center: JLPT center name + 行
right: street address and building number
top: zip code
Culture note: Japanese envelopes are usually vertical and seal at the top. Also, most envelopes do not come with their own lick seal. You need to use a paste that post offices stock and are happy to let you use on-location, or you can buy your own bottle easily at a convenience store or 百円ショップ (hyakuen shoppu, 100-yen shop).
- For my next post I am going to do a special on addressing envelopes, so if you need help knowing how to address a Japanese envelope stay tuned! -
We stopped by Akihabara Station to transfer trains today, and I was amused by these signs on the escalators.
anti-perverse behavior poster
instructs you to call police if you notice such behavior
Culture note: In the USA, 911 is the number to call for the police in an emergency, but it Japan it is 110.
Near 両国駅 (ryougoku eki, Ryogoku Station), my mom and I went into a 100-yen shop on our way to the 江戸東京博物館 (edo toukyou hakubutsukan, Edo-Tokyo Museum) and my mom quite enjoyed herself. They are the Japanese equivalent of a US dollar store, and always have a variety of useful items on-hand. We also had fun at the museum. The exhibits went from the top floor to the bottom, so you ride an elevator up to start, then come down escalators or stairs as you progress. As I was mentioning with movie theaters, construction in Japan tends to be vertical rather than horizontal to make use of space. While we perused the museum an elderly Japanese man with some English skills came and tried to explain the exhibits to us. It was pretty sweet. My mom had trouble picking up his accent, and he ours, but I entirely understand the desire to practice language skills when presented the opportunity.
my mom riding in a 駕籠 (kago, litter) at Edo-Tokyo
it was meant to be carried by four people
this one was for use by men
women's litters were generally more ornate
One thing I truly enjoy about Japan is Engrish. There are many examples on T-shirts and on signs. Here is an example to show even museums are not immune to the hilarity.
clay marbles labelled as "a marbles of cray"
Japanese speakers have a lot of trouble with English for a variety of reasons including irregularities. The above example shows two common issues: plural forms and L/R recognition.
In Japanese, plurals are usually not specified but only in certain expressions or situations. You have to specify a precise number if it's important to express if you mean one or more of a thing. Therefore, words like "the," "a," and "an" are incredibly difficult for Japanese learners of English to understand.
As for the L/R sounds of English, in Japanese there is only a sound most resembling an L, but with hints of R and D sound also. It is always romanized as an R. The sound is made by putting the tip of your tongue at the base of your top front teeth. Americans also have trouble with the correct pronunciation of the Japanese R.
After my mom and I burnt out on Edo-Tokyo we went to a cafe and ate dessert for lunch. Tiramisu for the win.
Next on our list was 相撲国技館 (sumou kokugikan, Sumo Museum). It is located very close to the Edo-Tokyo Museum. It was an interesting place with video matches playing, biographies of famous wrestlers from the different prefectures, and biographies of winners of certain awards. Much was only in Japanese and what with the specialized language, I was not able to understand much.
Got some fun pictures though.
wall outside Sumo museum
another wall
not the best lighting
my new boyfriend
Another thing I think is really cute about Japan is that near certain tourist or specialty areas the stations are dressed up to advertise the attractions nearby. In Ryogoku Station there are pictures of sumo wrestlers everywhere, their hand prints, too.
within Ryogoku Station
Once we were done with the museums entirely we headed to Harajuku Station again but this time to see 明治神宮 (meiji jingu, Meiji Shrine). We walked from the station and bought some 大福 (daifuku, azuki bean paste inside rice dough) to eat beforehand. On our way we ate the salt daifuku and blueberry daifuku we had bought. The sales lady I spoke with told me blueberry was her recommendation, as it is an unusual flavor of daifuku and very yummy, but told me salt was good for hot weather (maybe because the salt will make you want to hydrate?). Anyway, they were both delicious. I truly savored the blueberry one; I had never tried that flavor before.
blueberry daifuku and salt daifuku
The path to Meiji Jingu is very nice and forested, and at points has barrels of sake and wine that were donated to the Shinto shrine along the path.
my mom by the entrance to the path to the shrine
under the big torii
so much donated sake
so much
and wine
The pictures of Meiji Jingu are gorgeous! Also I bought some omamori as souvenirs here.
gate into shrine area
hand-, face-, and mouth-washing station
similar among Shinto shrines
(see Fushimi Inari)
these ropes with paper lightening-bolt like paper hanging down indicate holy areas
I wonder why this little place apart from the main shrine is holy?
I am not familiar with Meiji Jingu's history...
holy trees?
important, in any case
gate into main shrine
main shrine area
an explanation of ema at Meiji Jingu
I'm a fan of these door engravings
This was my mom's last full day.
view from our hotel
For readers, if you want me to research something like a shrine's history or if you want more information on a custom, let me know. I may not be most familiar with the answer, but I will research and continue posting excess research on my return to the US!
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