Too Little Time in Tokyo

The Tokyo Skytree as seen from the Asakusa District.

As we descended toward the land of the rising sun I looked out the window and watched the morning's first rays dance on the clouds. Mount Fuji rose majestically toward the sky. Ahead of us we had an unknown adventure.  

We had never attempted a stunt such as this, nor did I think we could pull it off. We had an 8-hour layover at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. Our goal: to visit Sensoji Temple in downtown Tokyo. 

We weren't even sure if we were allowed to do this. I had received an email stating that if we were in transit, we had to stay in the airport. Upon landing the announcement over the intercom stated something about quarantine. Making matters more complicated, Japan had only been open four days after being closed for over two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The deck was stacked against us. My plan was to find an employee who could speak good English and ask them flat out if our plan was even possible. 

We landed, strapped our bags over our shoulders and as soon as we exited the plane I asked the first employee: “We have a long layover. Is it possible for us to leave the airport?” ⸺Everything was lost in translation. I was 0 for 1. 

Shortly afterward I became 0 for 2. I was becoming hopeless as we made a long walk down the corridor and passed through security. Surely now we couldn't go back. But I asked one more person, a friendly-looking Japanese girl. At first she didn't understand, but when she did, she smiled and led me to where I needed to go . . . all the way back at the beginning! 

This is not a narrative about being trapped inside Haneda Airport, so I will not bore the reader with those details. To sum up, we spent over two hours trying to leave the airport. Part of it was spent cutting through Covid red tape. Most of it was wasted waiting in a long line at Immigration. We also exhausted valuable time searching for a place to store our luggage. 

Catching the train to Asakusa.

At last we found ourselves in front of a confusing kiosk selling train tickets. Honestly, the kiosk itself wasn't confusing. It was the sheer amount of options that was overwhelming. Luckily for us, a friend of mine who is a Japanese expert coached me through the process before our trip. He also gave me a 10,000 yen bill. 

We found Asakusa Station and purchased two tickets for ¥530 each. We descended the escalator and found the correct train (not the one going to Yokohama). Within minutes we were on the Asakusa Line, speeding into town. 

Although Jordan was half asleep from getting little rest on our previous overnight flight, I was excited for him because this would be his first true subway ride. The train to Asakusa was overground until Shinagawa Station, then it went underground. 

I enjoyed the overground part. We peered out the window at the tall buildings and spotless city streets. Occasionally we spotted a religious shrine surrounded by a cluster of trees. Twice I caught a glimpse of a cemetery, both with narrow tall headstones in the Shinto style. 

There wasn't a speck of trash or even dust on the subway. Although plastic rings dangled from the ceiling for hand-grasps, at this time of day the coach was scarcely crowded. Everyone minded their own business and sat quietly in their seats. Most looked at their phones except one lady who had a laptop. 

Beautiful Tokyo.

It took us 45 minutes to arrive at Asakusa Station. We followed the signs for exit A4 through the underground labyrinth and up the escalator until we emerged into downtown Tokyo. After all the struggle and stress, here we were! We emerged onto a narrow pedestrian street. It felt as if we were on a side-street in Disneyland because everything was so meticulously clean. Across the way I noted a ramen shop. 

It wasn't long before we came to a major roadway. From here there were countless people on the sidewalks, but scarcely a vehicle on the road. Off in the distance to our right we could see the iconic Tokyo Skytree, the tallest tower in the world and over a third of a mile high. A rickshaw puller conveyed a stylish couple in a two-wheeled cart. Those on the side of the street waited patiently for the light to change before they crossed the road⸺a stark contrast to the chaos of Saigon. 

Kaminarimon Gate leads to the Sensoji temple grounds.

Nakamise Street, a popular shopping road in Tokyo.

A couple enjoys a rickshaw ride.

