Sugamo

Wednesday so no class today; instead, went to Sugamo with Rachel and Isabel. Sugamo is perhaps the Harajuku equivalent but for obaasan (old ladies!) and darn, my soul must be pretty old since this is probably the place I like best so far.

Reached Sugamo (巣鴨) station in just about 10 mins (2 stops after Ikebukuro on the JR Yamanote Line) and wandered out to look at the map since none of us thought to bring one or write the directions down. A very helpful old man sitting there happily engaged us in conversation though - or what limited conversation that we could squeak out haha - and very kindly pointed us to the place in question - Jizou Dori (地蔵通り). That totally made my day - nice old people are so happifying!

So why is this place my favourite place thus far?

Because there was no lack of streetside food stalls and so many old people! I like! The atmosphere was certainly different from that in Harajuku, Shinjuku and Kichijoji. There were many stalls set up by the roadside, ranging from thermal underwear, to pajamas and track pants to trinkets, shoes and of course FOOD! Food: not just in the form of cooked streetside food, but even pickles, dried goods, marinated seafood and more. Apparently a flea market only happens on the 4th, 14th and 24th of every month though, but there didn't seem to be any flea market (like the ones I've been to anyway) so perhaps that referred to the ad-hoc structures of these roadside stalls. Permanent shops were mainly selling clothing items, bags, Japanese sweets and shoes for older ladies. One interesting fixture was the prominence of bright red underwear though!

As for the food, I had pancake-shaped okonomiyaki (150yen), 1 custard and 1 cheese filled pancake (100yen each), 1 stick of unagi (300yen), 1 chinese pancake with meat filling (200yen), 1 chicken skin yakitori (130yen), 1 chicken meatball yakitori (130yen) and brought home a box of kiwi berries (400yen) - which are YUM! There was a few more stalls that I could have patronised but my stomach was reaching it's maximum capacity. Besides, we only reached there at about 4pm and stalls started tidying up by 5pm since it gets dark early here. Will certainly be back then! I have to try Japanese sweets some day as well, but probably not anytime soon since honestly they never really look very appetising >.<. Oh and apparently there's a very interesting (but not exactly cheap) souvenir shop as well. And old-lady fashion here is quite cute hehe.

There's a shrine within as well, and it seems to be of a certain significance. Probably will try to read up about this.

I'll be back!

(PS. At the train station, there were SO many posters about Momiji and the places where it blooms and stuff. Now I REALLY REALLY want to go! Raaa! )