Day 2 Asakusa Shrine and April Weather

After a long journey and the first day, it's time to recharge our energy as young mothers. I still remember my words, 'I'll wake up at 7 and be ready to go by 8.' Well, 11 o'clock is almost 7 o'clock.

We blame it on the jet lag, it can't be the alcohol.

Our big plan to see a lot seems unrealistic. Whether we succeed or not is written in the stars, or rather in the depths of water-filled clouds. A rainy day awaits us. One of the 11 rainy days on average in April. Put on a rain jacket and off we go. Destination? The Asakusa Shrine.

On the way, we decide to get off at Ueno Station and walk the rest. The train station looks really good from the outside, very different from what we're used to. Very modern and contemporary. At least from the front. Looks can be deceiving, not just for people. But as long as everything works, it doesn't matter how it looks.

The adjacent district doesn't really offer much splendor and glory. Not a destination for a second visit for us.

On the internet, opinions about the Asakusa Shrine are divided. Tourists like us love it. The Japanese see it as a cultural disaster. We will soon understand why.

We reach the Asakusa Shrine from the back, nice and quiet with relatively few people. A little calm before the storm. We are almost overwhelmed by tour groups, tourists, and Japanese people in kimonos, the traditional Japanese clothing. With the many different patterns, they are nice to look at but probably very uncomfortable to wear. At least for women, compared to the lightweight and airy kimonos for men, it seems stiff and restrictive.

Away from the crowds, the shrine impresses us with its incredible size and architecture. All in all, a tourist hotspot from a coloring book with stalls for Japanese food and souvenirs for home. But for now, it's enough for us, and we hike to the Sumida River to find some peace.

As the rain starts again, we decide to visit a cat 'café'.

'Café' doesn't quite describe it, it is located in a private apartment and is inhabited by a nice Japanese woman and 21 cats, in 20m². Pretty cramped, and any cat owner can imagine the smell. Cats also need to go to the toilet.

For today, it's time to call it a day, the weather is too bad. We decide to get something from the local supermarket and warm up in the apartment. Classic Japanese 'Hust hust'.

We end the day watching Japanese TV and enjoying some treats. Japanese shows are really one of a kind. Over the top, loud, and not quite understandable to us, and it's not just because of the language barrier. Or maybe that's exactly why.

But at midnight, the rain stops, and we decide to take a little walk and head to a Don Quijote market. A supermarket that has it all. 'Supermarket' is an understatement here. It's really super, it has everything.

On 7 floors, you can find whatever your heart desires. Narrow aisles that are 0.5m wide and shelves that are 2m high, filled to the brim.

From toiletries to sweets, clothes, suitcases, electronics, knick-knacks, rice items, and costumes. There's even an adults-only section for all kinds of fantasies. Not for us. So we have one last beer at the 24-hour Family Mart and off to bed.