Tokyo: Day 2

Day 2 started by awaking from our 14hour sleep! We must have needed it with the jetlag, exhaustion from travelling and then a full day walking and exploring a new city. We started slightly later than the day before and headed out to explore just before midday. It’s lucky we left when we did though as we caught the end of a Japanese Parade for the Fukagawa Hachiman Matsuri: A festival with over 50 teams who parade the streets with (very heavy) Mikoshi shrines while thousands of spectators throw water at them. The energy was excellent and it certainly was a sight to see!

We then went on the search for brunch, James had found a great little spot and it was a walkable distance and so off we went. We both prefer to walk when we can because its a good way to see a new place and get our bearings; its a good way to build up an appetite/walk off food; and it’s free.

Kamakura Fushikian happened to be in a light, bright and fairly calm little market shop built under the train tracks near the electronic shopping district of Akihabara. As a slight interlude to the running theme: we actually found it! It serves veggies shojin ryori  or “temple cuisine” and while the portions weren’t massive they were tasty, so much so that there’s no photo, we had gobbled it down too quickly. 

Next we went for an explore in Akihabara and some of the total sensory-overload shops the district has to offer, it’s a pretty cool area and definitely worth a look around.

One particular store we explored was one Donquijote, which seems to be a chain of stores throughout Japan where you can get yourself anything from novelty bowties and costumes, to Bicycles (located on the 4th floor because..obviously), to knives, to groceries; all topped off with 2 floors of arcades. One of which was full of very serious men chain smoking and playing various whimsical games.

After the madness of Akihabara we wanted to do something at the opposite end of the spectrum and so took a trip to Asakusa Temple: Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple. It was just as you’d imagine, ornate and beautiful.

Because we had started the day later, we got to the temple as it was closing. Not that it really detracted from the experience, externally it was wonderful and full of people carrying out various ceremonies I’m slightly ashamed to admit that I knew little about.

The surrounding area was interested too, with the streets lined with markets.

As soon as we left the temple grounds we realised again that we were ready for some grub! Again James had been researching and had found a place which promised scrumptious Japanese veggie food. Unfortunately this food theme came back into full swing when upon arrival we discovered it was actually in the station and I’m not about to buy a ticket to nowhere for some food. So on our search for sustenance we found a little Japanese-Italian style place down a lane with nice outside seating. I’m not gonna say “no” to a pizza and a glass of wine and so while it’s not local cuisine it was thoroughly enjoyable and the place was fill to the brim with locals and I reckon that’s a good sign.

Not ready to go home yet we explored more of the business district, in particular the Tokyo International Forum which was still mostly open despite the time and allowed for some pretty excellent photos if I do say so myself! In fact I will because James took most of them.

James was convinced that the 24,000 steps we had done so far in the day was not enough and so on return to the hostel we went straight back out for a quick run, I say quick because I must have managed about 2 laps of 3 or 4 blocks before I came crawling back in and dragged myself straight into a shower. James managed to go slightly further and I was cheering him on in spirit, but we’d like to keep the running up as we travel, it’s a good way to stretch out and explore a place further.

And so we were off to bed to rest up for another day.

Hatti x