There was something I totally forgot to mention. The day of arrival in Japan was my birthday. I made this trip as kind of birthday present to myself. Anyway - lets go over to day two of my trip:
After we woke up and refresh in the tiny bathroom we directly went out to go to the first sightseeing spot - The Asakusa Temple. As common in the most hostels and hotels there was a map with all sightseeing spots available in the entrance hall. Of course there was as well showed a subway and Train overview. My first impression when I really took an intensive look on this overview...WOW.
At this point I like to explain an, in my view very important, fact about the maps of public transportation's.
There are two different maps!
The maps are separated in Metro Map and JR (Train) Map. Of course the style of the maps variate sometimes so sooner or later, if you don't know there are different maps for the different line types, you loose the overview and become confused that you can't find a specific Station. Additional there are sometimes just Maps with Kanji Station Names. So you will try to orientate just by the shape of the lines, colors or bigger knot points. But belief me - to know there are two different maps can prevent a lot of confusion.
| Tokyo Metro Map |
For us the most important line was the 'Ginza Line'. The red circle show's our station (Asakusa) close to the hostel.
The Metro is comparable to the german 'U-Bahn'. Special about the Tokyo Metro system and JR system is that the different Lines have a bunch of different car types. The metro have just two or three types.
However the JR Line has many different and really unique types of cars. For me the most exiting type was the Tokyo monorail.
In germany this type of train doesn't exist as far as I know. Anyway the feeling inside is the same like in all trains or subways :)
On the JR Map is the world famous 'Yamanote Line' to find. For all who don't know it....it's the line where in the rush hour kind workers of the JR company push you with white gloved hands into the car to make sure the doors can close and there is no delay by blocked doors.
The network Map is the one with both line types combined on it. There is also a nice overview about the different types of cars of the JR lines.
This map is available at the SUICA Card sale points (located at the most bigger stations). It shows the JR Lines and the Metro Lines as well.
The SUICA System is a very easy system. You buy a SUICA Card:
Udon is a soup made with Dashi and Noodles and some toppings. The taste is salty and extreme delicious!
I ABSOLUTELY RECOMMEND TO EVERYONE TO TRY IT !!!
We left the restaurant with the word 'gochisousama' and walked to the Temple.
Surly I am to lazy to write here something specific about the temple by itself. So I dictate at this point a bit information's from Wikipedia :)))
Sensō-ji (金龍山浅草寺 Kinryū-zan Sensō-ji) is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism, it became independent after World War II. Adjacent to the temple is a Shinto shrine, theAsakusa Shrine. [*]
On the JR Map is the world famous 'Yamanote Line' to find. For all who don't know it....it's the line where in the rush hour kind workers of the JR company push you with white gloved hands into the car to make sure the doors can close and there is no delay by blocked doors.
| JR Tokyo Train Map |
The network Map is the one with both line types combined on it. There is also a nice overview about the different types of cars of the JR lines.
| SUICA Network Map |
This map is available at the SUICA Card sale points (located at the most bigger stations). It shows the JR Lines and the Metro Lines as well.
The SUICA System is a very easy system. You buy a SUICA Card:
Looks very cute ^^
Then you charge the card at one of the in every station available charging terminals and slide the card every time you enter a station through the turnstiles. The amount of a ride is automatically booked from your SUICA ... that's it. You also can see the rest of your charge directly on the display of the turnstiles.
I got my card at the central station at a JR office. The ladies there speak all very good english and are very experienced in helping foreigners to handle the train system.
->> JR LINK <<-
So when you have this card and a good combined map or both maps of both systems... you are on the safe side and will never loose the way in Tokyo :)
Back to the second day! We got the map and we were very hungry, so we went out the hostel and walked a bit in direction of the Asakus Temple. No need to take a train or bus ... it was just a jump away from K's House. A super nice and small restaurant was waiting for us to be conquer. And here happened my first traumatic experience. I felt in love - No not with her ... I anyway already was at this point \O/ - with UDON!!!
Another great food experience id Umeboshi. Very sour small plums. She said it' very delicious ... so I put one in my mouth and my face derailed. '~'
This should not be eaten the first time directly - so much better is to eat it together with rice ... yummy! ... So my first adulterated experience with Umeboshi goes on her account! In fact it is totally good!
We left the restaurant with the word 'gochisousama' and walked to the Temple.
Don't wonder ... yes on the pictures that is no noisy, it is Snow. And let me tell you - it was a lot of snow that came down this day. To tell you correctly - It was the most snowing day in Japan since years. Yah - this are the most worse conditions for a sightseeing day that you can imagine - BUT! - this weather situation made this day one of the most unforgettable days in my life. Can you imagine to be out with a girl, you met one day before the first time in real, to do sightseeing in a city on the other side of the world, on a day with catastrophic snow storm weather?!?! It's a wonderful experience and a lot of fun ^^
Sensō-ji (金龍山浅草寺 Kinryū-zan Sensō-ji) is an ancient Buddhist temple located in Asakusa, Tokyo, Japan. It is Tokyo's oldest temple, and one of its most significant. Formerly associated with the Tendai sect of Buddhism, it became independent after World War II. Adjacent to the temple is a Shinto shrine, theAsakusa Shrine. [*]
At the entrance there are two big warriors that protect the temple - if I understood this right :) Please correct me in the comments if I am wrong!
