Asakusa

I stayed at a hotel near Shinagawa in Tokyo and went to the Shinagawa Historical Museum yesterday morning (Sunday, Nov. 8). I did not know until after I got there that it was the site of the famous Omori Shell Mounds discovery site. It was a nice place with a pretty garden too.

I then headed to Asakusa Temple and Shrine. Out of the temples and shrines I have been to in Japan thus far, Asakusa was the most crowded one. It did not help that it was a Sunday and a special holiday for Japanese to bring their 3, 5, or 7 year olds to the shrine. I was not impressed with the temple or shrine at all, except for the following:

1. Chrysanthemum festival/contest winners and participants. They were fabulous.
2. Japanese money performing special jumping and walking obstacle courses.
3. Kids performing kabuki on stage.

Temples and shrines in Kyoto, Nara, Koyasan, Kamakura are just way better than this Asakusa place.