On Sunday, I went to a beautiful temple in the old part of Tokyo called Asakusa. Muto-san from Hakuhodo along with his tennis club partner were my tour guides for the day. It was a crowded place and full of worshippers from hip Tokyoites to Yukata cladded men and women, getting in touch with their tradition again. Apparently, now it is quite hip to wear kimonos and yukatas again. The difference between a kimono and a yukata is that a yukata is made of cotton and is worn during summer, while kimonos are usually silk or brocade and worn for more formal functions. Colours vary from bright to pastel. Men usually wear dark blue yukatas with simple motifs knocked-out in white.The temple I went to was called Senso-Ji. Here I am, looking like a real tourist with my umbrella. By the way, that umbrella is really cheap! Around ¥300= RM10. There are tons of the transparent types around.
This is so cheesy!
At the temple, the worshippers crowd around a giant bowl full of incense and start waving the spiralling smoke towards themselves for goodluck. It smells quite similar to incense burned in a Chinese temple.
If that was pot, Japan would be a very happy place indeed...
We went into the temple full of people worshipping and getting their fortunes from these ready made fortune chest of drawers.
Again, it is very similar to Chinese temples where you have to shake a container of sticks until one comes out with the number of your fortune. I call it the 'take-away' fortunes. They even have an English translation at the back. Mine goes along the lines of "Only master jeweller will turn rock into marvellous brilliance. The patient in bed long, does not hurt him". Basically, I think my endeavours will all come true with patience and hardwork. It also said that someone I am waiting for will come...but late. (Hmm, I wonder who that could be?)
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