I didn’t spend nearly enough time in Asakusa. This must be Hometown Tokyo.
Satoshi kept making calls as we speedwalked away from the Fukudaya aal the way to Asakusa.
Jiro and Shoji were ailing. Rieko was just waking up. We met outside the subway and walked
to the shops around Nakamise-dori. So much interesting merchandise.
Suddenly, we’re going down a narrow stairway papered with pictures of smiley-faced girls.
This is Marbelldo, since 1921 the place where aspiring idols have come fto have their earliest
promotional photos taken. And here, those pictures are archived, for sale to aging fans. I asked
if Rieko could find Megumi Odaka, the Miki Segusa of Godzilla fame. There she was in color
3x5s from her early teens. And Rieko bought them for me.
The Shrine is the most famous in Tokyo, the one consecrated to the statue of Kannon and the
fishermenwho found it in their net. Put the smoke from the incense wherever you need help.
Next time, I’ll go to the Hanayashiki Amusement Park nearby. It was so cold we passed by,
but it seemed to be kin to the 1955 Disneyland, only much smaller.