I saw a geisha

Happy 2nd day of the week, everyone! I thought I’d avoid the “M” word, in case you didn’t want to hear it.

In an effort to finish the last of my Japan trip in June, I’ve decided to put it all together today. I’ll have you know, I spent over 30 minutes looking up the location of this temple but to no avail. I searched the map, and looked all around for something to catch my eye, and nothing. Finally after giving up and beginning to write, I thought I’d give it one last chance and just like that, on my first search, I found it.

If only my brain would have thought of the ‘first search’ words 30 minutes earlier.

Sensō-ji

The oldest temple in Tokyo. We went to visit this the day after we arrived, which wasn’t the best idea. We were beyond jetlagged and barely able to move around, let alone walk blocks and blocks of Asakusa, Taitō, Tokyo streets. It was still light out when we arrived, but barely and the crowds were very sparse. After we went to eat ramen, we walked back to the temple for one last glance and made our long way back to the lodge.

Toward the end of my trip, we went to Tokyo to do a little exploring. I left all my clothes and most importantly, my shoes in my bag at the hotel where I’d be taking the shuttle from, thinking I’d survive in my flip flops and a maxi dress and that was not the case.

The heat and humidity (a combo I am not used to) was far from tolerable and my feet were swelling, and my dress felt clingy and suffocating and all around I was getting crabby.

After checking into a different hotel (than the shuttle one), we relaxed for just long enough to stare out the window of our room and went back out to explore some more.

You have two ways to walk (in certain areas). One are the streets. They can be long and winding, especially if you have to go around tracks or big stations. The other way is underground. A lot of people take the underground paths. They’re very confusing, obviously to those who don’t understand the directions or JR lines or well, language, so it’s easy to get turned around very easily in them, but it helps keep you cool. And one way or another, you will find where you need to go.

We eventually made our way to the Imperial Palace Gardens and I was in full “I’m too hot for this” mode. Not to mention starving. It had been hours since food or water. We managed to walk and walk some more through the gardens and outside the grounds and {for me} it was lackluster. Perhaps during cherry blossom season it would be more interesting but in June, it was downright boring.

As we were walking around, we saw a geisha. They’re actually all over the place. I’m not sure what they do or why they’re fully dressed, but young and old are dressed up in complete geisha garb including hair and makeup. I’m sure they’re accustomed to the heat, but I can’t imagine being in that thick fabric in the heat. But none the less, they are quite beautiful.

We finally made our way to eat, which instantly made me a happy person again, and we made our long trek back to the hotel only to order room service 3 hours later. sushi only fills a person up for so long before they need an American cheeseburger and chocolate cake.

The next morning, we took the train to the other side of Tokyo to eat brunch that trumps any other brunches we’ve ever had. Champagne, crepes, coffee, caviar, and anything else you can imagine were ever flowing at this brunch. We, to put it eloquently, gorged ourselves for 60 minutes straight. After the first plate I was full, but that didn’t stop me from going back for 3 more plates to try other foods.

Weight was gained that day, but it was a good ending to my trip. After spending time together at the airport, I made my way to my gate and took the long journey home. It was such a neat experience, and I can’t wait until the next adventure.

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