"Our vivid memory of Tokyo - now orphaned by the horror it has suffered from, is now a faint tremor that jolts occasionally to our very sense and understanding of humanity's frailty."

(con't...)
We started today with so much anticipation. Our trip that had been hold-off since last year is finally a reality. As a matter of fact, we pretty much discussed what we want to see in Tokyo since last night after we arrived.

That morning, once we left our room and went down at the foyer, the immensity of selection of sights to visit printed at each brochure are arranged meticulously eye-level along the hallway. Too many, as a matter of fact, we ended up deciding to explore the immediate neighbourhood of Ueno for today to ease ourselves of unnecessary urgency of picking which place has to take precedence on our list. Tomorrow's date is spared for a more grandeur exploration; however, that is not going to happen as fate will unfurl its unthinkable course of events from tomorrow as well as the succeeding few days while we're there.

The Asakusa area south of our hotel is walkable by several minutes from our place. Clearly, the small shops and restaurants with festooned lamp lanterns and Kanji-scripted banners sprouted along sidewalks are delight to our eyes. Our camera keeps capturing every engaging framework of new-found culture and its people's way of life.

Once there, a Richshaw man offered us his service to explore the Sensoji Temple area. We declined because strolling gives us more freedom to examine every corner of the place. At this point, we're like kids reveling excitedly inside an amusement park. When my wife plead me to have a picture taken of her with a group of young girls in their traditional Kimono, she feels ecstatic; one list off of her Japan's bucket list. The Happi coat - a workcloth for Japanese men interests me, but forgot about it as we move along.

The Sensoji Temple itself is grand, and with the spectacular display of reverence the believers and guests alike demonstrate, our curiousity kept our stay longer in order for us to watch and mingle with them. The incense urn, the water fountain shack, the humogous red lantern with an almost-cabalistic inscription hanging by the temple's main hall, and the pristine brook nearby collectively typify the peacefulness of what Japan once was. Our vivid memory of Tokyo - now orphaned by the horror it (the whole country) has suffered from, is now a faint tremor that jolts occasionally to our very sense and understanding of humanity's frailty. (to be continued..)