Third Typhoon is The Charm
August 8, 2018
Senso-ji Temple
This piece was at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago to show off Japan’s art capabilities.
We woke up to yet another Typhoon warning and quite a bit of rain. We headed to the Senso-ji Temple, which if one that Chuck remembered visiting as a child. We walked up a path full of vendors leading up to the giant red lantern under the gates of the temple. This temple is the oldest in Tokyo, built in 645, and it was interesting to see one right in the middle of the crowded city. There was a 5 story pagoda and lots of incense. We got our fortunes again (this time translated into English) and it was another good one, so we are feeling pretty lucky.
The rain wasn’t letting up so we headed to the Tokyo National Museum. Here was walked through the exhibits and the history of samurai swords and armor. There were lots of silk robes, embroidery, and paper fans and it was interested to learn about their uses in the past and how they have evolved and are still used today. There were also lots of interesting ceramics and other artwork. It was interesting to see so many beautiful paintings and artwork they had developed that weren’t see by the rest of the world as true art because they were painted on paper screens/doors instead of canvas. It was also very interesting the see how the art evolved as western culture started to enter Japan. Additionally, to see how much Japan art and culture came from China, and to see how divisive the two countries can be today is fascinating and perplexing.
For dinner, we headed to a kushiyaki spot, which is grilled skewered meats. We were lucky to grab one of the last spots that didn’t need a reservation and ate as many types of meats as we could! All were delicious and we were ate more than a few!
