-05-
New Year's Eve | Meet a group of foxes
December 31st is the last day of the Japanese New Year, known as the Day of Darkness. Originally we planned to go to Ueno Park today and then go to Tokyo Tower to participate in the New Year's Eve countdown, but an unexpected incident As soon as I arrived, I realized that contrary to the bright sunshine of the previous few days, today's weather was extremely gloomy, and there were even tiny bits of snowflakes floating in the sky. Outdoor activities must be cold and boring, so I changed my plan and went to J-word in Ikebukuro .
met up with my colleague Xiao D who came from Russia in Ikebukuro. Originally, Xiao D planned to come to China to visit me and then go to Japan. Because I also planned to come to Japan, so I started from Shenzhen, she started from Moscow, and we We met in Tokyo.
I haven’t seen each other for half a year, and talking about my old colleagues in Russia feels like a world away. As a Russian born in the 1990s, Little D is not as familiar with Japanese animation as the Chinese. Maybe it’s because the Japanese two-dimensional culture they received is not as good as that of neighboring China, or maybe it’s a generation gap caused by age? In short, no matter what, she was still dragged into J-word by me. Fortunately, she still knew , Naruto, and .
J-word is an indoor theme amusement park owned by Jump. It contains games related to Jump’s popular anime such as One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball, Gintama , Prince of Tennis, etc. It is very suitable for senior comic fans. However, the game items inside are more oriented towards children, which are too childish for us adults. They are more about browsing to satisfy childhood dreams.
Entering the entrance is a 360-degree full-screen lobby. Various well-known Jump animation characters appear on the big screen to welcome you. Fans quickly seize the time to take photos. With the second-time explosive lines, it can be said to be very two-dimensional.
J-word projection hall
Gintama’s Master House, Goku’s Somersault Cloud, Pirates’ Theme Town, Death’s Cannon, and Konoha Ninja Village. There are so many places suitable for taking pictures, and every step you take is like two The projection of dimensions into three dimensions.
The aggrieved wig
The restaurant provides meals corresponding to different theme animations, such as Ichiraku's ramen, Gintama's mayonnaise, and Kame Sennin burgers. The "World's Best" Martial Arts Tournament is being held on the stage of the restaurant. Children line up to compete in boxing competitions. The winner will also be qualified to challenge the big devil. It is really suitable for taking children to play.
Wukong set
After purchasing some silver peripherals at the peripheral store at the door, I bought a bunch of Ghibli peripherals at the Oak Republic downstairs, especially Qiqi’s little black cat, and Huang, the cat slave. Just can't put it down.
After coming out of J-word, we decided to go see the loyal dog Hachiko. We went straight from Ikebukuro to Shibuya. From Shibuya subway station, we can see the busiest intersection in Shibuya, which often appears in various TV and animations. Every zebra crossing The back was full of people waiting to cross the road. Once the green light comes on, hundreds of thousands of people cross the road at the same time from 6 zebra crossings in 12 directions. This scene can be said to be very spectacular.
This intersection is regarded as a symbol of Japan's vitality. If the crowd at this intersection becomes sparse one day, it means that the vitality of the entire Japan is gone. We also experienced that the traffic in all four directions stopped, waiting for you to cross the road diagonally, which was indeed very exciting. Think about it, there are thousands of people in this world, rushing in different directions every day, and this intersection embodies this lively and lonely relationship between people. It is said that many people would squat on the second floor of the Starbucks at the intersection just to take pictures of this scene.
The streets of Shibuya are filled with young people from all over the world. This is a place where trendy culture gathers. We squeezed in front of the loyal dog Hachiko, who was wearing a red and white cloak to promote tonight's red and white song show . It is similar to China's Spring Festival Gala. It is also a routine for Japanese people to watch the red and white song show during the New Year. A big stage is being set up on the street, and this famous intersection is also a scenic spot for the New Year's Eve countdown tonight. However, because we purchased too many cosmetics at the drug store, we had to send them back to the hotel before night came.
Hachiko was still working hard in the new year.
So we made an appointment to meet again at the wagyu shop in front of zojoji. We hurried back to the hotel, put down the heavy shopping bags, took a rest, and waited for tonight's cross. Big drama of the year.
showed up at the appointed wagyu restaurant on time. We ordered two New Year wagyu dinners. The beef was tender and fragrant after being roasted on the stove for a while. It was paired with a refreshing salad. As meat lovers, we felt that it was really worth it. Yes, there is also a piece of raw wagyu beef, which can be eaten directly with the sauce. It is very tender and delicious without the fishy smell of raw meat. My colleague D is a vegetarian. He watched us feasting on salad and seaweed. It was in sharp contrast to us who were eating meat and mutton. The scene was very interesting.
