Sunday, December 04, 2005

Japan: Tokyo 15 - Asakusa and a Sento

Asakusa tourism:
Asakusa, not to be mistakened for Akasaka, is the heart of old downtown Tokyo. It is famous for the Senso-ji Temple, the largest temple in Japan and a five storied pagoda. Leading up to it is the Kaminarimon Gate and a walkway known as the Nakamise Dori, chock full of traditional vendors and souvenir shops (dates back 500 years of practice). There are also tour guides that hassle tourists there, but they thought I was Japanese so was able to fend them off.

Pic 1: Kaminarimon Gate
Pic 2: Nakamise Dori
Pic 3: Pagoda
Pic 4: Senso-ji Temple


Sento in Asakusa:
I read about a Sento, or a public bath. And yes, out of my own curiousity and for blog material I stripped naked and went in. It was $4 for a bath, $1 towel rental, $.20 soap. Let's just say I have enough images of old naked women, to make me want to work out everyday for the rest of my life. You take off your shoes, put your junk in a locker and go into a room to scrub yourself down and wash yourself, then you are to soak in a huge pool of boiling hot water with everyone. I left after 10 minutes.