Yoyogi Park

My friend, Sean, took me to Yoyogi Park. We had a bet that I could not make a bulls eye playing darts. When I eventually did, he owed me a trip to Yoyogi. I think he was just being nice, however, since it took me a very long time to make the bullseye. Those Brits. They never play by the rules!



Sean is standing in front of rows of sake barrels. He tried explaining some religious or cultural custom/thing the Japanese do with these, but I can't remember now. I just thought they looked cool. Maybe I'll get one of the symbols tattooed (spelling?) on my shoulder and pretend that the symbol means something cool. Like porcupine or weasel, like half of the Americans out here.



Here is a shinto "wishing well." I know it's called something very different, but this is all I can come up with. Basically, you throw in a coin, burn some insence and make a wish. It's not the water fountain in central park, but it will do. Don't try to pawn off your 1Yen pieces, though, people can tell you're being cheap when it doesn't sound as heavy as the other coins.



This seemed to be one of the main shrines, but Sean tried to explain to me that we were close to the Imperial Palace and there were many shrines in the park. Well, this one looked pretty big, but there was probably one bigger.



A smaller shrine.