After a long span of bad weather, today was finally sunny. My son and I were both equally tired of being cooped up (and of each other-I’m sure) so I decided to go for one of our walks. The cherry blossoms are still blooming here in Tokyo and they have started falling as well. For me that is peak loveliness.
With this kind of beauty, even routine urban exploration takes on a different shade. I walked to a small park next to a temple that also happens to feature a little pond. Whenever I pass by there I always see old men fishing, which never fails to make me laugh.
The water in that pond is extremely shallow, and I have never seen anything bigger than a tadpole. So I’m not sure what they were fishing for…perhaps this old barrel?
Visiting a Temple in Japan: I Saw a Bronze Cow?
We finished our journey by doing a photoshoot of a bronze statue of a cow. If you are interested in Japanese temples and shrines you will no doubt come across one of these cute beasties at some point. People who pass by will give the cow a rub, this is because these benevolent cows are believed to relieve pain. People rub the corresponding body part and believe that it will help them find relief from their pain.
I tend to get headaches so I always give their head a rub just in case!
The Japanese word for cow by the way is 牛 pronounced Ushi. This kanji is good to know, especially if you go to restaurants without an English menu, as it will give you an idea of what you’re ordering!
Tokyo Dreamlife 