昨日、浅草へ行きました。浅草寺はすごく有名なお寺です。もし東京が行ったら、ぜひ、浅草寺へいくなきゃ。
Asakusa is a really famous tourist spot. When we got there around the afternoon, all of sudden, I had the feeling that we were in the United Nations. That’s my first impression of Asakusa. Interestingly, in front of the gate, I happened to see some men in traditional men’s Yukada. So I asked one of the cute and more stylish one to take picture with me. Since I came here, it was my first time to see someone in traditional Japanese Clothing.
Before going into the main temple, there is a very long shopping street. They sell all kinds of Japnaese traditonal toys, postcards, paintings, and some clothes only will be bought by foreigne tourists, not the locals. I want to put in a proper way of descrbing some of the T-shirts, but the word came to my mind first is ” Wacky”.
Some of the stores are selling the handmade cookies. (焼きお菓子) The smelling in the air was blending with the sweetness of the cookie and the smell of all different visitors all over the world. That was absloutely different from the smell of the Metro. Smelling of old and ancient. I am trying not to make it sound like it is sort of disappointment. But you have to smell it and then you will realize what the difference is.
We went into the temple to pray and picked up the straw. （御神籤ーおみくじ）I hardly do this in Taiwan, but since I am in Rome, then I do what the Romes do. I took the chance to shake the bucket and put it upside down. Here came the stick with the number written on it. It was No. 16. I hurried to open the drawer with number 16 on it. It was Good Fortune. (吉）It said as below.(The paper contains the English explantion in case most of the foreign tourists don’t know any Japanese.
” Repent what you’ve done so far, and you should hope again. Then you will find happiness in future with a help of your seniors, everything will go well you’ll be satisfied with better position and wealth.”
*Your wishes will be realized.
*A sick person will recover.
*The lost article will be found.
*The person you are waiting for will come.
*Building a new house and removal are good.
*Making a trip is good.
*marriage and employment are both good.
Amazlingly, I am so lcuky. For such a long time, finally I feel a slight happiness of the blessing from the God. Then it was Kanako’s turn. She got a bad one. As the tradition, if you get the bad luck ones, you have to tie it in the perticular place and leave it in the temple. The sprits will help you to get through the bad situation. Quite thoughtful Gods they are in Japan.
I felt so satisfied after I bought some postcards and cookies as presents to give it to friend. Seriously, I love the visit in Asakusa. It broght me to another level of getting the traditonal part of Japanese culture.
Around the Asakusa area, there are many stores selling Japanese style of clothing and special ice cream. We had the fruit soft ice cream after stepping out the shopping street. It was the first ice cream I ever had this summer. It was surely tasty. Then we were trying to walk around to find more interesting stores or we could have dinner in, but we found the tiny ice cream store with a big sign says ” Handmade vegetables ice cream.” Yummy, huh?!
The clark was very sincer person, but nervous. They have so many flavors to choose from, even 納豆. Scary you may think, but it didn’t taste that bad as you thought, really. Also we tried pumpkin and purple sweet potato ice cream. Not to mention how delicious they are, but they are considerbly cheap and cheap. Two scoops are only 350 ￥. You couldn’t find anything cheaper than this in this area I think. I talked to the clark and asked him why they want to open an ice cream store like this. He told me they want to offer the best quality of ice cream to the customers. They have their own chain system spreading out all over the country. Most of the vegetables are grew up in their own farms. They are all organic, non-chemical used, and in season vegetables. No wonder they are so good.
The clark was shy, but I could understand how come their business is doing really well by looking at the signing pictures and the fashion magazine articles hanging on the wall. His sincereity is definately an extra plus.
At the time, I thought of the activity we used to have in Virginia Tech when students finished classes. The Ice Cream Social. Ice cream is surely doing a good job to break the ice.
After having the ice cream, we tried to head back home to have dinner around the house. We went to have the Okonomi Yaki(お好み焼き） restaurant where you can cook it by yourself. I was excited about having my first cooking lesson in Japan. Kanako was my sense(teacher) and I tried to be a good student.
It contained so many ingrdients and all looked good to eat before the blending. Right after you start to blend everything together, they look just like soem mixing stuff you wouldn’t know what’s inside. Following the instructions to cook it, after ten minutes here is the fabulous Japanese style sea food pan cake. I tried the sea food one and Kanako did the sweet sticky cake（おもち） with cheese one. Delisous dinner was the highlight of ending today.
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