Yuki kuni (NoahandLexiinTokyo)

Hi everybody,

Momentous occasion for me, but I got to see my first snow here in Tokyo!

Not a blizzard, certainly not compared to whatever's going on in the East Coast back in the States, but not messing around either

My friend Lexi and I had already planned to hit Harajuku and Meiji Shrine that day, and so I asked her if she was still down to go if there was snow.  She's a trooper, and she said it would be no problem.  Thus, Noah and Lexi (after getting some pretty fantastic gyoza) made our way to Meiji Jingu just in time to get some fantastic pictures of the snow

Our side trip to get lunch first allowed the snow to turn into a light rain, so the landscape had a few splashes of color rather than a pure greyscale

Lexi, undaunted by the weather and with a smile on her face!

I didn't let it slide too often for much of this trip, but I told Lex it was ok to go in to see the shrine without the traditional purifying wash of the hands.  I did wash mine, however, and it was so cold I almost wish I hadn't.  Ok not really, but seriously my hands hurt from the cold for a half an hour after that

I've said it before, I'll say it again.  Everybody gets presents of sake and other such treats for their birthdays (I did, that's for sure!).  But you gotta be a real baller to continue getting sake birthday presents even after you're dead

No profound commentary or other observations to add.  Meiji Jingu is a wonderful place, a really delightful juxtaposition to the bustle of Tokyo life (especially considering that Harajuku, with its crazy fashion and blasting music, is just around the corner).  It speaks a lot to the Japanese spirit to have such a large park honoring Emperor Meiji--and it's important to note that though Emperor Meiji is responsible for bringing Japan into the modern era, the shrine in his honor is pure old Japan style.  Accepting and embracing the old while style respecting and revering the past, that's pretty much a summary of Japan for the last century and a half

And it doesn't hurt that said park provides for some pretty wonderful photo ops

Noah