Asakusa and SUMO town!!!

 

Yesterday we did a quick tour of the Asakusa area with the famous Senso-ji temple and pagoda. 

 

A Handsome man and me!

Five Layer Pagoda

 

They had 4 very ugly 'gods' protecting the temple gates. One entrance gate had buddhist gods and the other gate had shinto gods.

 

There was also a giant chochin at one of the gates, it's very, very large!

 

 

 

Afterward we did a little souvenir shopping at a few of the open stalls.

 

 

 It was late so a lot of the stalls were closing up for the night but it's definitely a place we will want to go back to during the day to do some exploring.
As we headed out we had a great view of the Golden Poo building. It's supposed to be the golden foam on the mug of beer shaped building it's on top of...but everyone just calls it the golden poo building.. because , lets be honest...

We got some pictures of the Sky Tower, Gary insists he'll get me up that some day...I don't think so, I really don't care for heights especially in earthquake land. It was really cool to see though!

 

That was it for Asakusa...on to Sumo town! We got back in the car and headed to Ryogoku. Sumo town is where the wrestling arena that holds up to 10,000 people is located as well as several Sumo Stables where sumo wrestlers live and train.
                              

 

 It's also home to a number of Chanko Nabe restaurants ,several of which are run by retired Sumo wrestlers. If you've read some of my other posts you will have seen references to different Nabes we have eaten..Nabe simply means pot..Chanko is the type of nabe dish made by Sumo Wrestlers.
                                                                 
                

 

 

We found a cozy chanko nabe place complete with traditional style tables and zabutan mats to sit on and regular style tables with stools. The place was hopping with businessmen eating around the simmering pot in the middle of their tables and laughing and joking.  



We found a small table and decided on the ever popular Chicken Chanko Nabe. Originally the Sumos preferred the chicken and seafood Chanko Nabe because one way to lose a wrestling match is to go down on all fours on the mat so they didn't like to eat the meat of 4 legged animals. Apparently they aren't as superstitious any longer and there are pork and beef Chanko Nabes available as well.  Before we started on the Chanko Nabe though there was something else on the menu that we had to give a try...    



                                                                     Here we go!

 

 

                                             " What do you think Lisa?"    Hmmm...not bad!

 

Then it was time for the famous Chanko Nabe!

 

We started off putting in the ground chicken mixture to make the dumplings.

 

 

 

Then the pieces of chicken thigh were added to the broth and left to boil a while and then all the veggies were added!

 

 

Soon we had this!

 

 

And Gary and I looked like this!

 

 

Afterwards Gary was thanking the little old lady at the shop and she kept laughing and patting his belly saying, Little Sumo!       

 

And we three finished the WHOLE pot!!!