Wonder Grasps: Japan Day 4

Saturday, August 15, 2015

♫ This is the day You made, I’ll rejoice and be glad with all that I am ♫

Yaay!! Day one of my adventure!! (alone hahaha) took me a lot of pixie dust to get myself going somewhere far from where I consider home in a country I’m a foreigner to. If you read my blog before this (Day 3), you would’ve read that that night, I prepared for this day. I made a map of my own from my tita’s house going to Haijima station, I also studied on how to ride a train at Japan – changing lines, changing lines and changing lines HAHAHA I searched on what stations I’ll be going down to change lines to go to Asakusa. It was a good thing tho that ate Amy (the friend of my tita who made a visit on my birthday) lend me her Suica. This was more convenient than repeatedly buying tickets from one station to another, especially when travelling from places afar.

I don’t actually know what got into me that I went out of Kanda station (one of the stations I went pass through going to Asakusa). Oh I remember! It was because the city looked beautiful from where I was sitting on the train, and I wanted to check the place out!

I usually take photos/videos at different stations. Each station would be different from the other (well ofcourse), what I meant was that some would look vintage, some small, some scary, some were branded (high-end stations HAHAHA) and some would just be a station. :))))

Asakusa!! Well to be honest with you, by the time I took my foot at Asakusa, I didn’t know where the tourist attractions were. I didn’t know the details on what I can find at Asakusa. All I know was that it had those famous temples – which I had no idea what they looked like. So this was like a yolo trip for me HAHAHA going on a place where I don’t know what to do :)) Still, God’s provision prevailed. Just at the left of the station is the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center – so there was where I found my purpose at Asakusa HAHAHA they gave out maps on places to go at Asakusa.

Kaminarimon Gate

Not far from the Information Center, I easily found Kaminarimon Gate, gate which led to different temples on the inside. I didn’t really think I would reach this far as someone who went alone with no clue of where she’s going HAHAHA (oh wait, I did know Asakusa had the most famous temples :))) So I badly wanted to have a picture here but I can’t find anyone who can take a photo of me. Then someone approached me and told me that we could exchange pictures. He could take a photo of me, and I take his. So I was like, sure thing. It was my first time to travel alone so I thought maybe I could explore Asakusa with someone, since this guy looked he’s been travelling a lot. So there, we had a conversation, and he shared to me how he loved to travel alone – made me want to travel even more! Oh, he was from laos btw.

Nakamise Shopping Street

It was my first time to go alone and I thought to myself why not try checking the whole place alone, so I told him that I’ll be checking on the other places since he was too busy finding a post card; and I was impatient. :))

Hozomon Gate

Five-storied Pagoda

Sensouji Temple

This picture was taken by someone from United Kingdom, and this time it was already me who approached someone and asked if we could exchange pictures (just how the laotian told me – learning ey). I realized those who travel alone are mostly men, and I rarely see women who travel alone, if ever I do see one, I can approximate their age at about 30-40 plus – what a judger.

Oh and I remember, this was the photo I uploaded on my ig which I linked on my fb, and one of my titas messaged me to not talk to strangers (since my caption was meeting new friends ... just follow me on ig :))) and I told her to not worry, and that I was careful and discerning on people whom I talk to. And contrary to what other parents would say - the don't talk to strangers thing - my dad would tell us to keep on asking, instead of wasting your time roaming around a place you aren't familiar with. Well it would go with precaution of course, since you don't know who you're talking to. You can actually see it in the eye of a person of what his/her intentions are. The thing is just be cautious.

I asked people nearby (specifically tourists too so that we could converse in English, since most Japanese spoke very little in English) what they were trying to do here, they said luck would come to you if you let the smoke come to you.

In here, before entering the temple, you should wash first your hands (both left and right) then your mouth, then the handle. Learned it from a tour guide somewhere roaming around HAHAHA I was just there, observing; but not doing. Here I learned how to show respect to people adopted to a different culture/tradition. :D

Now the following would be bits and pieces from Sensouji temple.

I can’t believe I wasn’t able to take a picture of the section where people would be allowed to get some sort of a fortune paper. First thing to do was to shake the container with key-sticks (not sure what those things are called around here) then once a key-stick would come out, you would find the drawer that would match the written symbols from the key-stick, and from there, get a fortune paper. If the fortune paper was of good luck, you should keep it; but if not you get to hang it in this rack.

Going down to the left of Sensouji temple, you’ll find a garden, some sculptures and the other temples.

Yogoda Hall

Zenizuka Jizo-do Hall

Hanayashiki Amusement Park

too cute hihi as much as I wanted to wear something that would go with the place, I couldn't. I was travelling alone and I let the practical side of me took over. Rubber shoes for long walks, pants because it was my first time to go alone so I have to know if wearing shorts (since it was very very hot - temp would reach 38°C during my stay) would be fine, and a dora backpack for maps, water, umbrella (tho at times I was too lazy to, why I ended up being tanned), wallet, souvenirs and other things under the sun lol