Mikera Monogatari: Asakusa

Waseda University's Okuma Auditorium

A few days ago, we were officially welcomed into Waseda University with the opening ceremonies for the SILS department (that would be the english speaking department).

All the teachers, deans, etc of the SILS department

The school is nice, it's not really big (as in spread out like University of Oregon) but it is super tall! We chose our classes too a few days ago. I signed up for Japanese of course, British history (haha random I know), Kabuki and Bunraku, and Photography. The Kabuki and Bunraku class is the one I'm most excited for...actually I don't know- I'm excited for all of them BUT! the Kabuki and Bunraku class gets to take field trips to some of the theaters to see shows (YUSS). Also, if you've never heard of Kabuki before, google. It's one of Japan's major theater types...and I think it's super interesting...but I've yet to see a live show.

Anyway, here's one last picture of the school:

DID YOU KNOW? They have SCHOOL ON SATURDAYS ughhhhh. I have one of my Japanese classes on Saturday morning - talk about culture shock!

As for the weather, it's finally cooled down! I guess a Typhoon is coming so there's been super heavy rain- but that means that the weather is cooler. (YUSSS. I don't think I've ever sweated this much in my life basically)


A lot of rain would pour off this building and hit a car below. So much in fact, it set the car's alarm off.

Because of the rain though, we decided to go to Asakusa and the Edo-Tokyo Museum on Thursday. (Originally we had planned to go to Kamakura, but decided against it because that involved being outside most of the time. We're going there tomorrow though- rain or shine! Last big outing before school starts on Monday).

So! The museum:

Model of some streets in Edo (the old capitol that's now called Tokyo)

Another Model

Lots of models

A portable shrine and some drums

And a Kabuki display!

Of course with kabuki...kabuki faces were to be had and Dorothy is the queen:

There's a famous Sumo Stadium outside of the museum, so at the train station we were using, there was a whole bunch of Sumo Wrestlers- so cool!

Anyway after the museum we went to Asakusa! On the way there you can see the new tower they are building called "Sky Tree". It's going to be taller than the Tokyo Tower when it's done. 470 meters. It's really neat to see it now as it's being built.

Anyway, in Asakusa there's a whole bunch of stores in this area with a big temple at the end of it. So, here are some pictures from our time there:


Front Gate

Front Gate's lantern design on the famous Asakusa snack (kind of like a bread filled with red bean paste called Anko or Azuki)

After you enter the front gate

Looking back at the front gate

New friends

Another new friend, Daichi! (I want to be his best friend haha)

David Davoooods

Saki-chan (new shopping friend)

Random Gate


One of the shops that makes the famous Asakusa snacks pictured earlier

So. Many. Shops.

Then after the shops, you have the temple entrance

At the temple, you first light some incense...and waft it towards you I guess. Then you wash your hands and mouth:

Then you throw your 5 en (good luck and for friendship) into this grate looking thing:

Then you pray:

And just for the record....the swastika aren't Nazi swastikas. Here's a quote about them taken from this website if you're interested:
"The Swastika is a well-know good-luck symbol from India. Unfortunately, it is too well known in the west, as the Nazis chose it as their main symbol. In Sanskrit, swastika means "conducive to well-being". In the Buddhist tradition, the swastika symbolizes the feet or footprints of the Buddha and is often used to mark the beginning of texts. Modern Tibetan Buddhism uses it as a clothing decoration. With the spread of Buddhism, it has passed into the iconography of China and Japan where it has been used to denote plurality, abundance, prosperity and long life."

Usually on maps, temples are marked by swastikas. I recall my last trip to Japan when I was showing my dad a picture of a map of Kyoto and he was confused like "why are there swastikas all over it?"

Anyway, PAGODA

Where Buddha's relics are said to be kept

Asakusa Dango and osenbei. YUMMY

After Asakusa, we had an okonomiyaki party at a restaurant. Okonomiyaki is kind of like a pancake, but with veggies and fish and stuff. DELICIOUS. Anyway here's how the "nomikai" party works: you pay around 21 bucks to sit in this room for 2 hours and drink and eat as much as you can. AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.
We order the okonomiyaki we want to eat, then using the grill on our tables, make it! Oh, also a note on Japanese drinks: They have this stuff called Chew hi or something. It's alcoholic (like 8 % ) but doesn't taste at all like alcohol! They warned us of it at orientation cause you can think "oh I'm not drinking a lot of alcohol because I can't taste it". Anyway I tried this "grape sour" and it seriously tasted like a Popsicle haha.