Also known as Asakusa Kannon, Sensoji is Tokyo's most sacred temple and easily the most visually impressive I've seen so far. Not only impressive from the buildings, but also since its a busy working temple, so as you wander around you get to experience the monks and average natives going about their rituals.
Despite arriving at a tube station I later found out to be smack bang next to the main entrance way, I managed to get a bit lost en route : / On the plus side though, I did manage to see some unexpected cool stuff along my wanderings...
- The view from the exit of Ueno Station (one the hub stations on the main circular train line that rings around central Tokyo. Not particularly amazing i know, but notable as the first time I've ever been able to take a photo inside Tokyo that barely has anyone in it! A true rarity.
- I think the building with the weird golden... thing, on it is the HQ of Asahi Beer, one of the main beer companies here. Still not quite sure how the gold thing relates to beer but there you go :S
- A rickshaw! I'd always associated these in my mind with China more than Japan, but a cool sight nontheless.
- Officially the world's coolest bar, this massive spaceship / boat travels through Tokyo along the Sumida River throughout the early evening & night. Its even got a dancefloor and hosts live bands. I've been promised tickets to go on by a housemate, i'm seriously hoping she wasn't joking :P
- Not the temple I was looking for but it did let me know I was getting close. This one is called Matsuchiyama Shoden and is dedicated to family happiness and wellbeing. Also radishes. (The annual Radish Festival - i'm not making this up - is held here every January)
Eventually I found my way to Sensoji, albeit through the back gate :P
Built almost 1500 years ago - although many sections have been rebuilt after fires / earthquakes / bombings - Sensoji is dedicated to Kannon, the Buddhist Goddess of mercy and is made up of a huge complex of halls, shrines and statues as well as a spectacular five story pagoda.
- Apologies for the poor editting btw, my current insomnia is doing
nothing for my ability to use a computer
- One of the pieces of artwork painted on the ceiling of the main hall.
Unfortunately I'd forgotten to charge the battery up in my cam and so it ran out of juice before I could film the Nakamise-dori, the street at the very end of the video. Essentially a long path flanked by market stalls this place is a proper treasure trove of traditional items, from kimono tailors to sword merchants, specialists in haircombs & fans to confectioners. In general actually I'm not a big fan of Japanese sweets, that said though there was one stall (and im gutted i don't have a video of this) that contained a large machine making individual little biscuits, but using robotic hands to pick bits up from here and put them on conveyor belts there where something else swivelled round and blew sugar dust on them before they dropped into a disc of icing that had that second arrived from another robotic hand etc... all in perfect timing. It was literally straight out of Charlie & The Chocolate Factory...
I'm really glad I took the time out to go, the imposing architecture, clouds of incense and general atmosphere of the place all came together to create an amazing experience.
A fantastic place to soak up the local religion and clear your mind of stress...
A fantastic place to soak up the local religion and clear your mind of stress...
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