Asakusa Japan

Ben and I couldn’t go to Tokyo without spending the better half of an afternoon roaming through historic streets of Asakusa. Sure Asakusa can be a bustling tourist trap filled with excited travelers, but if you are willing to migrate past the food stalls and yukayta stands you are likely to find some delicious food, incredible gardens and a giant kitchen ware district.

This masculine “Treasure House Gate” stands like a brave guardian protecting the historic Asakusa temple complex….but what is it protecting? Tokyo’s oldest, and likely most visited, Buddhist temple, known as Sensō-ji . Past the vast gate small market like stalls line the perimeter of the streets where vendors sell everything from jewelry and handicrafts to samurai swords and Japanese confections. As we walk past the stalls, I wish that I had something I wanted to buy, but everything seems somewhat gimmicky. When I travel I seem to stumble upon treasures like intricately hand carved armoires and large ornate mirrors, basically things that I couldn’t possibly fit in my suitcase, or in my budget for that matterJ. I am not into trinkets as I always imagine them boxed up in an attic somewhere, someday. Any ideas for an international collection?

After clawing your way though hoards of people you can finally see the beautiful architecture of the Buddhist temples. I absolutely love the way the paper lanterns, painted perfectly with black and red calligraphy, dangle from the temple like a perfectly selected accessory.

Before entering the temple, several Buddhist saints seem to be cleansing themselves with the smoke billowing out of this large cauldron. After the smoke cleansing they make their way to the tortuously carved fountain to wash their hands and drink. I think this dragon was the inspiration for Mulan’s pet dragon Mushu.

After walking through the exquisite gardens we found a yummy Sukiyaki restaurant. Sukiyaki is a must, especially on a chilly autumn day. Very similar to Chinese Hot Pot and Vietnamese Pho, this simmering soup serves as the cooking vessel for fresh vegetables, savory mushrooms, and thinly sliced meat. Don’t get me wrong I love Pho and Hot Pot, but the Japanese version seems to be more complex and balanced in flavor. Ben was a little hesitant when he saw the waiters whipping around us with platters filled with thinly shaved raw meat, but once he realized that we cooked it at our table he was much more excited. He even suggested we make this when we go snowmobiling.