{"id":20214,"date":"2015-07-07T08:21:42","date_gmt":"2015-07-07T00:21:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/?p=20214"},"modified":"2019-05-24T08:34:07","modified_gmt":"2019-05-24T00:34:07","slug":"asakusa-sumida-and-odaiba-tokyo-japan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/2015\/07\/asakusa-sumida-and-odaiba-tokyo-japan\/","title":{"rendered":"From Medieval to Manga – Touring Asakusa, Sumida and Odaiba"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe\u2019re going shopping today\u201d my wife teased and I raised an eyebrow.<\/p>\n

After 16 years of marriage, one of the things Angie knows is that I want our trips to be educational and enriching whenever we travel (in fact, I\u2019m keeping tab on the number of World Heritage sites we\u2019ve visited so far). We didn\u2019t spend money, flown great distances just to be thrown into  commercialized air-con malls buying meaningless souvenirs that will eventually be kept in the store room or thrown away. It\u2019s the unique cultural and educational exchanges that count. However, I would make an exception when it comes to local markets, especially those dating back to the medieval times, ones that paddle local crafts and cuisines.<\/p>\n

After a good night\u2019s rest and a slow morning\u2019s start, we\u2019re off to Asakusa today with our local goodwill guide for the day, Miss Sakiko Mimori, a lady who works as an interpreter for an international patents company. Miss Sakiko once again guided us to buy the necessary tickets for our day trip to Asakusa.  Unknown to many, Asakusa is the medieval hub where the huge iconic Karimarimon Gate stands, greeting every visitor to the Nakamise shopping street enroute to Tokyo\u2019s most popular temple, the 7th<\/sup> century Sensoji Temple.<\/p>\n

\"JapanYes indeed…Tokyo is fun, educational and enriching.<\/p>\n

\"JapanWe are thankful to our local goodwill guides, like Miss Sakiko here (left) who helped us navigate through the dense and confusing Tokyo subway.<\/p>\n

\"JapanOnward bound…back in time to the medieval city of Asakusa!<\/p>\n

We alighted at Asakusa station and made a brief stop at the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center<\/strong><\/a>. Because it was a Sunday, we chanced upon a complimentary Japanese Cultural Dance Workshop which lasted slightly over an hour. It was purely coincidental but we had a blast there! We learnt the famous Sakura dance, complete with bamboo fan, kimono and Japanese two-toed tabi socks for each visitor, free of charge!<\/p>\n

The trained dancers conducted the workshop very seriously. From the wearing of the kimono to the way the fans are held, they patiently went through each step with us (tourists) with such politeness and warmth. It was truly a memorable and surreal moment for me to don the kimono (yes, I learnt that there are male kimonos) and danced the Sakura dance with my 7 year old! This to me is precisely why we travel with our children\u2013 to forge precious family memories! We then watched a spell-binding dance performance before heading up to the roof top of the cultural center to take in Asakusa\u2019s skyline, dotted with an eclectic mix of ancient and modern architecture.<\/p>\n

\"JapanThe Asakusa Culture and Tourist Information Center is an architectural wonder which offers more than just brochures and maps.<\/p>\n

\"TokyoLocated just opp the Asakusa subway station…it has a free open-air observatory at the top!<\/p>\n

\"JapanTo our pleasant surprise, they were conducting free Jap dance classes for visitors…which comes with kimono, tobii (socks) and fans.<\/p>\n

\"JapanFinally! Our princess gets to wear a kimono.  She was thrilled! The trainers dressed each of us patiently in a Kimono for the dance.<\/p>\n

\"JapanElaborate bow and sleeves…<\/p>\n

\"JapanGoing through the dance steps together under the guidance of our trainer…<\/p>\n

\"JapanHaving fun learning something new in a foreign land…<\/p>\n

\"JapanAfter few rounds, we were not too shabby…<\/p>\n

\"JapanI’m impressed.  This is not a play-play dance.  The trainers took it very seriously and we benefited much.  The Japs are very passionate about their culture.<\/p>\n

\"JapanA photo moment for Daddy and Daughter to remember – on our 1st trip to Japan.<\/p>\n

\"JapanAerial view of the medieval town of Asakusa and the famous Nakamise shopping street behind.<\/p>\n

\"TokyoCrowds on a Sunday…<\/p>\n

\"JapanThe eclectic skyline of Asakusa, dotted with medieval and modern rooftops.<\/p>\n

