Tune in Tokyo - Part 2

I think Japanese Art is pretty sweet to look at! Here is a nice specimen A and I found in a bar in Shinjuku 2-Chome.

[Fascinating Art in Shinjuku 2-Chome]

The 2nd day in Tokyo we went out for an early lunch just across from our hotel in Shibuya. We found this awesome place called J.S. Burgers Cafe. Flaunting the slogan "Life is Burgers". Now I know I am in Japan and I should be eating different forms of raw fish for every meal BUT I've been here long enough to appreciate and CRAVE a decent burger. This place satiated my cravings for at least a month! These burgers were HUGE and TASTY! We feasted on their Cheeseburger Lunch Special with Fries, Salad, and a Drink for 1200 yen (about $12).

[J.S. Burgers - Bacon Cheeseburger]

Fake (plastic) food displays are very popular in Japan, to draw in customers with the realistic food displays out in the front of the shop, or even outside. I found this dessert display to be especially tantalizing.

[Fake (plastic) Food Display]

After lunch we went on a little tour of Tokyo. We went to a cute little shrine called Hie-Jinja in Akasaka. A was an amazing train navigator the entire trip and I felt very thankful that we were able to get around quickly and painlessly, for the most part. There was no avoiding the mass crowding and squishy squashy train situations. Hie-Jinja was very nice and peaceful. We walked up to the shrine through a 'tunnel' of orange torii (shrine gates).

[Hie-Jinja Torii Gates]

At the Shrine we each got an Omikuji (おみくじ), which is basically a random fortune written a strip of paper and found at Shinto Shrines and Buddhist Temples in Japan. You read your fortune and if it is good you keep it, but if it is bad you fold it up and tie it onto these special poles/trees in the shrine grounds. It is believed then that the bad fortune will not attach itself it to you, but rather stay where it was tied. A and I both got bad ones.... but I've never gotten a good one from these places. Its like a fortune cookie...just a more detailed fortune.

『おみくじ』

After Akasaka, we headed for the most popular Temple in Tokyo, Senso-ji in Asakusa. The area around Senso-ji is very quaint, filled with interesting shops and vendors. This Japanese relative of mine was stopping in a restaurant for an afternoon snack.

[I'm Hungry]

The big souvenir to buy at Senso-ji Temple is Osenbei (おせんべい), which is a cooked rice cake/cracker . Here are a couple of vendors down the main street.

[おせんべい]

[firing up the おせんべい grill]

[what flavour would you like?]

[Asakusa, Tokyo]