Asakusa …Holy Smoke!!!

Lunch at Sansada was our next stop and we were in for a treat. We were having Tempura, which is made by deep-frying various vegetables and seafood. As we entered the tatami room we took off our shoes and sat down on the floor to eat. It was a truly Japanese experience, which was enjoyed by all. Once we finished our green tea we headed out for an hour of free time in Asakusa.


Beginning at the Kaminari-mon Gate we walked down Nakamise Dori and looked at the hundreds of little shops selling absolutely everything! Passing the Five storied Pagoda we stopped at the Hozomon Gate and breathed in some “holy smoke”. The smoke is used to heal ailments when you put it on a certain part of your body or students often put it on their heads before an exam to make them smarter. I figured I could always use some more wisdom and touched my head.


The Senso-ji Temple was our final stop. Here you could buy a fortune. You pay 100 Yen (about a dollar) and pick a stick from a container. Each stick has a character that you then match to a drawer. Inside the drawer are fortunes. If you get a good fortune you keep it but if it is a bad fortune, you fold it up and tie it to a hanger in the temple. The bad fortune then does not go with you! ☺