Meiji Shrine

With one full day in the books both Sherryl and I decided to visit the Meiji Shrine.  After eating the same things for breakfast we went back to our room to get ready.

Looking outside of our hotel window we see the clear blue skies and light winds and just know that the day was going to be good.  Weather out here in Tokyo is so similar to San Francisco.  Once we were out we started walking back to Shinjuku Station.

Once we got to Shinjuku Station we had to take the JR (Japanese Railway)Line and exit Harajuku.  The JR line is different in a sense that the train is above and not in a subway.  Once we exited Harajuku station we asked a police officer (they're everywhere) where the Meiji Shrine was.  He told us to go straight and make a right.

Right after we make our right we are greeted by a big Shinto Gate.  The shrine is a Shinto Shrine to honor the great Emperor Meiji who oversaw Japan's government being transferred back to the Emperor from the Shogun era.

The area that the shrine encompasses is huge and requires a lot of walking.  There were a lot of people present walking down the shrine also.  After walking and taking photos here and there we finally encountered the shrine itself.

I then had to practice the ritual of cleansing my hands and mouth.  There was water that was coming out of a bamboo orifice that looked like a faucet.  I then had to use what they call a "dipper" and have the water fill it up and use it to cleanse first my left and then my right hands.  I then had to rinse my mouth and afterward I bowed in respect.  After I was done Sherryl did the same.

After the ritual we entered the shrine itself.  We took a few more photos until we approach Emperor Meiji's actual shrine.  There was a Shinto Priest present and we were not allowed to take photos or videos at the actual shrine.  

After paying respect to Emperor Meiji, Sherryl and I bought some souvenirs and decided to walk over to the Treasure Museum.  It was quite a trek and then we later found out that the museum was closed and only open during weekends and national holidays.  We decided to walk there anyway and it was a shame that it was closed.  It really is a nice building.  

After hanging out for a bit we decide to walk back and get something to eat.  We eat at the local restaurant located in the shrine's premises.  I order a beefsteak with fries and veggies.  Sherryl orders spaghetti with some sort of special sauce.  On the pics the spaghetti has a fried egg on top but Sherryl asked that the egg not be added. 

Lunch took a while but it was different but very good.  We see an even better souvenir shop and buy more items.  I was actually shopping for my co-workers and Sherryl was shopping for her relatives.  After we buy what we wanted we head back out to Shinjuku to rest up.  

Once we got back to the Shinjuku we took a light nap and then it was time for dinner.  I decided that we were going to have dinner at Hard Rock Cafe Tokyo.  Hard Rock Cafe and Gordon Biersch restaurants are my favorite chains.  We had to walk back to Shinjuku Station and get on the same line that took us to Tokyo Tower.  Instead of heading out that far we exited Roppongi.

Roppongi is such a interesting place.  Way too many foreigners and way too many clubs.  We skip the majority of them and find another Police Officer who was polite enough to give us good directions.  We find Hard Rock and the hostess escorts us to our tables.  

I order an old favorite (fajitas) and Sherryl, who was craving a burger, orders a Mushroom and Swiss burger.  Bruno Mars's Treasure is playing on the screen and I tell Sherryl that it must be a good omen that we're going to have a great dinner.

Dinner is always great at Hard Rock and the fajitas here were a lot better than the ones I got at Hard Rock Bangkok.  The steak was easy to cut and chew and there were so many more veggies.  In Bangkok I did get a great portion of steak but it was tough to eat and instead of a variety of veggies I got an overabundance of onions instead.  

Sherryl to my amazement pretty much cleaned out her plate.  I enjoyed my food but also enjoyed having Sherryl around, the ambiance, and just being at Hard Rock.  

On our way back to Roppongi station we see a Mos Burger.  For some odd reason I'm just not in a mood to eat it.  I'd rather go back to Hard Rock or eat somewhere else.  

We make it back to our hotel.  Two days down, two awesome cultural icons down, and two great dinners to remember.