LXIX - Tokyo

One of the two huge copper tōrō hanging from either side of Hōzōmon gate. Each weighs approximately 1000kg.

LXVIII - Tokyo

The Hōzōmon (宝蔵門, - "Treasure-House Gate") leading into Senso-ji Temple is famous for the giant red chōchin hanging from it, which is 3.75 meters tall, 2.7 meters in circumference and weighs 400 kilograms. The current one is a reproduction donated in 2003.

LXVII - Tokyo

A group of young Japanese performing the purification ritual at the large kōro in front of Sensō-ji Temple.

LXVI - Tokyo

Inside Sensō-ji, which is Tokyo's oldest Buddhist Temple, first built in the year 645. It was bombed during World War II and was rebuilt, becoming a symbol of peace for the Japanese people.

It is dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon (観音), the Goddess of Mercy.

LXV - Tokyo

A large Buddha statue located in front of Kinryū-zan Sensō-ji (金龍山浅草寺 - Sensō-ji Temple) in Asakusa.

LXIV - Tokyo

The yummiest gyoza (餃子 or ぎょうざ - "dumplings") I have ever tasted.

Disclaimer: my opinion might have been slightly influenced by the pretty air-conditioned restaurant which provided an excellent escape from the sweltering August heat outside.

LXIII - Tokyo

And on the other side of the street from the giant teacups, a huge chef face.

LXII - Tokyo

Giant teacups on a building along Asakusa-dori.

LXI - Tokyo

What surprised us most walking along Asakusa-dori (浅草通り- "Asakusa Street") was the presence of very many shops selling butsudan (house altars) ― an unusual sight for any gaijin!

LX - Tokyo

The colourful incense bundles burning in the kōro in front of Benten-do Temple.

LIX - Tokyo

A beautiful engraved stone on the banks of Bentenjima (弁天島 - "Benten Island"). ,

LVIII - Tokyo

The temizu fountain in front of Benten-do (弁天堂) Temple, dedicated to the Buddhist goddess Benzaiten (弁才天), the goddess of everything that flows: water, words, speech and music. This worship hall is very appropriately located on a small island between the three sections of Shinobazu no Ike (不忍池 - "Shinobazu Pond"): Hasu no Ike (蓮の池, - "Lotus Pond"), Bōto no Ike (ボートの池, - "Boat Pond"), and U no Ike (鵜の池, - "Cormorant Pond").

LVII - Tokyo

Renge (蓮華 - "lotus flower") blooms in midsummer, and is a symbol of truth, perfection and immortality.

It also represents Buddha's life, since it is born in the world which is full of problems and darkness (the mud in the pond), and grows to be pure and and unsullied ― it represents the awakening to the spiritual reality of life. Renge was also thought to be able to regenerate by itself, and because of this it is often shown as the throne upon which the Buddha sits, as a symbol of an awakened Mind.

LVI - Tokyo

A view of Shinobazu no Ike (不忍池), ,the lake in Ueno Park, which by midsummer is completely covered in lotus flowers.

LV - Tokyo

The main altar of the small Inari Shrine in Ueno Park, Hanazono-Inari-Jinja (花園稲荷神社 or はなぞのいなりじんじゃ).

LIV - Tokyo

Inari (稲荷) is the Japanese kami ("god") of fertility, rice, agriculture, foxes, industry and success, and is one of the most important kami in Shinto.

Kitsune (狐 or きつね - "fox") ― especially white ones ― are believed to be the special messengers of Inari.

LIII - Tokyo

A torii (鳥居) is a vermilion gate which traditionally marks the entrance to a place sacred to Shinto religion, such as a Shrine. Inari Shrines such as this small one in Ueno Park typically have many torii in a row.

LII - Tokyo

A row of pretty chōchin (提灯 - "paper lantern") in Ueno Park.

LI - Tokyo

Colourful origami (折り紙) cranes at Toshogu shrine, Ueno Park.

Senbazuru (千羽鶴 - "Thousand Origami Cranes") such as these have a special meaning for Japanese people: there is a legend promising that whoever folds a thousand paper cranes will have their wish granted by a crane, which is one of the mystical creatures (along with dragons and tortoises) that are said to live a thousand years.

After WWII, senbazuru have been associated with the Hiroshima tragedy, and can often be seen hanging from peace & memorial monuments, such as this one in Ueno.

L - Tokyo

A detail from the roof of the temizu fountain at Tosho-gu Shrine in Ueno Kōen (上野公園, "Ueno Park"), Tokyo.

"Toshogu" is a royal title which literally means "Sun God of the East". Toshogu shrines were built throughout the country to honor Tokugawa Ieyasu as a deity, often near temples or sites that had a family or personal connection with him. This is why there are about 200 shrines in Japan named Tosho-gu.

XLIX - Tokyo

Japanese people seem to be especially fond of western-style desserts ― especially sponge cake. Everywhere you turn in Tokyo station you will see displays full of boxes of pretty pastel-coloured cakes and sweets such as these.

XLVIII - Tokyo

Just a pretty shot of the escalator in the Tokyo subway. Does anyone know what is written there? I can only read ..kudasai ("... please") and can't remember what came before that!

XLVII - Jōmō-Kōgen

Several large ga (蛾 - "moth") seemed to enjoy the house as much as I did.

XLVI - Jōmō-Kōgen

A corner of the main room of the traditional house. There is a butsudan (仏壇 - "Buddha's altar"), in front of which practicing Buddhists light incenses and leave food offerings. The religious items contained withing a a butsudan are called butsugu (仏具 - "Buddhist altar equipment"), and consist of candlesticks, incense burners, and bells among others. Some people also place memorial tablets called ihai (位牌 - "spirit tablet") in their butsudan.

XLV - Jōmō-Kōgen

A view of the first floor of a Japanese traditional countryside house. This floor was initially used to process silkworm cocoons. There is no ceiling ― the rafters and the structure of the roof can be seen - and the windows on the side walls have only been added in recent years.

XLIV - Jōmō-Kōgen

Pardon the mess!

Another of the elements which characterize Japanese rooms, other than shōji doors and paper lanterns, are oshiire (おしいれ - "closet").

Oshiire are built-in closets which are used to store any bedding which is used at night-time, to keep the room free during the day. This is because Japanese houses usually have very minimal furniture and do not have rooms specifically intended for a purpose like we do (e.g. dining room, living room, bedroom), but each room can serve multiple purposes, according to what items are placed on the tatami (畳, "mat").

The futon (布団 - "padded mattress") which can be seen on the floor have been carefully folded and stored away after breakfast, along with the taoruketto (たおるけっと - "large towel") which is used as a blanket during the humid summer and the makura (枕 - "pillow"), a surprisingly comfortable pillow filled with beans or buckwheat chaff.

I can honestly say I have seldom slept as comfortably as on that futon.