A Walk around Ekoda / 江古田の散歩

This is the first neighborhood walk post for 2011. I thought I would start fresh and do one every week, but as you can tell, that's not happening. For one thing, this walk was taken sometime in January. For another thing, this wasn't my first time walking around this neighborhood. I've been here before some ten or more years ago. This area is known for having Tokyo's only Israeli restaurant which I had been to before. I thought I would have lunch there again knowing it was still in business. But as always, I will save the restaurant post for another time.

２０１１年初の近所散歩ネタです。舞台は江古田。本当は毎週どっか行こうと思いましたが、もう二月も終わってるのに、ここに散歩したのは一月でした。ここに来るのは初めてではない。十年前位に来た覚えがある。なぜと言いましたと、ここに東京で唯一のイスラエル料理店がある。そのにまた凄い久しぶりにランチでも食べようと思って、江古田まで来ました。でもその店はまた別のネタで紹介します。

Of course I had lunch before walking around the neighborhood. The first place I walked around was was the Ekoda Ginza Shopping Street. Unfortunately, I didn't take as many pictures as I should have as this area was reminiscent of Showa era Japan. One area looked like a miniature version of Tokyo's Tsukiji Fish Market. I also came across a miso shop that featured over 20 different kinds on display.

散歩する前は昼飯。そのあとはやっぱり江古田銀座の商店街。残念ながら、良い風景なのに、あんまり写真撮ってなかった。江古田銀座の商店街は本当に昭和時代な匂いと感じがした。ある場所は築地の市場みたいな所もあって、駄菓子屋とかあって、ほかに昔ながらの味噌の専門店もありました。その店の前に２０種類異常の味噌が並べてました。

The first point of interest I discovered was the Sengen Shrine located right near the station.

最初に気になったところは駅の近くにあった浅間神社 （せんげんじんじゃ）。

Sengen Shrine / 浅間神社

What was more interesting was the small mountain called Ekoda Fuji that was located behind the shrine. Unfortunately, it is only opened to the public three times a year - January 1 - 3, July 1st, and the second Saturday and Sunday of September. July 1st is a Friday, so I won't be able to walk up Ekoda Fuji until September of this year.

浅間神社よりもっと興味あっとのは、神社の裏にある江古田富士塚。年に三回しか公開してません。一月一日から三日、七月一日と九月第二土曜日曜日だけ。今年の七月一日は金曜日なので、自分が実際江古田富士塚を登山出来るのは九月になるでしょう。

Entrance to Ekoda Fuji / 江古田富士塚の入り口

This architecture of this building caught my attention as well. On a closer look, I discovered this to be the Nihon University College of Art.

こちらの建造物も気になって、調べてみたら、ここは日本大学藝術学部。

There wasn't much else of interest around Ekoda aside from other ethnic restaurants, so I called it a day and headed home.

他のエスニック料理店以外に面白そうな所もなかったので、散歩終了。

Wasabi Beer & Green Tea Beer / ビーワサのルービーとお茶姫

I debated about adding these two drinks to my Japanese Microbrew Tour label, but they just didn't seem like real craft beers. I purchased both of these bottles at the Jyukkoku Ridge souvenir shop. I just couldn't pass up the novelty of the flavors. Wasabi and Green Tea. They also had a strawberry and one other fruit flavors but I've tried anoth fruit flavored beers to not think of them as a novelty.

日本地ビールツアーのラベルとポストにするのを迷ってが、何だか本物の地ビールという感じがしなかったので、Novelty Drinksというラベルを付けました。 箱根にある十国峠のお土産屋で発見しました。凄い変わった味のビールです！わさび味の「ビーワサのルービー」と香るお茶の葉の「お茶姫」を購入しました。他にストローベリー味とべつのフルーツ味のやつもありましたが、フルーツ味のビールはそんなに珍しいと思ってないので、この二つに決定。

Wasabi Beer / ビーワサのルービー

OMG! This was one of the most godawful tasting beers I've ever had. Yep, beer with wasabi or the Japanese name of "Biwasa no Ruubii". I've had wasabi ice cream and wasabi flavored potato chips which I rather like but adding wasabi to beer is just plain wrong! It's worse than that American made chili beer which I don't particularly like either. This doesn't belong with other craft beers, its in a position all on its own.

ゲッ！これは最低に不味い！今まで飲んだ地ビールで一番の不味さ、地ビールと言うのも地ビールに失礼と思う。なぜか業界用語で“ビーワサのルービー”という名前もなんだろうね？わさびアイスやわさびポテトチップスなど食べて美味しいと思いますが、これは異常だ。静岡県の名物のわさびでもわさびビールはないな。でも頑張って飲みほした！

Green Tea Beer / お茶姫

I know what you're thinking. Green tea and beer? Now there are two things that don't belong together...so you would think. But then again, I didn't think this could be any worse than the wasabi beer. But as I ventured my first sip and thought...huh? So I took another long swig and thought...hey, this is pretty good! In fact, this is quite delicious! Beer with a scent of tea leaves. The flavor wasn't as strong as wasabi and it the tea actually does give the taste an accent. Now, this I could recommend to my friends and can even consider it a decent microbrew. And how can you not love the labels (even the wasabi beer one).

