Last Day inTokyo

Sorry for a delay in posting but last night we had to pack up all our stuff so that we could head out first thing this morning.  Yesterday we headed out to the neighborhood of Asakusa.  But first we made a pit stop in Ginza for a single act of Kabuki.  That was fascinating to see!  The cast of players still consists of all men.  So the performance is heavily based on makeup, wardrobe and body language.  In the act we watched two lovers having committed double suicide, their butterly spirits dance in human form remembering their love.  But this quickly ends and they are tormented in hell.  While this is going on a "chorus" plays the shamisen and sings the story.  If you get the chance, I highly recommend seeing a performance.  Unfortunately I have no photographs, you cannot take pictures during the performance.  After Kabuki we toured Asakusa and visited the Kaminarimon Gate and the Sensoji Temple.  Dinner that night was amazing!  The recommendations in our Frommer's Tokyo have been spot on and Andy's Shin Hinomoto did not disappoint.  If you ever visit Tokyo, find this restaurant!  It's literally built under the elevated railway tracks (you can hear the trains go past over your head).  **Warning...this post is food heavy**

The Kaminarimon Gate, it's a very touristy area but we wanted to see it anyway.

Walking from the gate to the temple, the pedestrian lane is lined with souvenir shops.  And there are also sweet shops.  This machine makes these little sponge cakes filled with a sweet bean curd filling.

Um...yeah they come out all hot and steamy...totally addicting!

The actual Sensoji Temple is under reconstruction but here are some other building in the temple complex.

Ginko Nuts.  We love these things.  At a yakitori restaurant we had grilled ones, here they are flash fried with these little guys.  

And yes, David ate them.  The boy will eat anything that doesn't eat him first!

Next came the scallops sauteed in a little butter.  Andy goes to the fish and produce markets  everyday for his restaurant's ingredients. P.S. Andy is super nice and will practically go over the whole menu with you.

Saved the best for last...Black cod that is soaked in Miso for 3 days and then grilled.  This was sooo juicy and sweet, you could barely tell you were eating fish.  Oh sooo good!