3 Days with Mom Day 3 (Part 1) / お母さんとの三日間 三日目 （パート１）

Its Mom's third day in Tokyo and with the weather cooperating today, we shall be spending the day in Shibamata.  Another place my mother was determined to see on this trip.

お母さん東京三日目の東京見物は柴又！今日も天気も良いし、最高の出掛け日和だ。お母さんがどうしても柴又が行きたいと言ったので、お母さんの願いを叶う。

Here is Mom sitting in a local train as we wait to go to Shibamata, the setting for the popular Japanese movie series "Otoko wa Tsurai yo!"  which translates to "It's Tough Being a Man".  My mother loves that series.

高砂でローカル線に座って、柴又行きを待つお母さん。柴又と言えば、「男はつらいよ！」の舞台。お母さんがそのシリーズが好きで、どうしても来てみたかったの。

Mom at Shibamata station / お母さんにとって念願の柴又

Tora-san greets you in front of the station / 駅に出ると直ぐ寅さんと会える

The path to Taishakuten (a very beautiful temple) / 帝釈天への参道

Mom and I just love the atmosphere of the shotengai  (market street) / 僕とお母さんは商店街の雰囲気が大好き

Candy shop & souvenir store with a toy museum on the 2nd floor (unfortunately, the toy museum is only open on Saturdays and Sundays and today was Friday).

昔ながらの駄菓子屋。二階はおもちゃ博物館（残念ながらおもちゃ博物館は土日営業です、今日は金曜日でした。）

If you look closely you can see an animal in the center of the picture.

良く見ると写真の真ん中に動物がいる。

Of course I had to take a picture of Mom on the path to Taishakuten.

もちろん帝釈天参道の前にお母さんの写真撮らなくちゃ。

Not too crowded in the morning / まだ朝だったので、あんまり込んでない

[Toraya」, the dango shop which was used in the "Tora-san" movies.  We'll come back here and eat some kuda dango.

「とらや」、寅さんの映画に実際に使われた団子屋。帰る前には必ずここで草団子を食べる。

The sign says this shop was used in the first four "Tora-san" movies.

This is the gate to Taishakuten / 帝釈天の門

Mom as tourist / 観光客のお母さん

Check out the details of the woodcarving! / この細かい作業が凄すぎる

Taishakuten / 帝釈天

Temple Bell / 帝釈天の鐘

If you want more information on Taishakuten, check the URL below (the site can be viewed in English as well).

帝釈天をもっと細かく知りたい方は下記のURLまでチェックして下さい。


http://www.taishakuten.or.jp/index.html


The following pictures will show you why Taishakuten is so popular.  The detail of the woodcarvings is too awesome to describe in words alone, you must definitely check this place out if you visit Tokyo.

次アップする写真が帝釈天の魅了が伝わるかも知りません。言葉だけじゃ足りませんね。東京に来たら是非行ってみるべきの場所です。

All twelve Chinese zodiac signs are represented, but I wanted to show off the more detailed carvings.

１２の干支が全てありますが、他にみせたいものがいっぱいある。

"The Offering of a Stupa"

"Three Carts and a Burning House"

"Thoughtful Rain, Equal Moisture"

"The Practices of the Keepers of the Teaching"

"The Appearance of the Tower of Treasures"

"A Rare Opportunity to Serve"

"Attainment of Buddhahood by the Daughter of a Dragon-king"

"Immediate Recovery from Illness"

"The Tribulations of Never Despising Boddhisattva"

"The Merits of the Lotus Sutra"

"Guardians of the Keepers of the Teaching"

More temple details / 素晴らしいでしょう


To be continued...

つづく。。。