National Founder’s Day in Japan

Rise and shine! After 2 days of staying awake finally some uninterrupted rest was earned. Taking the train to Harajuku Station seeing the hustle and bustle of the natives. Despite it being a Sunday, it was still relatively crowded compared to Singapore. I realised the advertisements in the train were rather an education and animated such that it was understandable even for me. Having no background in Japanese yet still able to understand the advertisement was considered an achievement. Since it was Founder’s Day, Meiji Shrine had a ceremony to celebrate this festival. We explored the Shrine, exploring the various routes that led us to take many photos. Me, Amelia and Zhao Siu decided to follow the Japanese and pay respect at the shrine. After observing a few people doing it we followed suit. First, we toss a coin into a rectangular box. After doing so, we bowed, before we prayed. After praying we clapped our hands twice. We ended off with another bow. Around 11:30 AM, the Japanese traditional band kick-start the event with a bang. Literally and physically. The band was hitting the drum with a lot of enthusiasm and vigour. They were very synchronised and the drum beats resonated within the entire Shrine. Many kindergarten kids and university students also came on board and performed at least a song. The Shrine was flooded with tourist and locals. I was not able to catch a glimpse of the performance due to my height but the music was pleasing enough to my ears. I found myself humming to the tune even though it was my first time hearing it. It was pleasant and soothing. We were unable to enjoy the whole performance due to schedule.

A picture of me at Meiji Shrine, soaking in the beauty of sake lined in the background.

On our way out, we saw many enthusiasts carrying mikoshi (portable shrines) chanting and ‘dancing’ their way into Meiji Shrine. It was definitely a sight to behold, being able to witness the Kigensai festival in Tokyo.

Traditional Band kick-starting the festival. What a bang!

After visiting the majestic Meiji Shrine, we departed and headed to Takeshita Street where it is a narrow, roughly 400 m long street filled with shops, boutiques, café and food outlets. I spotted many crepe shops and was tempted to buy one for myself but decided against it. Despite the high human volume, we were still able to have a good view of what Takeshita Street has to offer. It is analogous to Bugis Street in Singapore where the shops are all clustered together. It was good to see the difference between the day and night of this street. At night, it is as if it is a dead town, however, in the morning it is bustling with life and human traffic. It is a sight to remember and experience making our way through the tight streets.

What a crowded street! *Teach me how to Quantum Tunnel*  A sight to behold for a narrow 400 m street.

After which, we separated and did our own exploration of Tokyo. We decided to make full use of the time we have in Japan and immerse ourselves in the rich culture of food. We headed towards Shibuya and located a Tendon Soba Udon restaurant. I am proud to say Japan has a fine taste in seafood, the food prepared was very fresh and suitable for my palette. After the meal, I could feel a food coma coming seeing that the food that was served was quite huge. To battle food coma there is a need to get up and walk to our next planned destination – Shibuya. Shibuya is known of its famous Shibuya crossing. Getting our photos taken was indeed a challenge. We had to capture the right angle, the right time and the right location for the shot. It was really fun and enjoyable running around before the traffic turns red. As tourists, we did touristy activities and roamed the streets of Shibuya before we headed to Akihabara.

Lunch with my buddies! The Tendon was amazingly nice and delicious! A must-go!

Shibuya Crossing! Messy or Artistic?

Akihabara was definitely an eye-opener for me. I was never exposed to any intense anime culture before hence this scene defiantly something I would personally want to remember as we probably would not find in Singapore.

Lights and more lights! 

As the night came, the temperature started dropping with strong wind blowing at our faces. It was so cold!!!! It was bad for me as I was not wearing any windbreaker and my face was constantly exposed to the strong winds making me ice cold. Despite the weird weather experience, we braved through and walked to Uneo for Ichiran ramen.

The day was filled with many surprises and fun experience with the other students. It was a fun and fulfilling day!