Ern in Tokyo: Temple Shrine Walkabout in Tokyo (Part 1) / 東京お寺・神社巡りの散歩（パート１）

Sunday, April 26, 2015

Temple Shrine Walkabout in Tokyo (Part 1) / 東京お寺・神社巡りの散歩（パート１）

Last Sunday, my wife's friend came to visit us from Yamanashi Prefecture. Our plan was to check out some of the larger temples and shrines in Tokyo as her friend also started collecting temple seals. However, the first shrine we would go to was Karasumori Jinja in Shinbashi. The temple seal from Karasumori Jinja is quite colorful compared to most other temples and shrines. We would be meeting my wife's friend a little before 10am in Shinjuku. And there is one other something I wanted to check out in Shinjuku. The big lizard-like monster, Godzilla at the newly opened Toho Cinemas.

先週の日曜日山梨県から妻の友達が東京に遊びに来た。予定はお寺・神社巡り。彼女も最近御朱印集めを始めたので、東京のメジャーのお寺と神社に行くことになってる。朝１０時で新宿待ち合わせ。お寺・神社巡りの前に僕がしたいのは新宿に現れた人気の怪獣ゴジラに会うことだ。新しくできた東方シネマにいると噂を聞いた。

I see a monster on top of building!

ビルの上に怪獣が！

Why Godzilla's tail is near the station may be a mystery.

なぜゴジラの尻尾が駅の前にあるのかが謎かも。

Next stop - Karasumori JInja in Shinbashi.

次の目的地ー新橋にある烏森神社。

I heard in the news, the popular Steam Locomotive plaza, a major meeting spot for salarymen, is going to be renovated and this SL may have to find a new home.

ニュースで聞きましたが、新橋駅前の再開発の為人気のSL広場も新しうなるらしい。このSLの居場所はどこになるのかがまだ未定みたいです。

This shrine has an unusual torii at the entrance.

烏森神社の鳥居は変わった形だ。

I was not familiar with Karasumori Jinja but this was the first place my wife's friend wanted to go to. The temple seal from here is a bit different from most places as it's quite colorful.

自分は烏森神社の存在が知らなかったけど、妻の友達が今回の東京見物でここが一番行きたい所だった。理由はここの神社の御朱印にある。

The temple seal from Karasumori Jinja. Beautiful and colorful. You also receive a mamori and good luck candy.

烏森神社の御朱印。素敵な色も使われてる。お守りと幸飴も貰いました。

Before heading to our next destination we decided to have lunch at Coredo Muramachi near Ginza. We chose a popular ramen chain [Setaga-ya]. Although the main shop is located not too far from our apartment, my wife and I had yet to go so we were looking forward to our ramen.

次の目的地に行く前にコレド室町でランチを食べに行きました。決定した店はラーメン屋の「せたが屋」。本店はうちの近くにありますが一度も行ったことない。ここのラーメンも楽しみにしました。

Tonkotsu Ramen Oreshiki [Setaga-ya] / とんこつらーめん俺式「せたが屋」

We all ordered the No.1 selling tonkotsu ramen. And yes, it was delicious.

私たちが注文したのは人気No.1の豚骨らーめん。本当に美味しかった。

Before heading out to our next main destination - Kanda Myojin, we checked out the recently built shrine in the Coredo Muromachi Shopping area Fukutoku Jinja, also made popular by a television commercial featuring Yu Aoi. It would be an hour wait to receive the temple seal from this shrine so we didn't bother.

次のメインの神社に行く前にコレド室町に新しく出来た福徳神社に参りました。ここの神社の御朱印を貰おうとしたら、一時間待ちと聞かされました。そういう余裕はありません。次の目的地を目指す、神田明神。

Ginza is also home to many Prefectural Satellite shops. My wife and I have been to them many times but it was a first for my wife's friend. We dropped in at the Nara and Shimane Prefecture Satellite Shops. At the front of the Nara Satellite shop you are greeted by Nara's mascot Sento-kun.

銀座の周りにいろんな都道府県のアンテナショップがある。私たちは何回も行ったことがありますが、妻の友達は初体験です。行ってみたのは奈良と島根県のアンテナショップ。奈良のアンテナ書ショップの入口に奈良のマスコットせんと君が歓迎してくれます。

Sento-kun / せんと君

The entrance to Kanda Myojin. As I have featured this shrine in a previous I am only posting a few pictures. I wanted to go here again because I had yet to receive my temple seal from this place.

神田明神の入口。以前も神田明神のネタを書きましたので写真はほんなちょっと。自分もまだ神田明神の御朱印がなかった為もう一度ここに行きたかった。