A Walk around Kagurazaka / 神楽坂の散歩

After eating delicious burgers at Martini Burger, my friends and I decided to walk around Kagurazaka before finding a place to study.  The first place we stopped off at was Akagi Shrine.

美味しいバーガーを食べたあとと、英会話の勉強をする前に神楽坂周辺でお散歩しました。最初に探索したのは赤城神社。

Chozuya (water cleansing area) / 手水舎

 

 



 

 

Hondo / 本堂

 

 

Funky looking komainu / ちょっと変わった形の狛犬

 

 

 

 

Prayer boards / 絵馬

 

 

 

 

The small shrine to the left with this long driveway is to get your car blessed!  Really!

 

ここの神社で車をお祓いするところもある。不思議だね！

 

 



And then we went to a different shrine.  This one amongst the shops and restaurants along the main road through Kagurazaka.  Zenkokuji, also known as Bishamonten-sama which is one of Seven Lucky Gods of Fortune.

 

次は神楽坂で有名なお寺、善国寺（通称神楽坂の毘沙門天様）に行っていきました。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But what Kagurazaka is really known for is its maze of small alleyways.  The area is very beautiful, full of high end kaiseki restaurants and other more reasonably priced establishments as well.  It's like a little piece of Kyoto right in the middle of the big Metropolis with quaint names like Kakurenbo Yokocho and Hyogo Yokocho.

 

でも神楽坂と言えばやっぱり裏路地のほう。とっても素敵な場所。高級料亭などが並んでるところ。東京なのに京都にいる様な感じ。芸者が出る様な雰囲気。エリアの名前も可愛いーかくれんぼ横丁と兵庫横丁とか。

 

 

Walking the backstreets of Kagurazaka.

 

神楽坂の裏路地を探索。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As we were walking, we were also looking for a nice cafe or coffee shop where we could relax and hold our English conservation class. 

 

散歩しながら、どっかの落ち着いたカフェや喫茶店も探しました。そろそろ英会話をやらないっと。

 

 



 

We discovered this little coffee shop.  However, it isn't your typical coffee shop or cafe.  It was called The Times Cafe.  Its like a little library without the books.  You don't pay for your meal.  You pay by the time you spent in the cafe.  Similar to the manga cafes.  Wifi available, drinks for free, computers you can borrow.  And so we had our little class for about an hour or two.  Until the next time!

 

途中でこういうカフェを発見。でも普通のカフェではなかった。私たちが初めて行った時間性のカフェです。学生たちに良いところと思うよ。Wifiあり、ジュースの飲み放題、心地良いソファとか。ここで一時間か二時間英会話をしました。結構楽しい時間を過ごしました。でわ、また次の英会話教室へ！