3rd November 2011
A public holiday. So, I went to Tokyo on 2nd November night. Since this was the first time I took flight alone, so a little bit nervous. After reach Haneda Airport, I took the Kyokyu line 京急空港線 to Shinagawa 品川. Then, Yokosuka lie 横須賀線 to Musashi Kosugi 武蔵小杉. I was supposed to take another train to Shinmaruko 新丸子. However, I lost my way inside the Musagi Kosugi Station. So, I have to call my friend, Chu to rescue me. Luckily, she was in the station too, just coming back from dinner. So, Chu found me and brought me to her apartment. She was very kind to accommodate me for my Tokyo trip. She brought me to a noodle shop when she knew that I haven't had my dinner. The noodle shop was operated by a Shanghai lady, the portion was so big until I couldn't finish it although it was delicious. I couldn't help laughing when eating because another friend of mine who lived at that area always have supper at the shop. She told me before that she would ask for noodle soup and dumpling 餃子, I thought the portion was small!
On 3rd November morning, a group of us took train to Tokyo Station 東京駅 to go to Tokyo Imperial Palace 皇居. We met a lot of people who jogged around that area. I couldn't believe when I saw another Spectacles bridge 眼鏡橋, so funny! Looking at it, I thought of the spectacles bridge in Nagasaki.
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| Imperial Palace |
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| Imperial Palace |
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| near the palace |
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| Spectacles bridge 眼鏡橋 (Tokyo Version) |
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| near the palace |
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| a big field near the palace |
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| around the palace, there are marks from all over the prefectures in Japan, I missed Kumamoto. By the time I realised this, I already reached Fukuoka and the next mark was Shikoku (I think!) |
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| before reached train station, saw this unique building belonged to a lingerie company! |
After palace, we went to train station to go to Asakusa 浅草. This place was famous with Kaminarimon 雷門, a gate to enter Senso-ji 浅草寺. The gate consists of a huge big red lantern with the word of "雷門", so people can see the gate from afar. Accompanied the lantern was Fujin 風神 (Wind God) and Raijin 雷神 (Thunder God) on left and right of the gate. After entering the gate, there were rows of souvenir shops.
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| a special wall art (about kaminarimon) inside the train station |
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| Kaminarimon 雷門 (a lot of people) |
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| souvenir shops |
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| ningyo yaki 人形焼き (a local delicacy) |
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| forget the tall building was skytree or tokyo tower |
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| a gate after passing kaminarion |
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| a lot of people gathered in front of a closed gate |
The temple was full of people too, packed like sardine can. A lot of people gathered around the burner to soak in the smoke to get blessed. I was not left behind too, I also stayed there to feel the smoky atmosphere and hoped to get good luck as well.
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| in front of the temple |
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| there are 2 rows of lantern display |
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| temple |
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| temple |
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| the place for worshippers to clean their hands before entering the temple |
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| getting blessings from the smoke from the burner |
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| saw young boy dressed in traditional wear (for some festival) |
After that, we saw a procession, with kids wearing costume, it was so cute! There must be a festival お祭りgoing on.
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| procession (cute kids!) |
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| procession (bird head??) |
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| people still thronging to the kaminarimon |
Finishing the temple tour, we went to see the famous "shit shaped" structure across the bridge. It is actually Asahi Beer headquarter (with a golden themed surface) and a giant "golden flame" on top of the hall next to it. Some even said the structure looked like sperm. Hahahah!
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| Asahi Beer Tower |
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| Golden flame! |
After that, lunch time, we decided to eat dozeu どぜう (something like freshwater eel, some said it was 泥鳅) in Komagata Dozeu 駒形どぜう本店 near Kaminarimon. Luckily my friend booked earlier, or else we would have to wait outside with a long queue. However, unlike eel a.k.a Unagi 鰻, this dozeu was kind of creepy. We had a hard time finishing it, especially the Dozeu Nabe どぜう鍋. One of my friend said that it looked like babies. So, we added a lot of spring onion on top of it to cover it up. The taste was ok only if compared to the Unagi, most probably influenced by the looks!
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| Komagata Dozeu 駒形どぜう本店 |
http://www.dozeu.com/ (better do the booking first before going, it was very popular!)
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| a full box set of spring onion, we almost finished all of it! The waitress was surprised to see it empty when she came to clean our table. |
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| awful looking Dozeu nabe どぜう鍋 |
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| fried dozeu (the most palatable dish in that shop!) |
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| another Dozeu dish, still ok! |
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| figures next to the Komagata Dozeu, cutie cutie! |
After a not so satisfying lunch, we took train and monorail to Odaiba お台場. Our main aim was to go to Fuji TV Station. Odaiba was full of shopping malls too! And a small Statue of Liberty!
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saw a wedding, so nice!
(my friend told me that one of her Caucasian friend often got a part time job as a 'fake' pastor for the bride and groom who wanted a church wedding) |
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| Fuji TV |
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| Fuji TV |
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| Fuji TV |
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| getting chop for the brochure |
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| chop stand |
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| got a brochure after paying for the ticket. |
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| finishing the chops! |
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| Fuji TV |
Odaiba was fun!
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| Odaiba |
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| Odaiba |
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| Statue of Liberty |
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| shopping street in Odaiba Yichichome 台場一丁目 |
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| Cute bear in Odaiba |
After Odaiba, we went to Tokyo tower, but we did not go up, just walked round the area. There was a light up activity at that area for Christmas, so happening!
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| Tokyo Tower |
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| Christmas tree |
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| light up in Tokyo Tower |
After that, dinner time, we went to a Sushi shop near Tsukiji Station 築地駅. All the seafood was so fresh, just it was very expensive. After the seafood dinner, finally went back to have a nice rest!
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| Tsukiji Station ( fishy smell!) |
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| the shop we had dinner |
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| crab soup (very nice!) |
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