考えてる事分かってるよ。お茶とビール？ 合わないと思うでしょう。ま、わさびビールより不味くはないだろの感覚で一口。えっ？ 何これ？と思い、次はおおめに飲んでみた。あれれ？これ、なんだか旨い！本当に美味しい！嘘ではない。お茶を香るビール。これってあり？ ありあり。お茶はわさびほどの強さではなかったか、結構合います。友達にもお勧め出来る位の美味しさ。地ビールと言っても良い。ラベルも可愛い （わさびビールのラベルも）。

Overnight Trip to Gotemba & Hakone (Part 6) / 御殿場・箱根一泊旅行 （パート６）

The Hakone driving tour continues...

箱根ドライブのがつづく。。。


This is the finishing/starting line for the annual Hakone Marathon. It's almost like the Superbowl where every tunes in to watch it during the New Year's Holiday.

ここは箱根駅伝のフィニッシュ・スタートラインだ。自分も毎年見る様になりましたね。

One of the stylish ships you can tour on Lake Ashinoko.

芦ノ湖で観光出来る素敵な船。

To tell you the truth, I still haven't taken this tour though.

実はと言うと、この船も芦ノ湖も行ったことなかった。芦ノ湖まで来ましたが、まだこの船には乗ってませんね。



Next stop - Hakone Shrine

次の目的地 ‐ 箱根神社



Walking up the stairs to the actual shrine.

箱根神社はこの階段を上った所にある。


It may look like a long walk, but looks can be deceiving.

距離が長く見えますが、そうでもなかった。


Hakone Shrine / 箱根神社

Just love the dragon spouting water / 口が出てる龍カッコいいね


Lots of big trees around Hakone Shrine as well / 箱根神社の周りにこういう大きいな木もいっぱいあります


There are smaller shrines on the grounds as well, this one is shrine to Benzaiten - one of the Seven Lucky Gods

弁財天社もありました。


Part of tree from Lake Ashinoko / 芦ノ湖の「かけら木」


From Hakone Shrine, we passed by this temple which I forgot the name of. My friend, Endo-san said it was like the Byodo-in of Hakone (the Byodo-in being the building that's printed on the back of a ten yen coin).

箱根神社からこちらのお寺も行ってましたが、建物の名前を忘れました。友達の遠藤さんがこれは箱根の平等院みたいな感じと言ってました。

One last look at Lake Ashinoko before heading back to Mishima so we could catch our bus back to Shibuya.

三島に戻る前に芦ノ湖をもう一回見る。夕方のバスで渋谷に戻って、一泊旅行終了。

Overnight Trip to Gotemba & Hakone (Part 5) / 御殿場・箱根一泊旅行 （パート５）

Our first stop on our Hakone drive was the Jyukokku Ridge. It is also known as Higanesan.

箱根で最初に行った場所は十国峠。別名で日金山（ひげなさん）とも言う。

Jyukkoku Cable Car / 十国ケーブルカー


View from the top of the ridge / 峠の上からの眺め


The view is beautiful, but it was windy and cold and the top of the ridge.

眺めは素敵ですけど、峠の上の風は強くって結構寒かった。


At least it wasn't raining.

雨が降ってなくて良かった。

At the top of the ridge is an "Onegai Jizou".

峠の上に“お願い地蔵”がありました。

As the English may be difficult to read in the picture above, the "Onegai Jizou" was built to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Jyukkoku Cable Car and to offer a prayer of safety to all travelers.

Not only is there an "Onegai Jizou" on top of the ridge, there is also a cemetery and a park as well. The cemetery is part of the Tokoji Temple (also located on this ridge).

「お願い地蔵」の他に日金山東光寺とか姫の沢公園もあります。

As we were headed to the park, we also came across this monument which is a historical marker commemorating a poem that was believed to be written here by the third Kamakura Shogun, Minamoto no Sanetomo.

It's quite a walk to the park as well / 公園まで距離も思ったよりちょっと遠い


Entrance to Hime no Sawa Park / 姫の沢公園の入り口

Park items like these brings out the kid in me.

こういう物があると自分の中の子供が出てきますね。

There is no law against being silly!

子供心に戻ると馬鹿の事もやりますね。

A fair view of Mt. Fuji from Jyukkoku Ridge / 十国峠での記念写真

After enjoying our little walk around the top of the ridge, it was time to head to our next destination. But first, off to the gift shop!

十国峠を堪能したあとはまた降りて次の目的地へ、でもその前にお土産さんをちょっと覗いてみる。