We now came to Kaminarimon, or Thunder Gate, the portal that would lead us to the temple complex. A giant red lantern hung from its beam. Throngs of people were everywhere as we passed through the gate and walked along Nakamise Street. This pedestrian walkway was full of shops, all selling traditional souvenirs, toys and food. Nakamise is one of the oldest shopping streets in Japan. It is said that in days of old, locals were given permission to open up shop in exchange for cleaning the grounds.

We observed the people. Some were robed in traditional Japanese dress. Some of the women adorned themselves in kimonos. We saw one lady dressed as a Geisha. It was a sight to behold. Families walked together, parents holding their child's hand or carrying them on their shoulders. People were polite. There seemed to be a natural organization to things. 

Family walking in traditional dress.

The elegance of a Geisha.

Tokyo street art.

This was a place of worship. They had many rituals I did not understand. Some gathered around a cauldron of incense and waved smoke onto their face. 

We now stood at the entrance of the Sensoji Temple, an iconic structure that is one of the most important in Japan. Sensoji is a Buddhist temple and contains the statue of Kannon, a Bodhisattva in the Buddhist religion. The statue was found by two fisherman in the Sumida River in the 7th century AD. It was recognized by the village priest as a sacred figure. A shrine was built to house the statue and in subsequent centuries more was added to the complex. Much of it was destroyed in World War II, but later restored. 

We saw lines of people queued up to pay homage to the Bodhisattva. The devotees stood in line, and when they got to the front they tossed coins down a metal grate and made worshiping gestures by bowing their heads with hands clasped together. 

The Great Hall of Sensoji Temple.

A cauldron of incense.

Panorama of the Sensoji Temple complex.  Hozomon Gate on left, Gojyunoto Pagoda, center, and Grand Hall, right.

Gojyunoto Pagoda.

Much of the complex was closed to the public. This included the gardens and Gojyunoto, a five-story pagoda that contains Buddha's ashes. In spite of that disappointment, we were still able to enjoy the temple grounds, including a statue of Buddha. Hozomon, or the Treasure House Gate, is a double-decker gate similar to the Kaminarimon, and leads to the Great Hall, which is the building that houses the Kannon statue. 

We didn't have time to sit on a bench or soak up the moment. No. We had to keep moving. By this time we were getting hungry and it would have been ideal to sit down ad enjoy a bowl of authentic ramen. But we didn't have time for that either. 

Hozomon Gate.

Giant straw sandal on Hozomon Gate.

Buddha statue on the temple grounds.

At one point we wandered off the temple complex and onto the streets of everyday Tokyo. We didn't stay there long. We returned to the booths and vendors, this time to look for souvenirs. Jordan found a wall decoration and I a small replica of the Gojyunoto pagoda. We also bought two small bags of unfamiliar food, one that looked like different varieties of rice cake. 

We looked at the time and knew we had to start heading back. We walked one last time through the crowds of people on Nakamise Street and through the Kaminarimon Gate. 

Japanese treats.

Across the street I spotted a 7-Eleven. I was told by my friend that 7-Eleven is the best place to buy cheap, but filling food, including ramen. We entered inside the small convenient store where we found several unfamiliar cooking appliances and refrigerator sections filled with unknown food. I knew that this was my chance to try some unique ethnic food, but I just didn't know what to do. And, anyway, we didn't have the time for it. So we settled on a package of sushi that we could take back to the airport.

We returned the way we came, searching for the Asakusa Line and Haneda platform. Everything seemed easier on the way back. We paid ¥530 for our return tickets and entered the busy subway. This time there was no room to sit. We watched out the window as we came above ground, wondering what other adventures lied within Tokyo. I'm sure there were hundreds. 

Jordan hanging out on the subway.

Our total time on the street in Tokyo was only 1½ hours. In hindsight, we probably could have stayed longer and we should have sat down to a bowl of ramen! But like they say, hindsight is 20/20, and we had a flight we couldn't miss. 

We made it back to the airport with plenty of time to spare. I'm glad I can now say I've been to Japan, but really it was just a tease. I'll have to return and visit the country in depth. My curiosity has certainly been piqued. ♠