Kind look

(a photo is uploaded. please check her official site)

I paid a visit the other day! To Sugamo! For the first time in my life!


I've seen that place many times on TV but it was the first time I set foot in there, so I was being like a tourist. Wow! So this is that famous place . . . !

As it's called Grandpa & Grandma's Harajuku, the popular shopping mall with lots of shops and stands was extremely crowded. You could hardly go forward. It was exactly like Takeshita Street on weekends!

It was so crowded but no shops were playing music, so it was very quiet, which was impressive for me.
Conversely it made me realize how much music you listen to in the middle of common shopping districts.

I forgot on which day I visit there, 4th or 14th of this month, but anyways a festival was going on. Heard that festivals are to be held on every day with the number 4. It's super energetic. Japanese old people rock.

I also visited the place where Togenuki Jizo was placed! I forgot what you call that, large pot with smokes flowing out of it . . . The smoke that will bring you some health benefit when you take it . . . Lots of people were around me, and I got closer to it as I thought I'd like to touch the grateful smoke. Then I found the smoke was so eye-smarting. It hurt so bad.
"Gaahhh! It hurts! My eyes! My eyes!" (I'm kinda exaggerating it a bit) I shouted in that manner, then an old man nearby stared at me. This wasn't how it was supposed to be . . .

After snapping out of it I explored the stands. They were selling many kinds of souvenirs and this is the one I fell in love at first sight and rushed to buy! The mini Togenuki Jizo sama!

Just look at his kind expression. I feel so comforted!

*smiles* *smiles*

As each one of them are hand-made, they have slightly different facial expressions one by one, so I closely examined them and chose some Ojizo sama with kindest facial expressions. Those ones with red strings, yellow strings and yellow-green strings. They're priced at 500 yen per piece, if I remember right.

I attached the yellow one to my ke-tai.

Smiles are the important things . . . people tell me I often look sad, and I think I've gotta have more smiles on my face.

*smiles* *smiles*