\"JapanWhere the medieval and modern co-exist…<\/p>\n

After that bit of cultural experience, we made our way towards the Nakamise Shopping Street but not before standing in awe of the Kaminarimon Gate adorned with 3 huge lanterns. This gate actually has its roots dating back nearly 1000 years! Walking onto the shopping street, which has been around since the 7th<\/sup> century, was quite an experience. We tried to imagine the centuries of Japanese who have thronged this very street to pay homage at the Sensoji Temple. Along the way, we savoured local snacks, ate ice-cream, while admiring local crafts, souvenirs, clothes, apparels and accessories etc\u2026paraded by the local vendors in low Japanese huts. THIS is my kind of shopping. Since it was a Sunday, the 300m shopping street was packed but yet not too congested in the morning.  We were certainly not complaining as there\u2019s so much energy in the air! The unique thing about this market is that it is catered to both Japanese and tourist alike so, you can be assured of the quality in the goods and the food being sold.  <\/p>\n

We thoroughly enjoyed Asakusa. This place threw us right into Japanese heritage and culture! I\u2019ll stop writing and let my photos do the talking.<\/p>\n

\"JapanNavigating through the streets of the Nakamise Shopping Street.<\/p>\n

\"JapanVisitors pay to don these Kimonos and walk around for that ‘authentic’ feel…not for us, not in this Summer heat!<\/p>\n

\"JapanIt’s hard to imagine that visitors and worshippers have thronged this place since the 7th century.<\/p>\n

\"JapanI love a cultural market when I see one.<\/p>\n

\"TokyoHere is a Japanese lady (left) purchasing a bamboo fan, also known as the ‘Sensu’.<\/p>\n

\"JapanThere are also the usual tourist trinkets on sale…really pretty ones too!<\/p>\n

\"JapanThough it was packed, it wasn’t congested.  People, locals and visitors, co-exist well here.<\/p>\n

\"TokyoKimonos in all colours…surprisingly most of them are tourists!<\/p>\n

\"JapanThe type of architecture that appeals to me…those with historical significance…<\/p>\n

\"JapanThe famous Kaminarimon gate, adorned by 3 huge lanterns, has its roots going back nearly 1000 years!<\/p>\n

\"JapanQuite in awe to walk below these iconic monuments…<\/p>\n

\"JapanAngie did warn me that Japan was full of scenic places, even the markets and shopping streets…and she was right.<\/p>\n

\"TokyoIn the land of pagodas and lanterns…<\/p>\n

\"JapanThe 7th century Sensoji Temple, Japan’s most popular temple.<\/p>\n

\"JapanVisitors casting their lot and reading their fortunes.  Japanese, though modern, are still very much into spirituality.<\/p>\n

Our next experience after lunch couldn\u2019t be more surreal. From the medieval Nakamise shopping street and Sensoki temple, we walked past groups of dashing young Jinriksha (rickshaw) pullers trying to canvas for business for this traditional form of transport.  We were headed towards the ferry terminal for our afternoon Sumida River Cruise<\/strong><\/a> but the guide did not tell us that our ride would be in a futuristic vessel which looked like something from a manga magazine! We later found out that the Himiko cruise boat was designed by famed Japanese manga artist, Leiji Matsumoto.  We almost couldn\u2019t believe our eyes that something so futuristic can actually float and sail!<\/p>\n

We bought our tickets for the next available cruise at 3.30pm. After an hour’s wait, we can hardly contain our excitement as we stepped on board the cruise boat. It was seriously cool! The cool air-conditioned interior was exceptionally welcoming on this hot Summer’s day.  The all-around, see-through windows and ceiling gave us a stunning 180 degree view up \/ down and sideways. I secretly admired the captain who really looked like he was piloting a vessel that will cruise into space. The interior was so spacious and comfortable that Dana took a short nap during our ride. There\u2019s a little deli within where we can grab a bite or a drink on the hour-long cruise to Odaiba as it regally sailed along the Sumida River. Somewhere mid-cruise, the crew opened the hatch of the \u2018spaceship\u2019 for us to step up to the outdoor upper deck to enjoy the breeze. Awesome!<\/p>\n

\"TokyoA quick turn from medieval Asakusa and we are transported back to modern day Japan.<\/p>\n

\"JapanStrapping young men earn their living as Jinriksha (rickshaw) pullers. For income and fitness.<\/p>\n

\"TokyoIconic Asakusa Jinrickshas<\/p>\n

\"JapanThe feet that toil…<\/p>\n

\"JapanJinriksha pullers entertaining their guests…<\/p>\n

\"JapanRickshaws of Asakusa…<\/p>\n

\"JapanIn a land of vending machines.<\/p>\n

\"Japan<\/p>\n

The HQ of Asahi Beer…the golden ‘cloud’ was supposed to represent the smooth head of the beer.<\/p>\n

