"Shrine and Cafe" Aug 6, 2005 Japanese version is available.

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I went to some places where I'd wanted to go but had no chance before.

Yasukuni Shrine

We went to Yasukuni Jinjya (Shrine) in the morning.
I wanted to visit there and see what it is like because we often hear the name of this place from news. I guess many people know this place but most of them haven't been there.
And I like visiting shrine, temple, mosque and so on. I also wanted to see Yasukuni Jinjya as a one shrine simply.

Yasukuni Jinjya was built in 1869 for war dead in Boshin Civil War in Japan. Then other war dead were enshrined. There are 2,466,532 (2004/10/17) of war dead here.

24 One of an entrance. There is long way to front shrine. You can find the numbered place (24) on this Map.

21 After bronze statue. You will see some souvenir shops near here. You can buy Rising Sun (Japan's national flag) goods like towel, Japanese fan... in the shops. There are a lot of poles on the both sides of this road. Many Japanese lanterns will be hung during Mitama Festival here.

3 Front shrine. You can through money to a donation box here. There is the main hall (1) behind this building. To enter it, you have to donate some money (more than 1000 yen) at reception desk. "Book of Souls" (Name list of enshrined war dead) is existing in another building (2) behind the main hall.

20 I saw bereaved relatives in bus tour. And many Westerners were found in independent tour.

I haven't seen bereaved relatives or unique goods at souvenir shop in other shrine but I didn't feel any specialty here. I thought this shrine is almost same as others where I sometime visit.

War Memorial Museum: Yushukan

There is a war memorial museum "Yushukan" in Yasukuni Jinjya site. It was built in 1882 and the first war memorial museum in Japan. We can study Japanese modern history, relationship with other countries and see old goods, every enshrined people's photos, personal effects, letters and so on.
The exhibits, the way of display and the explanation were made with great care. They don't bore people. Every content in this museum looks so elaborated. Some of them are not well-known or no chance to know normally so we concentrated to see them and almost forgot about time. We couldn't see all of them in 4 hours. That's not enough time.

I often visited war museum when I went to foreign countries but I regret I should have seen my own country's war museum first. Once I see exhibits, read explanation and study the way of display in there, I may have my own standard.
I think there are some historical views that the country's museum want to show and could be advantageous for them. To recognize their intentions to people surely, not only English but also other language explanations should be available. This is not only for their selfish reasons. On the other hand, this is visitor's request.
But we have to realize that there are many historical views in every countries not to be swayed by the biased one intention. People's historical views strongly depend on the way of display or report that were provided. It makes big gap in their feeling and understanding. I believe that "finding the gap" can help us to realize the gap, understand their own country and others and expand our horizon.
Now I see only few Japanese languages in foreign country's museum. It means that I have to study English much harder to take a shortcut for understanding them. I hope this way can work for me...
By the way, who said "English as a common language of the world" first?

14 Entrance of Yushukan. It is located inside of Yasukuni Jinjya site.

We found this Japanese chess for soldier's version in a souvenir shop. The picture and situation looks funny.

Entrance hall. Japanese old battleplane, steam train (It run on Thailand-Burma railroad from Nong Praduk in Thailand to Thanbyuzayat in Burma in the past), tanks, cannons are exhibited. We can take those photos in there but it is restricted in other areas.

I didn't feel anything special about this war memorial museum too. However I think it is placing high importance on war dead or focusing them strongly seems that it has some inseparable connections with Yasukuni Jinjya.
We didn't have enough time to see all of exhibits in this museum so we had to give it up incompletely. I'd like to visit and see them someday again.
I spent fulfilling time there.


Maid's Cafe

This has no relationship with previous story at all. I didn't write this in wrong place. This is correct.
We went to Maid's Cafe after Yasukuni Jinjya directly.
I've heard of the name "Maid's Cafe" since couple of years ago but here is also sanctuary where I've never been to before like Yasukuni Jinjya. I could visit 2 places in a day.

My friend, Mr. KĦĦare taking pictures of flyer distribution girl who are in fancy maid costume. She did posed without any request. We appreciate that.

Once black blinder is aplied on her eyes, suddenly this website become so shady.

Here is famous sanctuary, Akihabara! We didn't expect to take maid's photos as soon as we arrive here. Thanks for wonderful today! Is it due to visit at a shrine early in the morning?

On the way to Maid's Cafe. The atmosphere was too shady to go there so one of my friends was scared. "Isn't it dangerous shop? Is it really OK?" she said.

Then... we have no photos. Photos were restricted in the cafe. So we took a photo in FRONT of the cafe but a maid came and warned us... To be honest, I'd rather her be angry and swear me more and more! So sweet!

Welcome back, my master

"Welcome back, my master"
It was the first maid's word for us in the cafe. (Actual first word was warning... forget it!). This is very first time here for us but they said like that. How lovely they are! I thought it was worth 30 minutes wait in line to enter here!
After her lovely greeting, there was no communication with them. It looks like a normal cafe. Something wrong with this normal situation!
"It shouldn't be normal. We have to make a chance to communicate with them somehow!"
We made up an idea. We decided to order some sugar for our drink that we are drinking now. I know my tea was already enough sweet but there was no option...
To order it, we choose a girl who had black hair. She was the most popular among us. I guess black long hair looks very attractive with the maid costume.
This girl was very cheerful and pleasant. We could ask her many things. We love black hair!
According to her, she is going to debut on CD in a maid group.
Such kind of maid business is relatively hot now. It is difficult to work (part-time job) as a maid in this cafe. She passed 3 auditions here. Not easy to be a maid.
I found some maid businesses like Maid's Reflexology (massage), Maid's Catering service (we can ask them many things like chores), Maid's Bar and so on.
Of course Maid's cafe is the most famous and popular business. A first maid cafe in Taiwan opened last summer. But it was closed for a while.

When I cool down and look around inside the cafe, I found that most of customers are very normal people. I think many couples and groups came here like us. They just want to see this cafe. However I saw some hard-core people. I heard that sometime maid was worried by her master.
There are 15 seats on counter and 20 seats for tables there. The 20 seats cost extra charge about 300-500 yen for cover charge. We took seats on counter because we didn't need to wait for a long time.
Don't forget here is not just a cafe. It is maid's cafe. We can do not only drinking but also play game with maids.
We can play cards with maid (10min/1000yen), we can take tiny instant photo with maid (1time/1000yen), you can choose your favorite costume and ask maid to change their clothes (keep the costume for 10min/1000yen) and so on...
Many people paid for the tiny instant photos. We know it is expensive but here we can't take photos by our own camera. But nobody didn't buy any other service. Now I regret I didn't try others... I should have tried them!

We can have 1 maid/1000yen in the photo. But number of customer in the photo doesn't matter. I'm so sorry I don't have other photos except such poor photos this time. But remember this cost 1000yen!

After maid's cafe, we went to Arabian Rock that is a bar in Arabic atmosphere. We found waitress in Arabic costume.
"I prefer this one."

At end of day, I recognized that freshness is the most attractive factor for me.
Cosplay is a new world for me...


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