Day 7

My original plans were to take off to Ome, to run an errand for someone, then I was going to try to hit Kamakura, then to Odawara, then back. If I hit the rapid trains, this was possible. It started to rain when I took off to the Higashi-Jujo station. Again, I took off late. When I got to Shinjuku, I tried to take a Special Rapid to Ome, or to Tachikawa and transfer to an Ome train, however, the train that I was on that was marked as a “Special Rapid” had changed its markings when I got on, and became a “Local”, eating up my time, getting to my destination. I had to change trains at Tachikawa, because this train was going to Takao. Really good, if I was doing the tengu pics, like I should be, however, I needed to get to Ome. So, after time being drained getting there, we emerge at the Higashi-Ome train station…

We emerged to more rain. It got worse, as these pics show.

Normally we could be treated with a view of Mt. Fuji from this place. Nope. Not in this weather. However, regarding this weather and the place we are going to take pics of? “PERFECT!!” I exclaimed. Does it kill the other plans we have? Well…Including the fact that we left at 11AM, when we should have taken off at 7AM? Yes.

With this weather, these trees look more nice, I expect archers from another era to start firing arrows.

We eventually reach our destination: the Rinzai Zen monastery of Tennei-Ji.

Tennei-Ji was a Shingon Monastery until the ancient Takeda clan reformed it, and made it conform to Rinzai Zen Buddhism.

I took these pics because this is an example of classic Japanese large temple architecture. Later you will see a giant contrast with the architecture of a vastly more modern complex.

 

The rain worked out real well with these pics. As the rain got worse, however, it was painfully apparent that Kamakura and Odawara Castle would have to wait, possibly even for another Tokyo trip.

However, I went into the 7-11 on the way back to the train station, and I ran into another surprise…

I found the dumpling that the heroine in my comic series eats at the beginning of Pt. 1! YEA! I purchase the bready dumpling and hurry outside to get some pics…then I close my eyes, and recite the line in my script…

“…Dump-ling…”

When I open my eyes, I see that I have taken my bite and have savored this treat…

It’s little things like this, that I DON’T find in the barren sand heap of Zonie Land, that brings tears to my eyes. Even the little things here are ART.

So, our plans for Kamakura and Odawara scrapped, because of this rain, I decide to go back to Shibuya and another treat.

The “WARHOL DEVICE” wasn’t finished yet, as we went on the pedestrian overpass. “El Grande Nikon” refusing to come out of the backpack until we were under some shelter…

After getting under the overpass ahead of us, The big camera came out and took some shots of its own.

I discovered, after about 15 to 20 minutes, that I was at the wrong side of the station. I needed to be at the WEST side instead of the EAST. I made this correction and took off to our next destination.

On the way there, I discovered an interesting building…

Granted, it is a major pain in the fraheerhein getting ANYWHERE in this area. This is around that Dogenzaka hills area where Monocle magazine will broadcast at the J-Wave studios, when they are in town. Anyway, after navigating these hills, I arrive at our next stop, the more modern temple complex of Jyosen-Ji.

This temple belongs to the more modern Honmon Butsuryu Shu, which is a school of Nichiren Buddhism. With its ferro-crete construction, and its use of lots of flat lines, you would think they had Frank Lloyd Wright design it.

This modern era complex does differ in comparison to the complex in Ome.

Ok. It was about 5PM and time for me to get some dinner. Needless to say, I had to eat at my little hideaway in Shinjuku one more time…

This time, I ordered the LARGE…

I now return you to your regularly scheduled websurf…

Advertisement