\"Tokyo<\/p>\n

Check out the Himiko Cruise…a ‘spaceship’ that actually floats and sails!<\/p>\n

\"Japan<\/p>\n

The interior is roomy and futuristic too!<\/p>\n

\"JapanTokyo Skyline.<\/p>\n

\"Japan<\/p>\n

The magnificent Rainbow Bridge.<\/p>\n

\"Japan<\/p>\n

Cruising is a good way to see a city…<\/p>\n

\"JapanWe loved our futuristic ride!<\/p>\n

The futuristic Himiko Cruise brought us past Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge to Odaiba, the huge man-made island which was founded in the Edo period. You can\u2019t miss Odaiba. Not only because it\u2019s a bustling island created for commercial, leisure and residential purposes, it has a scaled replica of the Statue of Liberty, which is actually a gift from the French to the people of Japan. Set against the Rainbow Bridge, we certainly felt like we were back in Manhattan again!<\/p>\n

\"JapanA city of bridges…<\/p>\n

\"JapanNo wait….are we back at Lower Manhattan?<\/p>\n

\"Japan<\/p>\n

Never thought we would see the Statue of Liberty so soon again after our NYC trip last Summer!<\/p>\n

\"Japan<\/p>\n

Tokyo’s man-made beach in Odaiba!<\/p>\n

\"Japan<\/p>\n

Odaiba is a big recreational, commercial and residential man-made island where locals visit for leisure.<\/p>\n

\"JapanMet a talented busker there…<\/p>\n

Here at Odaiba, we slowed down to a stroll and literally smelled the flowers, particularly the wild lavenders and the wild framed hydrangeas.  We soaked in the weekend Tokyo vibes….watched a busker entertain the crowd in Japanese, clapped and cheered for him…It didn\u2019t matter that we didn\u2019t understand a word which was spoken as laughter and humour transcend all barriers!  Before we walked to the train station for our commute back, Angie walked into the Odaiba mall and did some shopping….yes\u2026she did.<\/p>\n

At dusk, we headed back to Tokyo on subway and bid a grateful farewell to our excellent goodwill guide, Miss Sakiko who had spent her entire Sunday bringing us around.  <\/p>\n

\"JapanAt Odaiba, we took time to smell the flowers…this was Angie’s favorite – the framed purple Hydrangaes.<\/p>\n

\"Japan The leisurely vibes at Odaiba was infectious!<\/p>\n

\"JapanBack to Tokyo, then back to hotel after a long but fulfilling day.<\/p>\n

\"JapanThanks to detailed research by the wife and the company of local goodwill guides, we were not lost in transit nor translation…<\/p>\n

\"MsSakiko\"Our wonderful guide, Ms Sakiko and our Japanese doll, Dana…<\/p>\n

The Necessary ‘Evil’:<\/strong><\/p>\n

One of the main reasons why we chose  Keio Plaza Hotel<\/strong><\/a> was its direct, complimentary Shuttle Bus transfer to Tokyo Disneyland, our next destination. You need to book the bus the month prior to your usage via email as seats are limited. For the transfer, you can bring along all your luggage if you are checking out of Keio Plaza to move near to Disneyland, which was what we did. Early the next morning, we were at the shuttle bus queue at 6:30am, primed and ready to conquer the happiest place on earth! Stay tuned for our next post to find out how we did 18 rides (yes 18!), watched the parades and fireworks all within 12 hours in what is touted as the busiest Disneyland ever.<\/p>\n

Our DIY Japan Trip 2015 (Summer):<\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 1: Tokyo in a Heartbeat: Tsukiji Market and CupNoodle Museum<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 2: From Medieval to Manga – Touring Asakusa, Sumida and Odaiba<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 3: DIY Japan – Maximising Your Day at Tokyo Disneyland<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 4: DIY Japan – Maximising Your Day at Tokyo DisneySea<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 5: Hakone Part 1: Naked Truths from the Onsen<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 6: Hakone Part 2: Enchanting Botanical Garden of Wetlands & The Little Prince Museum<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Post 7: Osaka Part 1: Nara Park and Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Post 8: Osaka Part 2: Maximising Your Day at Universal Studios Japan<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Post 9:Osaka Part 3: Swissotel Nankai Osaka<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n

Post 10: DIY Japan \u2013 Kyoto…and a fond farewell<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Share your travel moments at this Mommy Blogger’s Site:<\/p>\n

\"Travel<\/a><\/div>\n

<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cWe\u2019re going shopping today\u201d my wife teased and I raised an eyebrow. After 16 years of marriage, one of the things Angie knows is that I want our trips to be educational and enriching whenever we travel (in fact, I\u2019m keeping tab on the number of World Heritage sites we\u2019ve visited so far). We didn\u2019t […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":20279,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[323,25],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/07\/Japan-Day-2150-copy.jpg?fit=1140%2C761&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p59hHF-5g2","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20214"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20214"}],"version-history":[{"count":71,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20214\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":46121,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20214\/revisions\/46121"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20279"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20214"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20214"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20214"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}