We were still very tired. Took it easy again and didn't go out until afternoon. Freezing!!!!! It's like Vancouver's winter! (But it was still many degrees above zero and no snow.) Although it was cold, most Japanese household has indoor heating. Unlike Hong Kong, it's much more comfortable. Oh, and when I was in Hong Kong (and Vancouver), I needed to use skin lotion after showering due to dryness. But not in Japan. Does this mean I'm more suitable to live over there???
The common believe is, most places are closed for new year. We might as well use this day for sight seeing. (However, it's not true. Many malls and department stores are open and selling fukubukoro, greatly discounted mystery grab bags.) Somehow we decided to go to Asakusa. M said it would be crowded, but I never expected the extend... (>_<;) Now that I look back, it was a bad idea... This was the first time I've been to a shrine on new years day. All previous trips were shopping on January 1st. We arrived at Asakusa around 3pm. Crowded like hell!!! (T_T) Cars were off limits. Police were fencing off areas and directing pedestrian traffic with yellow tape. The line moved slowly. We strategically dodged the suffocating crowd by going into stores on each side. Miki picked up small fans, umbrellas, and Japanese traditional print fabric (actually handkerchiefs) for making doll clothes. There were plenty of nifty little souvenir stuff, but my budget was saved for more useful things, like Pinkys, hehehe.
We ate agemanjyu from a popular vendor Kinryuzan near the end of the Nakamise. There were more vendor booths than Harajuku! Of course this was in front of a shrine and the real thing! Miki ate a 600 yen BBQ fish on a stick, and takoyaki. I had an ear of butter corn on a stick. There were chocolate covered bananas again, and I was tempted again, but decided to skip it again. The temperature felt like quite a bit colder than yesterday. It got so cold, my hands were frozen numb. (T_T)
Didn't know the time, probably 7 or so when we finished our "meal". It was actually very expensive eating at vendors like these. For the same price, we could have sat down in a proper restaurant instead of sitting on an outdoor bench or piece of rock in this freezing cold.
The place was still very busy but the crowd subsided and the police with yellow tape were gone. We were able to walk freely and went onto a side street. Lots of traditional-taste buildings. Nothing was opened except for places to eat. Wondered into a Diso! Ended up picking up a whole bunch of 100 yen items including household needs and instant noodles that didn't come with chopsticks. On our way to the train station, we came across yet another 100 yen store, and bought more stuff. Chopsticks (of course), craft storage boxes, junk food... etc.
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