The Tokyo Marathon: June Version

We managed to reserve hotel rooms for only one night - the never-popular Tuesday - while James and Emily were here, so we had a lot of ground to cover in two days.  So many factors had to be considered: Kate was due to arrive Wednesday afternoon, Suzi had visited Tokyo in October 2007 so we wanted to add some new sights to the mix, and Matt had graduation rehearsals scheduled both days.  Major Broadway productions have been staged in less time than the Kinnick High School Commencement Ceremony . . .

So.  Meiji Shrine was our first stop.  We shooed the Texans toward the torii gate for the obligatory photograph, but Emily insisted on posing in the foreground.  The middle-aged sisters raised their eyebrows in unison and whispered, "She's quite smart."  This is an accolade they rarely confer on anyone not related to them by blood.

Good Lord, she even has him washing his hands!

Inside the shrine we happened upon a Shinto wedding, always a treat.  "Look!  She's marrying a foreigner.  She's wearing a hood to hide the horns all women are expected to reveal once they are married."

 
The Ancient Mariner wisely resisted the impulse to share his thoughts on this topic.

Emily wanted her picture taken with the shrine entrance in the background.  Everyone whipped out a camera. 

"Is that a Nikon, Birkenstock Lady?"

James takes his best shot

"Step aside and let the master show you how it's done."

Sumimasen, allow me to demonstrate the proper way to take a photograph.

After a quick dash through Harajuku followed by one of my infamous shortcuts down a labyrinth of narrow lanes and alleys leading to a dead end, we found our way back to the train station.  Mike went back to Yokosuka to chaperone Matt and the rest of us headed across town to Sensoji Temple and the Five-Story Pagoda in Asakusa.  James called Emily a brown-noser when she bought a change purse like mine in one of the little shops but she forgave him when he agreed to pose in the cartoon Mikoshi Parade.

Over our usual Teppanyaki dinner back at the hotel, we hammered out plans for the morrow and hammered down sake while Emily opted to sample shochu, which apparently has much in common with Kentucky moonshine.  After a couple of sips, she followed the waitress's recommendation and mixed the shochu with grapefruit juice.  That did not seem to do the trick so I guess I'll stick with sake and beer.  Good to know, right?

Pre-Shochu Portrait

Next:  Tokyo Tower and Yebisu Brewery