Springtime Mishmash

As you can see, I'm backtracking a bit with this post, but quite a few events occurred during the Spring that I wanted to share. Weather-wise, the months were pleasant for the most part. Besides some spring cleaning at home, we were able to visit several different parks without having to worry too much about rain or extremely warm temperatures.

Johoku-Chuo Koen

In this huge open field, Markus loves to run and kick his ball around. There is an oval track for running and a long-jump sand pit, which is usually occupied by young children. We often see students practicing track and field events and doing their group stretching regimens. Because of the vast space, the Johoku-Chuo park also serves as the area's earthquake evacuation site.

Asakusa Koen (near Sensoji Temple)

Chillin' inside a wooden train car with Kota-kun at Nakadai Koen

On April 17, we celebrated Chihiro-kun's 2nd birthday with an afternoon get-together at Mihoko-san's home.

Otanjoubi Omedeto Chihiro-kun!

Time to open presents!

(L-R) Mihoko-san, Chihiro-kun and Kota-kun

UENO ZOO

At the end of April we took another eventful trip to Ueno Zoo. This visit included our friends Hiromi-san and Taro-kun. Anytime you mention anything about a zoo to Markus, his immediate reaction is pure excitement! So of course, he had a great time and the trip was all the more fun having his friend Taro-kun along to enjoy the animal adventure.





Taro-kun observing the amphibians in the Vivarium Building

Taro-kun and Markus loved the Ueno Kodomo Yuen (Children's Amusement Park) outside of the zoo. There are many coin-operated rides, arcade games, and even a small carousel.






Sometimes I swear Markus could be a little tour guide for Ueno Zoo. He memorizes where most of the animal exhibits are! It's so funny!

Panda-san was taking a lazy snooze

Yikes! A very hungry alligator!

Soon after the zoo and amusement park, Hiromi-san and I were strolling along two sleepy-heads by the time we reached the train station.

Otanjoubi Omedeto Addy-chan!

On May 12, we attended Addison Haggerty's 2nd birthday party for cupcakes and ice cream. Markus enjoyed reuniting and playing with his little girlfriend.

In the photo above, Markus is feeding Addy Goldfish crackers...with a spoon!

On May 15, my friend Hiromi-san invited Markus and I, along with other friends from Jidoukan, to her home for a wonderful homemade pizza luncheon. Hiromi-san also baked some fresh bread, some side dishes, and a fabulous fruit salad for dessert.

In the photo above, (L-R) Yoko-san, Asoko-san and Sayaka-san are preparing the pizza.

Freshly baked raisin bread

Taro-kun and Kota-kun chomping down the salad

After lunch, the kids had plenty of time to play around with Taro-kun's toys. We were confined indoors for a while during a severe thunderstorm that afternoon.

Markus' version of a wheelie using Taro-kun's trike

It was almost impossible to get the busy tots to stay orderly for this group photo.

From L-R, Hiromi-san and Taro-kun (the hosts, both wearing orange); directly behind is Keiko-san Masaki-kun; Arisa-chan and Asoko-san; Yoko-san and Ayumi-chan (not visible); Sayaka-san and Kota-kun; Markus and I.

Sanja Matsuri Festival

Known to be one of the three largest festivals in Japan, the Sanja Matsuri was the most vivacious we've attended thus far, in Japan. A reported over 1.5 million people attended the three-day extravaganza in Asakusa. We joined in the festivities on the last day.

By now, you might be familiar with Asakusa. This famed tourist attraction is referred to in several previous blog posts.

Dozens of boisterous men and women packed tightly, carried this mikoshi toward the Sensoji Temple.

Children's float providing music with festival flutes and taiko drums

Kaminarimon Gate, entrance to Nakamise Dori

After living in Japan for over a year, being around large crowds doesn't seem to phase me as much anymore. After all, when you're dealing with a metropolis city with a population of over 28 million, you're bound to the masses almost always. However that Sunday, May 20th, Asakusa Station was way overcrowded! I mean, I can't explain how crowded it was. So crowded that it made Rodney want to turn around and head back home...but of course, we didn't.

I met some new friends sporting Edo-style happi-coats. They were having a break at curb side so I stopped and chatted for while. They welcomed my conversation and filled me in on some festival traditions. It was fascinating to hear their point of views.

The man standing on the mikoshi in the green happi-coat is known as the kashira. He bellows to the crowds in encouragement and also directs the carriers down the crowded path.

Sanja Matsuri started nearly 13 centuries ago to honor three fishermen who rescued a statue of the Kannon Goddess snagged in their nets. The Kannon statue is now enshrined in Asakusa's renowned Sensoji Temple. Over 80 elaborately decorated mikoshi are carried on the shoulders of several dozen men and women as they vigorously hustle through the throngs of people headed down the streets of the Shitamachi area, known as the old Edo of Asakusa. Mikoshi are portable shrines that are believed to carry the gods. The wilder the mikoshi is jolted during the procession, the more it is said to intensify the power to bring good luck. Each mikoshi is different from the next and each group, usually tradespeople and shop owners, wear signature happi-coats representing their district or town. Everywhere we turned, there were mikoshi bobbing up and down the streets. It was an incredible site!

Sanja Matsuri is definitely opposite of conservative. During the festival, Tokyo's yakuza (Japanese mafia) overtly display their full-bodied tattoos and join in the celebrations. Not all tattooed individuals are feared yakuza, some are tradespeople and some simply just like tattoos. Regardless, the festival carried on safely throughout the frenzy.

