TORI NO ICHI

Tori No Ichi Fair (open-air market) is a famous annual event in November on the day of Tori (Rooster) in the Chinese calendar and this event has continued to today since the Edo period. Tori No Ichi is held at the Temple of Tori.  Many people go to pray for health, good fortune and good business.  It is the first fair for welcoming the New Year.  The day of the Tori (Rooster) comes every 12 days in November and generally, the first day of Tori is most important.  We went on the second day (November 19 th) along with hundreds of people.  It is said that a fire is likely to take place in the year that the day of the Tori comes 3 times in November.

 A special thing at the Tori No Ichi is the "Bamboo Rake for good luck"  A highly decorated bamboo rake is particular popular.  The goods on the rake bring happiness and prosperity in business. It is said to bring happiness for the New Year you should change to a bigger bamboo rake each year After placing their previous years bamboo rake in the "Kumade Osame Dokoro" people buy a new one that is bigger than the one they had the year before.

 People enjoy bargaining with stall staff.  The staff presents the performance of "Sanbonjime ( a Japanese clapping and calling ritual done to honor the close of an event)" when customers purchase a bamboo rake.  There were stalls that lined the entire entrance to the temple selling various sizes of rakes and the clapping would break out after each sale.

 Visitors throw money toward the temple and the priest are behind a protective covering.  The money is thrown, the prayers are said, and the bell is rang, all in hopes of good health, happiness, and prosperity in business.

 The many, many different sizes of rakes.  Some can be very simple only a rake with a bunch of rice straw as a charm.

 There are stalls on either side selling the rakes.

 Entrance to the Temple

 Our new best friend.  This young girl came up to us and was trying to explain what was going on and that we should buy a statue of a cat (which I can't remember the name of but they are displayed all over Japan.  If the right hand is up it is welcoming good luck in business, if the left hand is up it is welcoming happiness and good luck) Inside these little statues of cats is your fortune.  She came back later and found us to give each of us a candy.  She spoke no English.

There were many food stalls leading up to the temple and on the way back to the train we decided to try some of food from the different stalls.  We started the night with fried noddles.

CHINA TOWN

We visited Yokohama, I think it was November 14th . We were actually there the day President Obama  was there but we went mainly to visit China Town which boast of being one of the biggest China Towns in the world.  

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 Harbor in Yokohama

 Everyone was running to the street to take pictures of the cars passing by. At the time we did not

remember that President Obama was visiting Yokohama.

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 One of the ten gates that surround China Town. The gates are built based on the Chinese horoscope which are called Pario.

 Ed really does come with me on these adventures.

 Wow! a second picture of Ed.  He does let me use the camera sometimes.

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 We bought our kids these exact same heads as their souvenir on a trip to Singapore when we lived in Malaysia.

 This gate called Zenrin-Mom Gate, highlighted in red and gold, literally means friendship between

neighboring families or countries.

They do decorate for Christmas even though they do not celebrate it with the same meaning that we do. Some Japanese are Christian. We have some that attend the church we attend.  Several are married to westerns.

AMEYOKO

I know it has been a while  but I went home on around November 20 th and came back February 19th, but before I left for home Ed and I visited a few places of interest that I wanted to share with you.

The first was Ameyoko. It is a busy market street with hundreds of shops and alley ways filled with more shops. The name "Ameyoko" is a short for  "Ameya Yokocho" ( candy store alley), as candies were traditionally sold here.   Alternatively, "Ame" also stands for America, because a lot of American products used to be available on the black market.  Today, various products such as clothes, bags, cosmetics, fresh fish, dried food, nuts and spices are sold, really anything you can imagine .  It would take you the whole day if not two to look around Ameyoko.

 Entrance to Ameyoko market street

 There are even shops under the train rails, hundreds of shops.

There are hundreds of people on every street and in each alley way.