As you step out of the Asakusa station, it's pretty hard to miss the approach to the temple as it's marked by a huge honking gate and red lantern. The temple is known as the Asakusa Kannon Temple, since it is dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon, or Goddess of Mercy. According to legend, in 628, two fisherman were fishing and found a golden statue figurine. They threw it back in the water, but then they caught it again, twice. Recognizing godly acts for what they were, the village decided to build a temple at that site to commemorate Kannon. This is the oldest temple in Tokyo, and very popular with locals and tourists alike.
Nakamise-dori is the street leading to the temple and it is lined with street vendors, and most exciting, food stalls.
This cookie making machine was the most fascinating thing I've seen since the tortilla making machine at Uncle Julio's. The cookies are molded, pressed and packaged in a matter of seconds, then they slide down the ramp into a box, where you can purchase 3 for merely ¥100.
The 3 that I grabbed were shaped like a fish (eaten too quickly to be photographed), a bird, and the lantern at the gate above. These are soft cookies with a glutinous dough, filled with lotus or red bean paste, and they were still warm out of the conveyor belt!
I am familiar with the okonomiyaki (a sort of Japanese omelet) but this stall for osakayaki caught my eye. You take an egg, a few pieces of ham, corn kernels, dried shrimp, crunchy rice puffs, shredded lettuce and grill it in pancake-like batter.
The whole thing is flipped, then topped with pickled ginger, nori, mayo, and okonomiyaki sauce. Oishii!
Approaching the temple itself, we have another gate with a red lantern.
For ¥100, you can buy a mikuji, or a small fortune. You put your money in the till, then shake a box filled with long wooden rods. There is a hole at one end, and when one of the rods falls out, you look at the number and draw the corresponding fortune from one of the wooden boxes. After you read it, fold it up and tie it to the wire racks. I watched intently as a couple Brits tried this and then realized they couldn't read what their fortune was anyway.
This burner is filled with incense and billowing smoke, which is why everyone beelines toward it.
Breathing in the smoke is supposed to bestow good luck, so crowds gather around for some quality smoke inhalation and waft the smoke towards their faces.
This fountain includes several ladles, with which you can catch the water and sprinkle some on your hands. Well, I also saw an old lady sipping the water directly. Considering how paranoid they are about swine flu over here, I was surprised at this rather unhygienic move. Maybe Kannon will protect her.
The inside of the temple
On the outside, there is a small park with a rock garden, statues, and some other significant figures whose names I can't read. At this point, I went looking for octopus balls.
As you step out of the Asakusa station, it's pretty hard to miss the approach to the temple as it's marked by a huge honking gate and red lantern. The temple is known as the Asakusa Kannon Temple, since it is dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon, or Goddess of Mercy. According to legend, in 628, two fisherman were fishing and found a golden statue figurine. They threw it back in the water, but then they caught it again, twice. Recognizing godly acts for what they were, the village decided to build a temple at that site to commemorate Kannon. This is the oldest temple in Tokyo, and very popular with locals and tourists alike.
Nakamise-dori is the street leading to the temple and it is lined with street vendors, and most exciting, food stalls.
This cookie making machine was the most fascinating thing I've seen since the tortilla making machine at Uncle Julio's. The cookies are molded, pressed and packaged in a matter of seconds, then they slide down the ramp into a box, where you can purchase 3 for merely ¥100.
The 3 that I grabbed were shaped like a fish (eaten too quickly to be photographed), a bird, and the lantern at the gate above. These are soft cookies with a glutinous dough, filled with lotus or red bean paste, and they were still warm out of the conveyor belt!
I am familiar with the okonomiyaki (a sort of Japanese omelet) but this stall for osakayaki caught my eye. You take an egg, a few pieces of ham, corn kernels, dried shrimp, crunchy rice puffs, shredded lettuce and grill it in pancake-like batter. 
The whole thing is flipped, then topped with pickled ginger, nori, mayo, and okonomiyaki sauce. Oishii!
Approaching the temple itself, we have another gate with a red lantern.
For ¥100, you can buy a mikuji, or a small fortune. You put your money in the till, then shake a box filled with long wooden rods. There is a hole at one end, and when one of the rods falls out, you look at the number and draw the corresponding fortune from one of the wooden boxes. After you read it, fold it up and tie it to the wire racks. I watched intently as a couple Brits tried this and then realized they couldn't read what their fortune was anyway.
This burner is filled with incense and billowing smoke, which is why everyone beelines toward it. 
Breathing in the smoke is supposed to bestow good luck, so crowds gather around for some quality smoke inhalation and waft the smoke towards their faces.
This fountain includes several ladles, with which you can catch the water and sprinkle some on your hands. Well, I also saw an old lady sipping the water directly. Considering how paranoid they are about swine flu over here, I was surprised at this rather unhygienic move. Maybe Kannon will protect her.
The inside of the temple
On the outside, there is a small park with a rock garden, statues, and some other significant figures whose names I can't read. At this point, I went looking for octopus balls.
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2 comments:
just want to let you know I am loving the blog!! Looks like you are doing amazing things!
-Katherine
Awesome photos 'stal! I had no idea of your trip. Looks like you had an amazing time :) Talk soon
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