We were apprehensive, but since everyone was taking photos, we asked him if we could take a close-up picture. I asked, "Shashin o totte mo iidesu ka?" He said "Hai, dozo." ["Yes, go ahead"]

...And below, his backside. (Looks pretty comfy, eh?!)

I was compelled to move toward the front of the Sensoji Temple compound. We knew it was impossible to try to handle a stroller through the crowd, so Rodney agreed to stay back in the distance with Markus as I maneuvered like a snake into the crowd. This photo on the right is part of what I saw...


It was so warm out that afternoon and we weren't sure how well Markus would handle the heat and stress of the crowds. After about an hour, he fell asleep, even through all the raucous. Thank goodness we brought along his stroller.

Below is a slide show with a short action video of a group carrying a mikoshi.

Yokohama Day Trip

On May 19th, we planned a visit to three main hotspots in Yokohama: The Yokohama Anpanman Kodomo Museum, Landmark Tower and Chinatown.

In Japan, if you have young children around, Anpanman is likely to be a household name. Anpanman is a famous cartoon superhero in Japan among young children, created by a man named Takashi Yanase. Markus has taken a liking to Anpanman, so we wanted to treat him to a well-deserved visit to the museum. He learned many of the theme songs and dances from Jidokan. Upon arrival, it was no surprise to find a long line-up at the entrance. The new museum had first opened in April, and we were sure that the novelty had not worn out in the slightest. Markus was being patient while listening to the familiar Anpanman songs that played over the speakers, though it triggered his excitement even more.




So what's all the hype about? In my opinion, it's a tad bizarre. He's not just the average flying, cape-wearing superhero. He is made of bread. Yes, in fact, his head is filled with sweet been paste, a popular Japanese pastry called anpan, thus the name Anpanman. His premise is to fight for justice and to save the world. Anpanman also sacrifices himself in each episode of the cartoon. For instance, to save a poor, starving boy, he will take a chunk off of his own head and feed it to the boy. At that point, he becomes weak and his powers are diminished, therefore he must return to his father, Jamu Ojisan (Uncle Jam) the baker, who bakes him a new head, by which he is then revitalized. The children just adore Anpanman!

Besides Anpanman, Markus' other favourite character is Baikinman (Germ Man). He plays a villain in the cartoon. The purple prop on the right is Baikinman's aircraft.

Since the inception of the television cartoon in 1988, over a thousand different characters have been introduced. Markus is familiar with the names of eight characters.

The three-story museum was unbelievable. Besides the many galleries to observe and fun games to play within, there is also a shopping mall complete with an Anpanman-themed hair salon, book/video store, restaurant, bakery, and of course a gargantuan souvenir shop. Prices for the paraphernalia were outrageous! I thought it was interesting to learn that an Anpanman helium balloon cost nearly 400 yen (approx. $4 US) more than a Disney character helium balloon sold in Tokyo Disneyland. The attendant selling the Anpanman balloons could barely keep his stock full! Let's just say that Yanase-san hit the jackpot in a major way with this creation!

Everyone rushed Anpanman as he made his appearance to the patrons. Markus could hardly catch more than a glimpse.

Yokohama Landmark Tower

Next stop - Minato Mirai 21 ("Harbor of the future") district to get a closer view of Landmark Tower. Standing at 296 metres high, it is the tallest building in Japan. The building is comprised of 70 floors. Royal Park Hotel occupies floors 49 to 70, making it the highest hotel in Japan. As the sun was rapidly setting, we opted out on visiting the "Sky Garden" observatory on the 69th floor, and made our way to Chukagai, or Chinatown, before it turned completely dark.

A very interesting metal sculpture outside in the courtyard, infront of Landmark Tower

The Yokohama Museum of Art

As the sun was setting, it peered through the heavy clouds in the sky, creating a spotlight, much like an eclipse, just infront of the museum. It was an awesome site! Just nature working its' wonders.

As we turned the street corner, this was the our first site of Chinatown (photo right). There are a total of four similar entry and exit gates called Pairos around the perimeter, and another six within.

This trip to Chinatown was Rodney's first; mine and Markus' second. The first time visiting Chinatown was last September when Ritchie and Paul came to Japan, and poor Rodney had to work.

Central Yokohama is the location of the largest Chinatown in Japan. This is due to the high concentration of Chinese who settled here soon after the Japanese port opened to foreign trade in 1859.

The divine mythical Chinese dragons symbolize power, excellence, and all that is good. In this touristy area, several storefronts and restaurants were adorned with many dragon decor.

The red-columned gate (photo right), is the Zenrin-mon Gate, which literally means friendship between neighbouring families and countries.

Yokohama Kanteibyo Shrine is dedicated to the god of good business and prosperity.

Built in 1887, the design and meticulous detail of this structure was magnificent. The endless colours of the shrine were vivid and rich in gold textures. Again, many images of dragons were casted along the moldings and columns. Like most sacred places of worship, taking photos within the shrine were not permitted.

We ate dinner at a restaurant across the street from the Kanteibyo Shrine, which provided a nice view. Since we moved to Japan, we really haven't had much of Chinese food. We were craving a bowl of hot and sour soup. Though the restaurant didn't offer it on their menu, the chef was kind enough to prepare the soup for us. How hospitable! It tasted great...not quite like Windsor's Dragon's Inn's hot and sour, but close enough to fulfill our cravings.

Kanteibyo Shrine, even more beautiful after dark

After dinner, we took a stroll and enjoyed the view of neon lights and flashy signs that decorated the streets of Chinatown.