it was back to the hotel. I'll try to get more pictures up on Flickr sooner rather then later, so you'll get to see everything we've seen. 

     Until next time.