| After clearing immigration, I checked flight loads onwards to Los Angeles and realised it was freaking FULL. Reason being it was the summer holidays and the Japanese are flocking to USA for holidays. Thus, I was told to come back again to the airport tomorrow and check; the CSO was unwilling to guarantee that there will be a seat for me. The unexpected excitement (of staying in Japan for a day) suddenly became a dreading realisation (I may have to go back to Sillypore in order to get to Seattle).
The CSO got me accommodation in Narita town (20mins from airport by train) instead of downtown Tokyo (45mins from airport by bus/train). On hindsight, I would had probably seen more if I had went downtown; but I was pretty bothered about missing my flight that I had no mood to enjoy my unexpected "adventure". Had to agree that I was probably worrying too much again.
Got into Mericure Hotel Narita after a short "jog" (with my stupid luggage) from train station to hotel lobby because Mr. Weather suddenly decided to provide a little drizzle. Switched on the TV and there wasn't much, unless you considered the Liberal Democratic Party's (led by the current Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe) loss in the Upper House election. Some analyst in BBC was talking about the possible resignation of the prime minister. Not that anyone cared; at least not those people that I saw along the streets when I went out to grab my dinner. Got onto the internet for 10mins (¥100) to change my domestic flight. That was about how the boring the evening was.
Woke up next morning and went wandering around with my camera. Not much photo opportunities as the weather was pretty cloudy and greyish. Narita town probably isn't as famous as the airport with the same name, but at least this is where the Naritasan Shinshoji Temple (founded in AD940, this is the head temple of the Buddhist Shingon Sect) is. I took a quick look at the sacred enclosure and walked back to my hotel (20mins away via Omotesando St) as checkout was at 11am. |
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I thought it was pretty strange to have a cemetery along Omotesando Street (one of the main streets in Narita), especially when it is just beside the residential area (see houses on the right). |
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To be frank, I actually hesitated for a long time on whether to include this picture on my blog. I relented eventually; not that I propagate killing but the picture seems to had captured the pain and the last grasp of air for the doomed Unagi.
p.s.: I'm sorry if I had disturbed anyone with this picture.
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Perparing the Unagi Bentos for the day by barbecuing the eel fillets. Perhaps this picture will disgust less people. But to me, its the same (as compared to the previous picture).
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A priest banging the bell in Naritasan Shinshoji Temple. |
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Burning incense in the main urn. It always remind me how life is so short...
Unlike the typical Chinese incense, which is usually in a form of stick incense supported by bamboo, this kind of incense comes in solid sticks and can be easily broken into pieces (so as to allow one to determine the specific amount of incense to burn). |
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The 500 disciples of the Buddha; a sculpture carved in the early 19th century - images of Naritasan Shinshoji Temple |
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I took a picture of the temple caretaker while he was having a personal moment with himself. |
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As I was leaving the temple, I saw this cute Thai girl (there was a bunch of Thai tourists that day) posing for a photograph and I quickly snapped a picture. |
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Seedy pubs near to the Narita Train Station. I didn't have ¥7,000 (S$90) and thus all I could do was to "stand" outside.
p.s.: It wasn't open in the day anyway. |
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Me at the main bus stop beside the Narita Kensei Train Station (note that it is different from the Narita JR Train Station which is another rail system). People were queueing up for the Service No.6 (a pink bus that goes to Jusco, a local shopping center Jusco).
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