We skidattled out the door just in time the next morning to head towards Asakusa Monday morning.
But then we ran into a case of sardines on the subway.
Before WWII, Asakusa was one of the most prominent pleasure quarters of Tokyo; it wasn't just a center for brothels, but for music halls, (Western) theaters, and especially kabuki theaters as well. It never fully recovered from the bombings, however, and so there are only a few clubs and such left today. After we finally arrived at Asakusa station, we went about halfway across the bridge over Sumidagawa River to have a look at the Asahi Breweries building...which looks like a beer. With some weird golden thing over it. And there's a water bus/cruise, which seems like it might be a fun way to get in and out of Asakusa.
And then there's Sushi-Go-Round
Here's Nakamise, a very crowded shopping street that runs from the Kaminarimon Gate all the way down to the Hozomon Gate at Sensou-ji temple. We found a little shop to the right of Kaminarimon Gate which sells some Studio Ghibli merchandise. It was mostly Totoro and Kiki's Delivery Service stuff, but I bought a glow-in-the-dark kodama hair-stick and a little kodama cell phone charm--I'd call it a bell, but it doesn't really ring or tink, it just clicks like their heads do in the movie. (*Dies from the morbid cuteness*)
Also--this shopping street has been around since the Edo era. Today, there's still lots of good shopping to be found here, whether you're looking for traditional souvenirs or the cheesy kitschy stuff. It felt kind of like the Marketplace in Charleston, only it was more open-air and packed to the brim with tourists and customers.
Kaminarimon Gate, with its famous large lantern: people go up and touch the carving of the dragon on the bottom of the lantern
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