A Walk around Yutenji Temple and Surroundings / 祐天寺とその周辺の散歩

After leaving my previous employer in Tokyo, my wife and I had plenty of free time before our impending move to Aomori. So on a nice day, I suggested a walk to Yutenji Temple from our apartment. It was a nice 45 minute walk from are apartment to Yutenji Temple.

以前東京で努めた会社を辞めて、青森に引っ越す前にまだ時間もあって、晴れた日に祐天寺まで散歩に出かけようと妻に提案した。天気も良かったし、本当に散歩日和でした。うちのアパートから祐天寺までは徒歩で４５分くらいでした。

Main Gate / 表門

At Yutenji Temple, you will find the Kyu Sogen'in Tamaya-kyuden (former miniature shrine for mausoleum of Sogen'in).

And is also the site for the grave of Yuten Shonin.

Nio Gate / 仁王門

Kasane Tsuka / 田糸塚

Temple Bell (Bonsho) / 梵鐘

Stone Buddha's feet / 仏足石

Mizuko Jizo / 水子地蔵

Monument to Edo era firefighters / 江戸消防記念會

Old Water Purification Basis / 古い手水舎

An old well / 古い井戸

Main Temple (Hondo) / 本堂

Temple detail

Yutenji Temple Seal / 祐天寺の御朱印

Yutenji Street / 祐天寺商店街

Old steam engine wheel on display.

C57117 号蒸機関車主動輪。

For the steam locomotive nerds.

Snack time along Yutenji Street while I enjoy a coke float.

祐天寺の商店街で一休みでコーラフロートを飲む。

My wife had a large order of some shaved ice.

妻はカキ氷を頼みました。

As we were walking home, we came upon a place called Dr. Nakamatsu Square. It seems the street is also named after Dr. Nakamatsu.

帰りの道でドクター中松スクエアを発見。

The building is the house is Dr. Nakamatsu's house.

このビルはドクター中松の家です。

And so ended another one of our walking adventures.

これで今日の冒険散歩の幕が閉じた。

A Walk around Shimokitazawa and Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine / 下北沢と北沢八幡神社

My wife and I decided to have lunch in Shimokitazawa and afterwords decided to walk around before heading home. We had lunch at one of our favorite seafood restaurants where I ordered a aji-furai (horse mackerel) set.

ある日僕と妻は下北沢でランチを食べに行った。その後は近所の散歩を実行。下北でいつものシーフードの店に行きました。僕はこの日にアジフライのセットを注文しました。

The set included a salad, rice, oshinko, and miso soup. Great value for less than a 1000 yen.

アジフライセットはサラダ、ライス、お新香、と味噌汁付きでした。１０００円以下でお手頃の値段。

We had passed by this shop many times on our walks around Shimokita and decided to try a couple of their curry buns.

下北でこの店を何回も通りすぎていつかこの店のカレーパンを食べてみようと話したら今日は２種類のカレーパンを購入。

They all look so good!

全種類が美味しく見える。

So we ordered the melty cheese curry.

そしたら、とろけるチーズカレーを注文。

And the butter chicken curry.

とバターチキンカレーも注文。

We tried the butter chicken curry first. So delicious!

先に食べたのはバターチキンカレー。とっても美味しい！

This was the melty cheese curry. Kind of hard to tell by the picture but this was great as well.

これはとろけるチーズカレーですが、写真であんまり伝わらないですね。

However, you can't go wrong with cheese.

やっぱりチーズも正解だね。

We decided to explore one of our neighborhood shrines as well and went to Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine.

近所の神社にもお参りしました。うちの近くにある北沢八幡神社。

It started to rain when we came to Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine.　These are the stairs leading to the main shrine.

北沢八幡神社に来てから雨が降り出した。階段を上ったら本堂が目の前にある。

Prayer boards / 絵馬

There are many smaller shrines surrounding the main hondo. This is the Ubusuna Shrine. You can pray here for success.

本堂の周りほかの小さな神社もあります。これは産土社。ここの御利益は出世と上昇運。

This is a shrine to one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Fortune - Benten or Benzaiten, Goddess and patron of performing arts, music and knowledge.

この小さな神社は弁天社、七福神の一人。

This is the Noyashiki Inari Shrine.

これは野屋敷稲荷社。

This is the Atago Inari Shrine.

これは愛宕稲荷社。

And this is the Choei Inari Shrine.

そしてこれは長栄稲荷社。

Waiting patiently to receive my shrine seal. I believe my seal was written by one of the miko (shrine maiden).

御朱印を待ってる私。多分一人の巫女さんが書いたかもしりません。

This is the Koratamadare Shrine.

ここは高良玉垂社。

I did say there were a lot of smaller shrines surrounding the main shrine. This one is the Enkai Inari Shrine.

小さな神社が境内にいっぱいあるとおしゃいましたよ。これは円海稲荷社。

It was raining today but on a clear day you are able to see Mount Fuji from here as shown by the picture above.

今日は雨だったが、晴れた日にこの神社から富士山が見えるスポットらしい。境内に富士山の写真も飾られてる。

I just love the shrines such as this are so close to our home. It was only a ten minute walk back to our house from this shrine as our walk came to an end.

近所にこういう立派な神社があるのはありがたいですね。ここから家に戻る距離は１０分程度でした。帰って散歩終了。

Komaba and Yagumo Ramen / 駒場と八雲ラーメン

Journeying back in time to my life in Tokyo. One day my wife and I decided to walk from our apartment to an area called Komaba. As we were walking through Komaba, I spotted a friend of mine doing a bit of shopping at the local neighborhood supermarket. She was one of my informal English students. We decided to have a short visit with her at her home before looking for a place to have lunch.

東京の生活に戻り、溜まったネタもちょこちょこ書き込みますね。ある日、散歩日和だったので、うちから駒場まで出かけました。駒場にうろちょろしてたら、近所のスーパーで買い物してる友達を発見。偶然だったので、ちょっと彼女の家に遊びに行った。

I spotted my friend Ryoko doing a bit of shopping in her neighborhood.

友達の涼子ちゃんと偶然に出会った。

Somewhere in Komaba / 駒場のどこかだ

We had asked Ryoko if there was a good ramen shop nearby and she suggested a place called Yagumo. So we went in search of the place. The ramen shop turned out to be a ten to fifteen minute walk from Ryoko's home.

丁度昼になって涼子ちゃんに近くに美味しいラーメン屋は知らないかと尋ねたら、「八雲」という店をおすすめしてくれた。店を探したら、涼子ちゃんの家から１０分か１５分くらいの距離だった。

The shop was located on the 2nd floor of a large building and there was quite a line outside as well. It would be a thirty minute wait or so. We had spotted this ramen shop the other week and thought about coming here for lunch sometime. It was just coincidence that Ryoko had suggested this place.

支那そば「八雲」はあるビルの２階にあり。私たちは２週間程前にこの店の行列を発見して、いつか食べみ行こうと話したばっかりだった。まさか涼子ちゃんがこの店を紹介するとはびっくり。今日も行列もあり、３０分待ちくらいでした。

This place was voted best ramen two years in a row (2013, 2014). I can't believe we haven't come here earlier.

この店は２年連続食べログベストラーメンに選べれた（２０１３、２０１４）。その前に来てないのは信じられない。

Although we are in the shop now, we are still waiting to be seated.

店の中までたどり着いたが、まだ席まで案内されてません。

The view from inside the ramen shop.

店の中からの眺め。

My wife and I both ordered the same item. The shiro dashi tokusei wantan men.

僕と妻は同じものを注文しました。白だし特製ワンタン麺。

And it was delicious!

本当に美味しかったよ！