Fresh and delicious Wagyu beef
After finishing this New Year’s Eve meal, it was already 11 o’clock. We walked into Zojoji Temple with the flow of people. In front of the big bronze bell, there were already crowds of people from three floors inside and three outside. The monks were doing The ritual before ringing the bell involves burning incense and chanting sutras. Three pieces of hemp rope are tied to the huge bell hammer. Six people ring the bell together each time.
Crowds participating in the New Year’s Eve in front of Zojoji Temple
As the crowd around them counted down, the first bell finally rang, announcing the arrival of 2018. Then 6 people will ring each time, for a total of 108 times, symbolizing the elimination of 108 troubles in the world.
New Year's bell
Tokyo Tower shone in the distance, and the front door of Zojoji Temple was packed with people burning incense and praying. We walked out of the temple against the flow of people and boarded the train to Oji Inari Shrine.
Crowds of people visiting Tokyo Tower and Zojoji Temple during the New Year
Visit the fox parade. This is a parade we have never seen before. Participants wore fox makeup and masks. Girls wore kimonos and imitated foxes to visit Inari Shrine. It was very lively. , the music played in the parade is also very Japanese. The simple rhythm creates a strange atmosphere. Lanterns hung along the road have the words "Fox Fire" or "Fox Procession" written on them, announcing that this is the fox walking tonight. On the road, locals and tourists who followed the parade also wore masks and marched together to the sound of drums, and the streets were packed to the brim.
Fox Parade
After arriving at the shrine, everyone lined up for more than 100 meters to pay homage. Next to the lit bonfire, two beautiful girls in kimono who had completed the procession were eating cup noodles and resting. It all seems like a dream.
We took the subway back to the hotel at two o'clock in the morning. The roadside stalls were still selling steaming Oden and coffee, bringing a touch of warmth to those who returned home late.
Passing by the Akihabara subway station, I saw a lot of otakus armed with long guns and cannons. They braved the severe cold in the early morning and knelt on the platform to take pictures of the incoming trains. What is this? Has taking photos of trains become a new way to celebrate the New Year? The thoughts of the dead house are really difficult for ordinary people to understand.
Anyway, 2017 has passed, and this New Year in Tokyo, which is full of modernity, tradition, fantasy, coldness and warmth, will always remain in our memory.
Cute little fox
-06-
Asakusa | New Year's visit is terrible
The first day of the New Year was a beautiful sunny day. We bought two taiyaki for breakfast and took the bus to Sensoji Temple . I like the name Sensoji Temple very much. It is very poetic. Every time I read it, it reminds me of Bai Juyi's sentence, "The flowers are gradually enchanting the eyes, and only Asakusa has no horse hooves." The spring outing scenery described in the poem is matched with the temple. The black eaves and red tiles are a scene worth painting.
Maybe it was like this hundreds of years ago, but today Sensoji Temple is overcrowded. The queue in front of the Kaminarimon Gate can be a mile long. It is a Japanese tradition to visit shrines on the first day of the new year. There is nothing we can do about it.As foreigners, Mr. Huang and I decided not to join in the fun. Instead, we wandered around the alley next to the temple. There were small shops selling specialties everywhere. There are also shops selling brooms and brushes, as well as various minerals. It is really interesting. There are many restaurants and food stalls mixed in during the period. It was almost noon and Mr. Huang and I had a bowl of wonton noodles. Unknowingly, we had already walked through the side door. Walking into Sensoji Temple, it turns out that the queue at the main entrance is to go to the main hall to worship. If you don't want to worship, you can browse the temples outside the main hall at will.
Poster of Kabuki performance
However, there are hundreds of stalls inside the temple to buy various snacks: takoyaki, monjayaki, fried noodles, oden, baked potatoes, grilled fish, apple candies, etc. It is like visiting a temple fair. The scene, because it is the first day of the New Year, many Japanese girls are wearing kimonos, and if they are afraid of the cold, they put on a fur shawl, wearing wooden clogs, carrying handbags, combing their hair in buns, and wearing various beautiful floral decorations, very beautiful and charming , makes me envious.
Kimono beauties
Of course, I am not the only one who is envious of them. Many Chinese girls and even Caucasian beauties are not willing to be left alone. They put on kimonos and take photos in the background of ancient temples. If China still retains ancient buildings from various places, and if Chinese people still put on Hanfu and go out to play during the Chinese New Year, what a beautiful scenery it would be. But we can never see such prosperity again, and we can’t help but sigh for our motherland.
