October 21, 2015
Wednesday
One thing I am always very sorry about is that I could never remember the names of temples and shrines I went to. And partly because I didn't check because usually we just wander around until we came somewhere.
We were strolling around the park, just taking in all he views until we came upon a slope up surrounded by trees that gives the path shaded spots.
We kept walking up and saw a shrine!
Waiting for everyone
Walking in and immediately feels like I'm in an anime
Do you ever feel like just standing around doing nothing as you take in a new and profoundly different scenario? A lot of times in Japan I just walked around aimlessly, not knowing which part to explore first because I wanted to see everything but then again the view in front of me is beautiful too, do you get me.
This is what I call the Fox Place because there are 2 fox statues behind the gates, which you could somehow see behind us haha.
The room inside was quite dark so we went inside to see what they have, out of curiosity.
An altar
Feels like we just made an important discovery because it looks mysterious. We didn't proceed further in so we made our way out.
Stopping on the way out to peek into a window to my right which was apparently a store room.
One of the 2 foxes!
I find it cute and fascinating for them to have bibs and also that foxes really guard shrines.
We continued further down the path with flags and saw a beautiful shrine. Too bad I'm not good enough in kanji or Japanese to understand what it is all about. :( This is one of my favourite shrines that we came upon.
More shrines further down the path. How do people remember their names and stories?
No more things to see and we headed down through the side and saw this amazing place to cleanse yourself before praying at the shrine. Another thing I noticed is that we always come out of shrines through the entrance and enter through the exit. Am I the only one that realized that? Or maybe its just unconventional location? It surprises me every time I see a cleansing place when I thought I am at the exit hahaha.
Obligatory tourist picture
I am so used to taking pictures of things and people that is not myself that I almost forgot to ask someone to take pictures of me. When we came back from Japan, Mom noticed that we have too much pictures that do not have us inside LOL. Note to self that I have to take more pictures of people and myself during my homestay WHICH IS NEXT WEEK OMG. That's super fast I can't believe I'm going to Japan again. T^T Enjoy it while it lasts!!
I think this is the information counter.
Online people always say vending machines are everywhere and I wasn't shocked until I see them here. Like in the middle of nowhere. The Japanese are so considerate haha.
Ahh I love this cafe! It feels so themed and rustic and just so natural.
This scene would not have happen in Malaysia without trash littered everywhere.
It seems to be in high demand!
Japanese really do not mind waiting; I saw them lining up for restaurants and stage shows mainly and they barely emit a sound so I am often amazed to see a somewhat infinite queue of Japanese people.
Feeeeeel the autumnness.
Again, we wandered around until we inevitably came across the famous row of trees that are so often depicted as an iconic representation of Ueno Koen.
That's when it begun to sink in that I really am in a place I never expected to be.
This place is so significant I can't believe I was actually here lol. Feels like a dream. :) It wasn't any grander as it is, just a simple, wide path through the park. The only form of entertainment was this:
A woman playing the xylophone and her partner inflating balloons~
It was actually quite interesting for me so we stopped a while to watch them have fun while we also have fun. She did a rendition of 'If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands' on the instrument and several sporting ladies sang the lyrics in Japanese while lightly dancing (joget joget hahaha). Wah, then I became so immersed in it, I didn't want to go away. Some of us clapped alongside them and the lady was happy that people followed suit and clapped at all the right times hahaha. Which made me even more excited. I don't think I can ever stop being excited about these little things hahaha!
Centipede balloon???
Jared then pointed out an old lady to me, sitting across the path.
I think she's homeless, and she wasn't the only one I saw around Japan. I wonder where do they stay? What do they do? Do they still have family? They don't seem to be as helpless as the homeless here in Malaysia and I hope they are having a better time. :( Because being homeless anywhere can't be good or fun.
I had kind of a memory lapse here as I can't remember what happened but we were separated into 2 groups because Kah Loon wanted to find for something, I think. I followed the group that followed him because they were going to a pagoda place and I wanted to check it out.
It was a quiet corner with the pagoda, statues and a stand selling charms and related items. A silent monk/attendant rounded the place, looking peaceful, which was one of my highlights of this journey in Ueno Koen.
While they were looking around the place, I began hunting for leaves which I wanted to take home with me. This mission cannot be aborted! I managed to find a few leaves which were on the ground because I was adamant to take leaves that are still on trees. There was this leaf I really wanted, the typically forked leaf like a 5-point trident so I searched and searched and searched.
I was kinda desperate for it already as most of them are still on trees. Why this leaf of all leaves!!
Finally Shang Jun miraculously found one can gave it to me. Bless him.
Ueno Park's Lion's Club totem that they contributed
The time came for us to move on to our next destination because we almost walked the entire park. It was so much bigger than I thought!! I thought Ueno Koen is just that line of trees. I was deceived. We ended up spending more time than we thought.
I can never get enough of their manhole cover.
A majority of them have unique designs! Look out for them when you visit Japan. :)
Next destination : Yanaka Ginza
