Ali's Adventures: Japan Part 2

Okay, just a few more pictures (and I took so many this is just a sample of the best ones, and the highlights of the trip, because you really don't want to know how many arcades we actually went too!) But here we go, the last part of the trip....

Below is some of the money we used. Yen is so pretty, but the exchange rate was a constant struggle, because we have been using Korean won for so long, when I see a 1,000 note, I think 1 dollar, because that is what it is in Korea, however a 1,000 note in Japan was 10 dollars.... so I had to get into the mindset that yes, that is quite a bit more money.

It was also different because Korean won has many change pieces, and they are like change, whereas in japan, the small coins could be worth a dollar or even five dollars, which was helpful on the subway, but I feel like you spend it faster when it is in coin form because it still doesn't feel like you are spending so much. By the way, Japan was also much more expensive than Korea.

Entrance to the National Tokyo Museum, we spent the better part of a day looking through all the pieces here. It was a fantastic museum.

Ancient Kimonos.

Warrior Gear.

More Samauri stuff. It was really neat to see all the swords too but none of the pictures came out very well. It was hard to get a good shot because we were not allowed to use flash if we took pictures, and of course all the really cool things had No picture signs on them...

Japanese wall hanging.

Beautiful handcrafted Japanese dolls.

These are pillows... which explains why they like sleeping on the floor.

Recreation of a typical home.

This was the building that had artwork from other Asian countries, so China and Korea were represented as well.

the walkway went through the water to get to another building. Very cool.

I was really sad this part of the museum was closed. It had more recreations of everyday life in early times.

Why don't they have beer vending machines in America? Oh right... haha I guess the Honor code might not do too well for those under 21's right.....

This is a very common dish, Japanese love omelets, this one had tomato rice in it, and it was served with a hamburger patty. Very delicious. (And it had ketchup on it, so I figured my dad would like it too!)

Joseph got fish over rice, with some kind of fishy yougurt and miso soup.....well the miso was good!!!!

Walking through the streets after lunch exploring for more shopping opportunities.

We found another Shrine!!!!

This is the famous 5 story pagoda that Godzilla always knocks over in the movies.

Filled with tourists and buddhists!

The artwork on the architecture was breathtaking.

The shrine, this was as close as we could get. It was beautiful. The picture does not do it justice.

Joseph and the Pagoda.

Me and the Pagoda.

They also had this cool thing, where you donated a dollar and you could shake the big metal thing and inside were a bunch of sticks with japanese characters on them, there was a tiny hold on the bottom so you shook it till a stick came out and then you found the drawer with the matching character and you could take a piece of paper that would have your fortune on it. Joseph and I both got one, such a neat thing to take home.

People could also burn insence and cleanse themselves in prayer.

Ohhh look at the time, I guess we get to go shopping in another traditional market again. These were so fun, because they sold everything under the sun here.

Fans, everyone had one since it was so hot, even the men!

Trying to find our way home in the metro system, you had to make sure the orange light was lit up on your stop or the train would run by it without stopping.

Pork cutlet, with curry sauce.

meat and noodles over rice.

both of the above meals were purchased out of a vending maching, you buy what you want, give the ticket to the lady at the counter and she brings it to you, seriously, a minute later, So much technology!

Video games to play outside the bathroom....seriously!

This is the most busy station in the biggest city on the earth.... and after about ten minutes being lost trying to find my way out.... I believe it!

More sashimi! We got crab, tuna in soy sauce, salmon, and some weird egg sac thing. It was not delicious.

Video game arcade....? Nope.... a bar.

The jockey gambling game, (we went to the arcade down the street since 11am is too early to drink.)

Joseph thought this game was really neat, you bought a pack of playing cards (from a vending machine) and you placed them on the game board and the computer in the game could play with those cards, no idea how that works.