Bring the Kids: Asakusa & Akihabara
Day two of our Tokyo adventure was dedicated to visiting Asakusa. We wanted to miss rush hour on the trains, so we got a late start. By the time we got there, it was lunch time, and everyone was hangry.
Out of the station, we followed the signs to Senso-Ji temple, and found ourselves dumped out onto Nakamise Dori (shopping street). This whole long street that leads to the temple is lined with vendors selling souvenirs, trinkets, kimonos, fans, sweets - anything you might possibly want to take home from your vacation, you could find on this street.
Except for lunch.
There was no lunch food.
So we darted down a few side streets, looking for something that our children would eat, until finally coming across a tiny restaurant that looked empty enough for our family of four. We ordered Pork buns, which the kids thankfully enjoyed, and THEN we were able to go explore the street and buy some souvenirs.
At the beginning of Nakamise Dori, you pass under the Kaminamiron (Thunder Gate), and at the end of Nakamise Dori, you pass under the Hozomon Gate. To the side, there is a five story pagoda, and straight ahead, a place for incense just before coming to Senso-Ji Temple. There are so many people! It seems like there isn't any good time, except for possibly early in the morning.
If you go around to the side of the temple, there is an elevator for strollers and wheelchairs.
After walking around the upper level of the temple, we walked along Nakamise Dori again, and then headed back to the station, where we would be catching a train to Akihabara. We honestly didn't care that much about Akihabara, but my little brother, who is very obsessed with the Anime culture was jealous we would be there, so I decided to get him a souvenir.
Our first mistake was listening to google when something didn't sound quite right. We got off at the wrong station, and then ended up walking 5 miles in the blistering heat. When we finally made it, we were angry and hot, but both kids were asleep, so it was alright. Akihabara is Anime sensory overload. Shops upon shops, FULL of anime books, comics, movies, shows, figurines, art - everything you can think of, lining the streets.
I'm sure to someone who knows Anime, this would have been heaven. But for us? It was a little overwhelming. It was also really hard to avoid seeing boobs. Boobs are everywhere. I was really glad the kids were asleep. So, after blindly feeling my way through a figurine shop and picking something at random to bring back for my brother as a souvenir, we got out of there!
After all that walking, we were desperate to get some food and relax a little.
