There were many little shops selling souvenirs around the train station, but we didn't go into any because we knew we wanted to see Kaminarimon and Sensou-ji first.
There we were! The lantern was huge!
We walked through the gate, and there were lots of things to see.
We saw the Nakamise-dori first. It was a street (with many other side streets) leading to the temples that had many fun little shops.
Nakamise-dori.
Some of the most famous snacks here were the little cakes that are similar to taiyaki, but with different shapes.
There were many shops that sold these little cakes, and it probably didn't really matter who we got the cakes from.
Then I saw this old gentleman sorting the cakes. He was so careful and concentrated I must purchase from him.
3 for 100 yen.
We picked three different designs: a little bird, the Kaminarimon lantern, and the 5-tiered temple.
My favorite was the bird one. He was cute and really yummy.
There were some shops that were closed, but then we got to see pretty scroll-door art this way.
And then you ask, what's the deal with the title of this post: "sadness at sensou-ji"?
While we were walking through the sections that was opposite to the shops, I pulled out my videio camera and filmed the pretty things for a while. All of a sudden, on the screen I saw a lady from one of the shops waving a sign (at me). I was not sure what was on the sign, so I zoomed in to look. The sign said, "No camera!"
I was a bit confused, so I looked at the camera again (to make sure) while John said, "she said NO CAMERA!" It sounded mean (at the time.)
All of a sudden I was mad. I shut off my camera and walked away without saying a word. John chased up to me and talked, but I ignored him. He tried harder and I didn't even want to talk.
I know it was stupid, but at that moment I guess I was a bit embarrassed, and a bit sad. The area was filled with people, and there were plenty of shops that sold the exact same thing the lady was selling... I didn't know why she wouldn't want anyone to take a picture or film. I was not even aiming at her shop. I was simply filming the street from my left to right.
I guess I was a bit tired at the time, too, so when John said (loudly) "She said NO CAMERA" to me while I was already going to do so anyhow, I got mad, and then sad.
So for the rest of our visit to Sensou-ji I almost didn't talk at all. I took lots of still pictures with my video camera. Almost all the pictures I took at the time looked sad... or I should say, when I see all the pictures I took then, I felt sad.
We saw lots and lots of lanterns. They were offered/donated to the temples by indivisuals, cities and towns, and businesses.
Big sandal.
It was a gift from a city.
A 5-tiered temple.
The sandal and the temple in the photos were so beautiful, but somehow they also both looked sad to me...
I then saw an old couple who walked to the big sandal, holding hands. The husband said something to the wife, and they both smiled at each other and nodded. I couldn't hear what they said, but they looked so happy.
I felt bad for being mean to John. I really didn't mean it. Seriously, the "NO CAMERA!" thing was nothing. I really didn't have to get mad at anyone, or John, or myself. I apologized to John. We hugged, kissed, and held hands and continued walking through the area.
That was the only time during the whole trip that I was uncomfortable, and there really wasn't any reason for me to feel so. I know sometimes I get mad when things don't go exactly the way I want them to go, but I should be better at controlling my emotions and attitudes.
Now I think back I feel silly, but this "sadness at sensou-ji" is a reminder to me not to let small little things bother me, where I then will hurt important people around me.
(Almost) every visitor took a picture with the big Kaminarimon lantern.
I'd never forget that night.
We walked out of the sensou-ji area and saw this:
Ahh! What was that golden-green-ish thing-y?
I know what it looked like, but I believe this was supposed to represent the froth of Asahi beer; an Asahi beer museum/store was underneath the Golden-green-ish froth.
Oh, and here in Asakusa was where I got some cute little charms from the vending machines.
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