Last day of 2010 was fruitfully spent in Japan..we woke up pretty late after 2 full days at Disneyworld..to conserve energy for tonight countdown…we lazed around in the morning till about noon before heading to Asakusa to purchase food souvenirs! The crowd that day was huge!...i guess everyone was rushing to buy new year goodies before the clock strike 12am…
Nakamise Street
Some yam dessert tat kept Dear queueing up and awaiting to try!
for the Japanese..they celebrate new year according to the Western calendar..unlike the Chinese.. 5 years after the Meiji Restoration, Japan used the Gregorian calendar and hence celebrate New Year’s Day on 1st Jan…this continued ever since 1873. New Year is considered a big event in Japan..people usually visit shrines and temples…to pray for a great year ahead..
We also went to Ginza shopping malls to see if there’s any great food items there..the food basement was filled with pple!...and everywhere was selling New year food items like osechi ryori!quite an atmosphere…
As day time was really short during winter..which sunset happens at 430pm..we made our way to Tokyo Tower to catch the last sunset of 2010…the sky was spectacular that day..i’ll let you understand why from the pics below..
Poster on Takuya Kimura
Tokyo Tower Mascot..looks like banana
Famous souvenir from Tokyo
Tokyo Tower in the Day
Tokyo tower at night
Star in Tokyo!
Hopefully we can go to Mt Fuji one day…the view of Mt Fuji from Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Metropolitan Building made me develop a respect for this magnificent mountain..it is always the symbol of Japan..i always image a rising sun…beside the peak of the mount fuji..classic…hope to see that one day!
Hello Kitty wishes everyone 2011
Initially we thought there will be great celebrations for the countdown to 2011 at Tokyo Tower…there will be release of balloons etc..but apparently it wasn’t after I asked the staff there…feeling a bit disappointed..we changed plans and made our way back to Asakusa Sensoji to absorb the atmosphere..
At there..we almost spend the remaining amount of money on street food like okonomiyaki, yakisoba, octopus balls..and some other yummy food at those stores held around Sensoji..to satisfy the hungry stomachs of pple queuing at the temple in the cold winter…
Okonomiyaki
When clock striked 12am on1st Jan 2011, the huge bell at Sensoji was rung 108 times.this number symbolizes 108 human sins, according to what Buddhism believes in..so as to cleanse from these sins..and have a great new year ahead..very symbolic..this happens at Sensoji and Meiji Shrine in Tokyo…a great sight to catch!
Maikos
everyone wishing for good luck for 2011
Police were at Sensoji Temple to control crowd..
I will want to visit Takasaki Daruma Temple one day!
And so we ended 2010 with a sweet note in my fav Japan…leaving early the next day for our flight back to Singapore..is happy new year 2011 to japan and Singapore..
Till then…I will look forward to go Japan again..maybe during autumn time to Kyoto!
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