Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Meiji Jingu, Imperial Palace East Gardens

Yesterday after class was the yet another required field trip to Meiji Jingu/Meiji Shrine.

Here is the link to the photo album, but you can see the pics here as well

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38112586@N08/sets/72157621816353143/

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A nice place. We went in and walked around to a lecture building where a Shinto Priest talked to us about religion in Japan... stuff I mostly already heard. He did quote Dan Brown "Angels and Demons" though so I totally give him some kudos for that :D They played some weird musical instruments. I couldn't quite see well from the back though. One had to be warmed up before being played and sounded like a harmonica (but I'm sure it didn't look like one) Another one was a flute like. There was a third I believe. After the lecture we went inside the Shrine.

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Me and the Shinto Priest who talked to us.

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Friends and I at the Shrine

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I'm not sure if this is Sanpai... but we did see Sanpai, which is a Shinto ritual. This is the last of the pics I basically took because when we went inside we couldn't take pics. I wish we could have though because we saw En-bu performed which is a dance and it was sooooo pretty. So precise, all the movements.

After the Meiji Shrine trip, me and my friends went to eat and walked around Harajuku (Harujuku?). We did some cuuute Purikuras (which reminds me, Kojin never sent it to my phone). I was tired afterward I came back, showered and crashed for the night.

I was pretty much in and out of it all night because I slept with the TV on but too lazy to turn it off. But it was the first time my wake up call actually woke me up ^.^ We had a test in Japanese which includes a written and oral test. Oral tests are sooo scary, I've never had one before. He even records us. Of course Mr. Loud Mouth finished first, but then again I like to make sure my work is complete and use as must kanji as possible (which includes writing hiragana over it). Basically I'm trying not to make stupid mistakes. Sensei said as long as I have the write hiragana written, if my kanji is wrong, then he'll count it write and correct my kanji.

Today in History we went to the Imperial Palace but this time to the East Gardens.

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This is a sign found in the train stations and on the trains. Basically at the bottom is says not to cross the white lines because it's dangerous. I understand that. What I DO NOT understand is the top that says "Do it at the beach"..... Do what???? It's strange and makes me laugh.... Best sign ever so far I've seen.

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Here's pic of the entrance to the East Gardens. Nothing much to talk about there.

After the trip I went back to the school and printed powerpoints from History then came back to the hotel and rested. I couldn't find any good food on the way so I decided to head back to Roppongi to McDs. I was craving a Shaka Shaka anyways! So I walked there, stopping at the Tokyo Midtown again... I love that place. The walk didn't seem to take so long. But on the way back I decided to take the subway. Oedo line, 1 stop. I'm really curious to find out what takes longer... walking or taking the subway. The subway is fast and convenient, but not when you have to walk down 5 flights of stairs (to 5 floor basement) to get on the train then of course up so many numbers and walk 5 minutes and OH I had to wait 5 minutes for a train.......

But I did manage to use an unfamiliar station and train line and get back!! :) So that's good I guess.

One more thing... either my pants are getting bigger... or my butt is getting smaller. I'm not sure which one... but I felt like I needed a belt all day. And I coulda swore these black shorts were a bit snug...........

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