Of course (!) I did a picture in front of one of the statues with doing the same pose like it. The inner part is was very interesting to me, coz I had no idea what to do here. Some kind of pray and fortune stuff??? But - yep - I was the lucky one who had his personal guide at his side.
So I through some yen in a big vessel, clapped with my hands, bowed, clapped again and made my wish - of course it's secret ~~~
Then I got my fortune number from a tube with number sticks inside. Then I took my fortune sheet from the boy with my number on it.
And... guess what! ... the greatest future was mine! I agreed directly with this result of this procedure. After all she was standing next to me ;)
With a better mood, then before I knew my future will be great, I took more pictures.
All in all the temple doesn't gave me the feeling to be in the old Japan. It is completely restored and looks pretty new. But the place by it self and the architecture of the temple gave me a good picture of how the old Japan has looked like.
After we had taken our time and were exposed to the smoke of the incense we left the place smelly like firefighter after a job. So yah - it became better and better. Walking in snow storm and stinky like hell. Perfect dating day ... haha.
I'm pretty sure you still do not believe me that it really snowed a lot. So ...
The view out the metro car in direction to Odaiba hinted how Tokyo would look like in the later evening.
The fact that japanese are people of the highest predicted that the train service piece by piece will come to a halt. But whether there masses of people at the stops waiting for their trains, it was quiet and always controlled. They all were waiting in lines and don't tried to keep on entering a train car that was obvious full, like it would be in germany. It was really a bit strange to me that just a few centimeters of snow let almost every train line have extreme delays because the JR company workers checked every meter of the tracks for faults and removed the snow from them. But no one questioned the approach of the railway company and all stayed behind. Unimaginable this serenity in Germany. The people here would call the actions of the JR company, although they serve the safety of passengers, as excessive. In this moment I thought about the time I spend at the train stations and in the trains since I arrived Japan. It was always relaxed even this is the biggest city in the world with millions of people who use everyday the extreme entangled network of train lines.
We reached Odaiba and took a walk through the snow over a wide parking field.
To escape from the coldness we entered a shopping Mal. You can't believe what we found there!!! A giant Robot!!!
I am sure this robot is a model from the Aime series mobile gundam suite. Anyway - inside it was warm and we were bit hungry. So we ate takoyaki! Of course - I absolutely recom...... (you know the rest)!
Oh man, I become hungry when I see this picture! Wikipedia coz lazy:
Takoyaki (たこ焼き or 蛸焼?) is a ball-shaped Japanese snack made of a wheat flour-based batter and cooked in a special takoyaki pan. It is typically filled with minced or diced octopus (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger, and green onion.Takoyaki are brushed with takoyaki sauce, similar to Worcestershire sauce, and mayonnaise. The takoyaki is then sprinkled with green laver (aonori) and shavings of dried bonito (katsuobushi). There are many variations to the takoyaki recipe, for example, ponzu (soy sauce with dashi and citrus vinegar), goma-dare (sesame-and-vinegar sauce) or vinegared dashi.[*]
We left and noticed that meanwhile the storm became a real one.
It was extreme slippy and the heavy wind made it impossible to walk normal. But the more bigger problem was then she was wearing high heels - yah - this is maybe typically japanese. But I was super worried about her feet. Seemed they were wet and frozen - but of course not just one complaint from her. Like a warrior from a japanese movie who can't feel pain. We went to a shop and bought some boots :) Now she was safe and I was calmed again.
When our umbrella couldn't finally stand against the wind anymore we went without it to Madame Tussuad. Finally I got the chance to show Bruce Lee how to smash stone bricks correctly. And meet my good friend Dr. Einstein. Finally we decided to go home after we walked more and more around the area of Odaiba and in the Mal's there.
A very nice bar just around the corner of the hostel should be our last station of this amazing unforgettable day. We ate pasta and pizza. The bar remembered me to a US hippie bar ... of course very kind stuff and delicious food. Unfortunately I forgot the name ^^ But what I never will forget is our first kiss on that old couch in even this hippie bar.
A long wonderful day ended with some cans of Asahi beer, that we bought in a Familymart, in our hostel room.
The FamilyMarts are the most common mini markets in Tokyo. They have open around the clock and here you can use the customer toilet for free. In general in japan the toilet usage is for FREE!!! I would be glad if I could say the same about germany :(
We planed the next day and were happy to wash out the smoke smell of our hairs.
[YAY - here will no second part follow, coz I could finish the second day in one piece!!! \O/ ]
