Happy Sports and Health Day

Monday was Sports and Health day. We got a day off of work for the Tokyo Olympics coming once upon a time a long time ago. Whatever right? I will totally take the time off. Fair warning: this is a long post.

 This is a big giant lake filled with lotus flowers. Unfortunately they aren't blooming, so it looks like a big pumpkin patch. It really is a lake under there. 

 It is in the middle of city, and there is a zoo next to it with PANDAS! I didn't see them yet, but I will. I. Will. 

 They have these stalls set up with food.

 An old shrine.

 Big duck rafts out on the lake. Many boats and things. We were going to go, but it the lake was small, and I don't trust swans.

 Suspicious looking aren't they. 

Extra picture with no catchy caption. 

 I heard the sound of a war beat and naturally followed it until I found the source. This here is a Taiko/flute performance group on the street.

Video proof so you can see.

This hallway leads to a bookstore. I thought it looked pretty snazzy. 

This is the busiest intersection in the entire world. All the signs stop and 1,000s of people cross all at once during the peak hours. Quite interesting to watch. 

 Shibuya! Very busy, and full of young people. 

 In Japan, they build their signs up high in the sky, which makes it all very confusing. 

 Japan knows where the cool comics are...Marvel baby. 

 I found a Shakey's Pizza... I am pretty sure they have these in America. This is a legitimate pizza buffet...awesome right? 

 I didn't actually eat here, I just looked around and bolted...suckers!

Another angle of the intersection. 

It is a very odd shaped intersection. 

I don't think I am selling this intersection for as cool as it is.  

 This is a statue called Hachiko. It is a statue of a dog who would wait for its owner at the train station everyday and they would walk home together. One day, his owner had a brain hemorrhage and died. Hachiko would still come everyday at the same time for 9 years and wait for him. He became well known, and they made a statue for him. This story really tugs at my heartstrings and reminds me that I want to get a dog. This is also a very popular meeting place for foreigners.

 Takeshita is a popular shopping district in Harajuku. Harajuku is known for a bridge where young 'uns will get together in all goth and stuff and hang out on the bridge...somehow this is interesting. I believe Gwen Stefani travelled around with some Harajuku girls for a while, but don't quote me on that. 

 A picture of the bridge where the Harajuku kids hang out. 

 A big giant torii leading into the Meiji Jingu. Emperor Meiji was the emperor that opened Japan to the west and ruled until 1925. This area has 100,000 trees that were dedicated to him and the empress. The shrine is dedicated to his god-spirit. 

 A very refreshing walk in contrast to the rest of the city which is so crowded. 

 The purification part outside the shrine. Here you wash your left hand, then right, then put water in your hand and wash your mouth, then was the left and wash the dipper. I met some other Mormons here, I could tell because a kid was wearing a Jimmer shirt. Dead giveaway. 

 Inside the front shrine entryway.

Cool looking...entryway...thing. 

They have weddings here. Here you can see the traditional wedding party following behind the bride and groom. 

The party. 

Failed attempt at an artsy pick... 

Looking across the inner square. 

Other view 

This is a wishing tree type thing. You can write wishes and good lucky things and hang them on the racks, or put the wishes on a paper and put it in the box...I am not sure how the wishes come true, but they do.  

I bought this in lieu of getting any of you anything for Christmas this year. So...you are welcome.  

Cool yeah?  

I put it in the super wish granting spot.  

 Those papery squiggles are wishes. I couldn't take pictures of the shrine itself, but you throw money into the money catcher, bow twice, clap twice, wish for something and then bow again. 

Contrast between old style Japan and new Japan.  

 Going up to the treasure building.

Koi 

 One lonely tree. Doesn't it look picturesque? They had a sign that said that going up to it was prohibited...don't know what you got, 'til it's gone.

 A nice lawn outside the treasure building. 

 Really cool construction in the treasure building courtyard

 Main building

 This was the entrance. The treasures weren't actually that cool. they had pictures of emperors going back for 1000's of years and some artifacts that the Emperor used himself...in the broad spectrum of how old Japan is, his 80 year old artifacts don't seem that important. 

I think those ladies in the distance were practicing the Hula...I can't be sure, but it looked pretty hippy. 

Ok. Now, in honor of Halloween, something absolutely terrifying: 

Seriously...what is going on here?