In the morning we met up with some of Zeb Sr. and Emily's friends that they had known from back in Fairbanks, Alaska. We had breakfast at the US navy base... or what I think was a base that looked like a hotel. It's interesting to live in the US in Japan. I don't even know how to describe it, but I don't think I mind it. I think it may actually give me a way to experience the culture and then sit back and really think about it in a relaxed way.
After breakfast we went to Asakusa. In Asakusa there are some very large markets with every type of Japanese souvenirs that you can think of. I bought a few things, but I'm saving most of my souvenir shopping for later. At one of the stores where I bought some chopsticks one of the ladies gave me a present; a little paper crane. It was very sweet and nice.
At the temple itself, there was incense burning, people purifying their hands and mouths, people getting fortunes, and most importantly people praying. It was a very fasinating sight to see. I figured I should join in, so I watched as others fanned the incense smoke onto themselves, poured water onto their hands and washed out their mouths, and got fortunes, then I followed suit. My fortune said
"The Last and Small Fortune: If everything goes quite well up to the half way, there will be no more harm. A bad person may fetch you into the wrong way, there is a good and effective medicine in the vase. Even when you get sic, you can get well soon.
*Your request will not be granted at once, *The patient can get well, even if it last lone. *The lost article will be found. *The person you wait for will come, but it takes a little time. *Building a new house and removal both well. *To start a trip is all right. *Marriage and employment, it is fortune will be up to a half."
I'm not sure what it all means, but it doesn't sound too bad.
All of the cultural rituals made us hungry however, so we went to find lunch. On the way there we stumbled upon a gentleman making noodles. We were happy to have gyoza at the next place though. Mmmm Yummy! We had noodles the first full day I was here. That was good, but gyoza is better.
Following lunch, we made our way to Ueno Park. There we watched a talented street performer do some Diablo tricks and made our way to the National Museum.
The National Museum had some fascinating exhibits, but because there wasn't much written in English, Zeb and I found ourselves making up stories for each interesting painting and statue... a lot of things were made in the Edo Period (which seems to be mostly true). Zeb Sr. tried to tell us that Chippendales appeared in the late Edo Period/early Showa Period. That Zeb is a silly man. :) We had no more time for silliness at the museum though. It was off to Beatles Night at the hotel!!
I got dressed in my finest sequin dress (my gay pride dress), ate very nice food, and danced to the music of four Japanese men play Beatles music. They're English wasn't perfect, but when they sang the Beatles they were. A good time was had by all, but by about 10pm Zeb and I headed to bed. We needed to be up at 4:30am to catch the bullet train to Kyoto.
For pictures of the day, see: :)
http://toanotheradventure.blogspot.com/2011/06/pictures.html
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