Happy Birthday to Me!

Happy Birthday to me! I had a morning lesson with Sasamoto-sensei but I figured since it looked like it was only going to be overcast that I could do something afterwards. The lesson went well and I learned a new song. Plus I asked sensei questions about the music I had played last night and he made a copy of his music, the same piece, because it had different markings on it for pauses and what not that were easier for me to understand. Before I was going to leave he asked me where I was off to, since I had my guidebook out, and I told him Yasukuni. He gave me good directions on how to get there by subway and off I went.

The train ride wasn’t that far away so it was a relatively short trip. I got there and was amazed as I walked it. The guidebook had mentioned a large metal tori but they weren’t kidding, the thing was HUGE! I walked in and took some pictures, which I will post soon I swear, and went to clean my hands and mouth before I entered the shrine itself.

I entered the shrine and prayed like a good girl. Then I began to wander around. They had some old canons there along with statues in remembrance of the horses and dogs lost in service. They also had a statue for peace and one to remember the war widows and children. Walking further around the back there was a sumo rig, which was closed but I still got a picture of, and some tea houses. There was also an amazing Japanese garden with a mini waterfall and a pond full of koi.

I went over to the little platform that you could feed the koi from. Boy are they smart as soon as they sensed me they same over to be fed. After I took some pictures I bought a box of food to feed them, it was only 100 Yen, and fed them. It was so peaceful that I could have just stayed there all day. After I fed the koi I walked around the back of the shrine through a little wooded area back there. It was very beautiful. I ended up making a full circuit and was back where I had started.

I decided to go poke my head into the lobby of the small museum they have there because it was free. In the lobby they have a train engine, full size, two canons, and a fighter plane that were all used in the war. I took as many pictures as my battery would allow, it was running low, and then went back out. I figured since I couldn’t take pictures in the museum it wasn’t really worth the 5 or 8 hundred Yen to enter.

I then decided to cash some traveler’s checks because I needed money. So I headed over to Shinjuku and decided to go to the other branch they have there. I found it very easily actually and the lady who helped me congratulated me on my birthday. She said her’s was actually the day before. It seems to be a popular time for birthdays. Terumi-san’s was on the 22 nd I believe and Michael’s was on the 23 rd I think. After that I came back to the center and relaxed. Later on I got online to talk to people and check my email. Thanks to everyone for all the birthday wishes! =)