Figjam's Epic Adventure 'The Second Coming': Tokyo

15^th September Day 10 – Hanging out with my Japanese friend Kosuke.

And then Saturday rolled on in. It was a pretty relaxed slow start to the day, I had planned to meet with Kosuke at 12pm at Kaminarimon Gate.

What I didn’t realise is how far it was from Locky’s place. It took me about 1.5 hours until I met up with Kosuke, I was so very apologetic as its quite rude to make people wait in Japan (and everywhere else J)

Anyway, I wasn’t completely my fault I was told the wrong directions and got a bit lost, but never mind I still managed to get there ok.

Kosuke showed me around the gate and even took me down the very busy street and showed me the beautiful temple. I was shown the proper way to bless yourself before you enter a Buddhist temple, and the correct way to pray.

You must first clean your hands and mouth at the washing basin, then enter the temple, before you pray you are suppose to throw some Yen into a box, put your hands together to pray. It’s actually quite cool, and even though its not something I do, it was a really great experience.

It was so much fun hanging out with a Japanese dude, and Kosuke’s English was amazing so he was able to explain to me what the ‘warriors’ that guard the gates and temples. There is one warrior who has an open mouth, this resembles life, the reason being is that when you are born you are making a lot of noise aka screaming. On the other side, there is the closed mouth warrior, and obviously this resembles death.

After we walked around the main street for a while, we grabbed some beef bowl which is a Japanese dish which is basically rice and beef strips on top. Kosuke and I mixed it up a bit. We also ordered a raw egg which you dig a hole in your rice and pour the egg into the hole and mix it all up. It gives it a great feeling, and makes you want to climb some stairs and raise your hands like Rocky!!!

Kosuke was an absolute legend even though I very much offered to pay, he refused saying that ‘it’s was his country and I’m the guest’, but when he comes to Australia he is going to order a steak and make me pay!!

We were now feeling full and ready to keep checking out the surrounding areas. Kosuke showed me all the really nice restaurants and told me about all the different foods. I told him that I wanted to buy some Tobi (or Tabi) shoes. These are the 2 toed shoes that the Ninja’s (supposedly) used to wear. We found a random shop that sold them, and for the bargain price of only 1000Yen! Perfect! I picked them up! Can’t wait to wear them in Australia.

I also picked up a Japanese headband that read something along the lines of “Power & Spirit” which is pretty cool!

So it started to get late, and I still had an hour bike ride to get home and then eventually a bus to catch to Osaka so we said our goodbyes and pretty much concluded an awesome experience I had with Kosuke!

I chilled out with Locky and a German dude at Locky’s house until the unfortunate time approached where I had to catch my bus to Osaka!

My time in Tokyo was amazing! I don’t think I have enjoyed a city as much as I did in Tokyo! The place just has so much energy such an awesome city!

But next up we have Osaka, cant wait!!

Till next time!

Steve