Blonde beauty in kimono and Japanese shrine
On the first day of the new year, we should draw a lot to predict the fortune for the year. Mr. Huang and I each lined up in front of the lotus tube. Mr. Huang drew a "lucky", but I was a "lucky". "It's bad." I had no choice but to tie my lottery ticket on a shelf in front of the temple, hoping that the eminent monk would help me chant sutras, pray for blessings and then burn it. So I hurried to a place that sold amulets, bought one to ward off misfortune, and wore it on my body, hoping to bless the new year with peace and safety.
Go to the right side of the temple and see another Asakusa Shrine. The architectural layout and worship methods of the shrine and the temple are completely different. Moreover, the people working here are not monks, but shrine maidens. It was still very strange to see the shrine maiden in a white and red dress for the first time. I was so excited that I suddenly thought of Platycodon grandda. I felt that this profession was really sacred and beautiful, and I was envious.
The shrine maiden selling amulets
walked around Sensoji Temple and returned to the main hall to take a look. However, the number of people queuing up did not seem to decrease at all. At this time, the sun was setting in the west, and there was a large white Akita dog standing in front of the main hall. Ah, yes, this year is the Year of the Dog, and it’s my birth year again. No wonder I got the bad luck draw. It seems that I need to buy some red clothes this year to ward off evil spirits.
The Akita Inu on duty this year
left Sensoji Temple. The winter was short and the sun was setting. We decided to go to ShinjukuKabukicho to broaden our horizons. The so-called Kabuki Hall Ichiban Street didn't look like much on the surface, but there were some customs. The signboard of the store stands on the roadside and reads "No information contained in the store." The radio on the street is still broadcasting content warning tourists to be careful of scams. I have heard before that stores like this generally do not accept foreigners, and it is best to go in. Fortunately, an acquaintance introduced us. It seemed that the water was very deep. We were just looking around casually, so we focused on looking for delicious food.
The first goal was to eat king crab at "Kani Doraku". There are two restaurants in Shinjuku. We went to one of them first, and found an alley at an intersection. At the entrance of the alley stood a torii with two rows inside. The red lanterns lead to the depths of the alley. This is an Inari Shrine. It is really quiet in the bustle. The winding path leads to tranquility. We walked along the alley. The red lanterns illuminated the ground, and the ground was covered with fallen leaves. The torii gate really seemed like a barrier. , after stepping inside, it seemed that we were not in Shinjuku, the most prosperous city in Tokyo. Across the street is the Isetan Department Store, but we stepped into the mountains and were on our way to worship at an ancient shrine. We washed our hands in front of the shrine and walked through There are dozens of small torii gates in a row. We put coins in front of Inari Shrine, rang the bell, put our hands together and prayed... Although this is not a famous shrine or a big temple, on this night of the first day of the New Year There are still many people visiting the temple.
Busty shrine
We left the quiet place of the sacred place here and returned to the world of mortals. The main store of Kandoraku is on the 8th floor of the building next to Isetan Department Store. When we went up, we were told that we could only wait 2-3 hours without an appointment. We were so hungry that we obviously couldn't wait for so long, so we turned around to look for Ichiran Ramen. We turned two street corners and before we reached Ichiran, we found an Isomaru fisheries store. Haha, it was true that the flowers did not bloom but the willows were unintentionally planted. , hurried in and got a seat.
This restaurant specializes in fresh seafood barbecue. Each table has a small oven. You can grill it and eat it yourself. We ordered scallops, snails, clams, fish sashimi and crab shell grill, and finally ordered a seafood dumpling. meal. Every food is very fresh, especially the crab shell grill. It should be paired with white rice, it will be delicious and go well with the meal. The grilled scallops were sweet and delicious, with a refreshing texture, and the sashimi with wasabi was also the best in the world. In short, I enjoyed a very, very satisfying meal. If you go with friends, the way I recommend it is to have a bowl of seafood rice bowl per person. Crab shell roast and two scallops. First, I ate the sashimi and a small amount of rice on the seafood rice bowl, then grilled the crab shells with the remaining rice, and finally grilled two scallops. It was full and satisfying, perfect.
Delicious Crab Shells
To be continued, please stay tuned
The first day of the new year | Meeting the Emperor
Children's Dream | Jeep's Dream Garden
Goodbye | Looking forward to seeing you next time
