A Trip to Tokyo #4 (27/Oct/2019-28/Oct/2019) ~ Hanging around the Imperial Palace...

今回の旅は相変わらず、iPhoneでばっかり撮っている。一眼レフは無用の長物的な感じでずっとカバンを温めていた。

石垣島時代のもう一人の友人、朱理と合流できたのは午後の３時を回っていた。実に私も素敵な感性を持った友人が集まると思える、友人の一人だ。自分の興味もあり、豊川稲荷・東京別院行くことになり、わざわざ地下鉄の赤坂見附駅まで来てもらった。

In this Tokyo Trip, I kept taking photos by iPhone again. My DSLR camera was in my backpack all the time. 

It was already passed 3 in the afternoon that I finally could meet up a friend from Ishigaki island time, Shuri. She is one of my good friends that I feel how dare I always meet such an interesting friend with unique character. She kindly came up to Akasaka-Mitsuke subway station to meet up with me because I wanted to visit "Tokyokawa-Inari Tokyo Betsuin", 

狐、お稲荷さんがいるのでてっきり稲荷神社かと思いきや、実はお寺。茶枳尼天が祀られている。ちょうど到着した時は、僧侶さんたちが祈祷を参拝者の為に声高々に唱えていた。かなり迫力がある。経典をアコーディオンのように右に左に、上から下に開いていく。

ここは財運の御利益があるという事で、平日にも関わらずたくさんの参拝客がいた。本当は、新しい財布を買ってそれを以ってご利益をと考えていたけど、良いものが見つからずあきらめた。そして、自分の願いはほどほどに、同僚が欲しがっていた御札をお土産に購入し後にした。

It looks like "Inari Shrine" because we find "Inari", guardian foxes there, but it is actually a temple. One of the Buddhist Gods, "Dakini" are worshiped there. When we had arrived there, a special prayer just started. The monks were chanting holding a sutra book, and opening it vertically and horizontally like a accordion. Very impressive ceremony. 

It is said that we could receive a good fortune of money if we pay a visit to make a wish. So there were many visitors in the temple even though it was on Weekday.  I wanted to get a new wallet at first anywhere, and bring it here, but couldn't find any good one. So I gave it up, I made a tiny wish for myself and left the temple after buying a good luck charm that one of my colleagues wanted.  

じゃ、皇居まで方面まで歩こうということになり、だらだらと適当にあるきだす。すると、参議員議員の宿舎が見えてきた。超立派！２～３LDKとななんとかで、たった４万円程度の家賃だそうだ。自分の小さな賃貸部屋の家賃と変わりない。このことも少し前、問題になっていたよな。高給取りの議員に安過ぎるやろって！

そして、最高裁判所の前を通り皇居に近づいていく。

We decided to take a walk to the Imperial Palace. Just hanging around the area. Soon after we reached one of the dormitory for members of House of Councilors. Very nice apartment. I hear that the rent for 2 or 3 room with a kitchen, dining and living room is only around \40,000 which was an issue sometime ago. Too cheap for the diet members who get paid tremendous amount of salary. 

And them we approached the Imperial Palace passing the Supreme Court. 

時間があれば皇居の中も入れただろうが、もう日が傾いている。見学を終えた多くの外国人客たちがぞろぞろと周辺を歩いていた。あとで知ったことだが、皇居の売店には本革製の財布が販売されているそうだ。しかも、リーゾナブルなお値段で。知っていたら売店で購入してから、豊川稲荷に行っても良かったなと。また、東京に行く理由ができた。

同僚から教えてもらってた、楠木正成公の像の写真もちゃんと撮った。楠公さんをお祭りする神戸の湊川神社もこんな像を作ったらいいのにと思った。

If we had enough time, we could've entered the Imperial palace area, but the Sunset was gradually coming. Later I learned that there is a souvenir shop in the Imperial Palace area which sells leather wallet or coin purse. Surprisingly they are not so expensive. I could've visited the Imperial Palace to get one first, and brought it to the temple with me because I was actually trying to get a new wallet then. Anyway, I've got a reason to visit Tokyo again. 

I took a photo of the statue of KUSUNOKI Masashige, ancient warrior. I just wondered whey Minatogawa Shrine in Kobe never try construct a statue like this because his spirit is allegedly enshrined in the shrine.  

皇居周辺のcafeに入り小休止。朱理といろいろと話し、”またね”という事で彼女は家へ戻ていった。夜の１０時に列車に乗るまで時間を潰すことにした。今回、わざわざ東京に出てきたのは、以前から乗りたかった夜行列車に乗るため。

夜行列車って子供の頃から大好きなんだよね！

正美

≪つづく≫

We took a break at a cafe near the palace. I talked with Shuri a lot. Sometime later she left the cafe to go back home, and I decided to kill time until my train departure at 10 in the evening. I dare came over to Tokyo to take this night sleeper train.

I always like night sleepers trains from my youth.

Masami

≪To be continued≫