Where are we today? Tokyo!

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Our first stop was the Imperial Palace, a compound of buildings and gardens built around old castle ruins.  The current emporer lives there, along with his family. No, he didn’t invite us in for tea. 😆



The next stop was a Buddhist temple compound. 
Here is where you buy your fortune. 

If your fortune is a bad one, you tie it to this rack — I suppose so that some one can pray for better things on your behalf, 












The air all around and in the buildings was scented with incense.  It took me right back to World Bazaar in Atlanta when I was in seventh grade or so. 
There were many little shrines in the grounds like this one.  If a mother loses her first child, she will come to
One of these to pray to the Buddha.  If it is winter, she will clothe the statue with something warm.  This is thanks in return for the prayer, but also demonstrating motherly concern for her late child. 

The grounds let out in a pedestrian shopping area that spans several streets.  We wandered through some shops, and then it was time to head for a lunch arranged in a hotel.  

After we ate, we headed a long way across town to a famous Shinto shrine, tea house,  and gardens.  






In both the Buddhist area and the Shinto area, many people were performing the respective rituals and buying fortunes, votives, and charms. Buddhism and Shintoism even more so are woven into the daily fabric of Japanese life. Many Japanese people adopt both religions. Some practice both, but only culturally, and are secular at heart. Our guide today observes Shinto practices culturally, hopes the Buddhists are right that if he lives a “good” life he can come back as a person in the next life, and doesn’t claim to be religious in general. 

Sayonara

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