This morning, we went to Asakusa to visit the Sensoji Temple. According to legend, two fishermen found a statue of Kannon Bodhisattva in the Sumida river and subsequently, the temple was built and dedicated to Kannon Bodhisattva. Sensoji Temple was completed in 645 and it became the oldest temple in Tokyo. Before going to the Sensoji Temple, we visited Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center and took the lift up to the viewing deck on the eighth floor where we had a bird's eye view of the Sensoji Temple.
We walked across the road to the Kaminarimon or thunder gate at the entrance to the Sensoji Temple. The Kaminarimon had a huge red lantern hanging over its doorway. After passing through, we entered into a long shopping street known as Nakamise. The street was lined with stores selling traditional wares and local snacks.
The Hozomon Gate stood at the end of Nakamise. The Hozomon Gate comprised two levels with a treasure house located on the second level. Beyond the gate was the main hall where worshipers came to pay respect.
In the afternoon, we moved on to the Akihabara district. Akihabara was filled with stores specializing in electronic and anime goods. One of the biggest electronic store in the area was Yodobashi Akiba which was conveniently located besides the Akihabara train station. Yodobashi Akiba comprised nine levels packed with audio visual, toys, computers and many other products. It was quite daunting trying to find an item somewhere in that massive space.
Besides shopping, Yodobashi Akiba also had an entire floor dedicated for food. We settled for lunch at Tonkatsu Hamakatsu located at a corner on the eighth floor of Yodobashi Akiba. The pork cutlets were crispy on the outside while juicy and tender on the inside. Before eating, we got to prepare the sauce by crushing sesame seeds and pouring the restaurant's secret sauce. The port cutlets dipped with the prepared sauce certainty elevate the taste many times more!
The distinctive character of Akihabara was evident based on the neon billboards and colourful posters that were prominently displayed on the shop fronts and buildings. The presence of cos-players along the streets handling out advertisements for arcades and maid cafes further spice up the vibrant scene.
After experiencing the Otaku culture in Akihabara, we headed back to Ginza for dinner at Torigin. Torigin specialized in yakitori and kamameshi. The yakitori were nicely grilled and the meat on the sticks were succulent and juicy. The kamameshi was equally delicious. The texture of the rice was just right, not too wet nor dry and tasted great with the other ingredients in the pot.
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