Second full day in Tokyo: April 23

 On our second full day in Tokyo we started our day by making our way to Ueno park, which holds the Tokyo National Museum as well as Ueno Zoo. My plan was to eat omurice (a breakfast dish that consists of a plate of rice with a slightly liquidy omelet sat on top that is cut in the center so that the omelet drapes over the rice) but all of the restaurants nearby that serve omurice were not open yet, so we went to a 7-11 for an easy konbini meal. By the time we were done eating the Tokyo National Museum was about to open so we walked to Ueno park and explored the exhibits. The outside was beautiful, but we weren't allowed to take pictures inside.

    It was a very interesting experience inside the museum, I can't believe how many ancient artifacts there were that were thousands of years old or more. The special exhibit that was in this rotation was about Honen, a Buddhist master who brought the concept of Pure Land Buddhism to Japan. One aspect of this revolution of Buddhism I liked is the idea that you don't need to have built great works or structures to achieve enlightenment, as that would only allow the wealthy to reach nirvana.

    After the museum we headed to the zoo and it was cool to see all of these exotic and beautiful creatures, but I must admit, it made me a little sad to see them in captivity. I understand the good that zoos can do, in that animals on the brink of extinction can continue to live on, but it was hard to watch as some of these animals paced around searching for an escape route when none exist. 

    After that experience I needed some sustenance to bring my spirits back up, so we headed for Hoppy street for some lunch. Hoppy street is within walking distance of Senso-ji (a massive buddhist temple honoring the god of mercy, Daikannon) and is extremely busy because of it. We found a cool spot on the corner Jugemu Japanese BBQ and it was truly amazing. You order sauteed meats and quickly cook it on a hot grill at each table. I got a set of wagyu belly, gyuutan (cow tongue sliced in thin strips), and prime beef. It was easily the best meal I've had so far in Japan. 

    Once we had filled our bellies it was time to visit Senso-ji and paid pur respects. We followed the ritual of tossing a coin, clapping twice, bowing, and clapping once. It was remarkable how many people follow this tradition, and I imagine it must make quite a bit of revenue. 

    Then it was time to visit the Tokyo Skytree and get a view of the city from 350 meters up. We arrived at the perfect time, we got to see the city go from daytime to night, and the whole city lit up before our eyes. I took a lot of pictures.

    After Skytree we checked out the electric neighborhood called Akihabara, it was not as cool as I thought it would be. It was known for it's numerous electronics shops, but in the current age it seems that those kinds of electronics are not as popular any more. People don't typically buy parts any more they buy prebuilt products. There were a lot of anime stores and maid cafes, we ended up walking away from Akihabara and finding a cool italian restaurant underneath  the arches of a bridge holding a train line. At this point we were tired from walking all day again and were ready to call it a night and took a train home, the same train that was rolling over the restaurant.