Journal no. 3

 after Ameyoko, we went to Asakusa.

 Nice subway tile mural.

At Kaminari-mon, there were many young ladies in beautiful kimono dress - i think it was for their coming of age ceremony.

we had pudding while sitting outdoors. they came in cute glass bottles - plain, matcha and royal milk tea flavor, and they were smooth, creamy and delicious.

we walked to the next street parallel to Nakamise-dori. we could see the Sky Tree!

2013 is the year of the snake - this cute fellow was given a warm scarf.

we bought really cheap 2nd hand clothes at a covered shopping arcade.

then we emerged out of the arcade to a junction where a Kabuki theater was, and found the really nice shopping street running along the perimeter of Senso-ji temple, where Tempura Daikokuya (大黒家, first opened in 1887) was.

the restaurant wasn't crowded when we entered at 5.30 pm.
we chose the table area and they got us an English menu and we ordered 2 dishes : type 2 (2 prawns) and type 1 (1 prawn, 1 fish).

the giant prawns were coated in the batter that had the intense flavor of the sesame oil and dark sauce which in turn soaked each grain of rice.
the restaurant started filling up with customers at about 6 pm.

after dinner, we went toward the back gate of Senso-ji Temple.

 the night view is awesome.

 especially with the Tokyo Sky Tree in the background.

then, we went to Shimbashi to find Hakuhinkan, the toy store where i had arranged to meet S.

S asked us what we wanted to eat - i shamefully told her we had ten-don so we were not hungry.
she decided we can go to a nearby Japanese izakaya, called Hakobune.

 it was really posh and had loads of different Japanese alcohol. this was the default appetizer they served us - fish, kinako, some patty, and sake in the golden cup.

 S ordered sashimi (3 types), roast pork cheek and preserved squid.
the staff was very nice and helped us to take photos, inside and outside the izakaya.

then, we walked along the broad boulevards of Ginza - above is the display for Shiseido.

S walked us to the subway, and we bid each other a fond goodbye.