National Foundation Day (Kenkoku Kinenbi) - 11/2/'14
During this day so much happened that it is impossible to remember every moment. I will give some highlights of this day.
The day started at 04:40 when a group of six people left for the famous fish market. After reaching the metro station of the fish market a sign told us the fish market was closed because of National Foundation Day, the day where the foundation of Japan and the accession of the first emperor is celebrated. Because we were already awake and there we decided to visit the fish market anyway. Although the fish market was almost devoid of people all lights were on. We walked through the empty alleys which gave a very surreal feeling.
Around 09:00 the rest of the group joined us to visit the Meji Jingu park. There we went to the Meji shrine to have a look around and witness a ceremony. There we also hang a wish which we wrote on a wooden board. In this wish we were grateful for a great trip and wished that our trip would have a prosperous continuation.
Furthermore the Meji Shrine Inner Gardens were visited. It was a shame we visited this garden during the winter. In this garden there is a field of iris flowers but because of the winter nothing was flowering. Even without this it could be noted that the garden must be beautiful during every other season.
To finish the day Akihabara, famous for its electronics markets, was visited. Lights and sounds are fired at you from every direction. The most noticeable visit in Akihabara was a maid cafe. In such a cafe the waiters are dressed as, like you would guess, maids, to make the customers at ease. In this cafe we ordered burgers made into teddy bear heads, a sleeping bear of rice under a blanket of omelet and ice cream in the form of, again, a bear. Our dinner was eaten under the entertainment of a maid dancing wildly and a ritual to serve a cocktail. These shows and the total experience made more than up for the expensive meal.
By: Erik de Wit