Yanagimori Shrine near Akibahara
Yanagimori Shrine is a shinto shrine located across the Kanda River from Akibahara. It is dedicated to the tanuki (Japanese racoon dog), often pictured with enormous testicles.
kanda
Cherry Blossoms along the Kanda River
Starting at Edogawa Park in Bunkyo, I walked on a pedestrian path along the Kanda River until I reached Takadanobaba. The river is lined with cherry trees that were at their peak bloom when I visited.
Tsukemen at Kikanbou in Kanda
Yesterday, I went to the Kikanbou tsukemen restaurant in Kanda. Kikanbou’s specialty is the so-called kara-shibi miso ramen and tsukemen: It is possible to choose from 5 different levels of spice in the soup, for both kara (the regular heat) and shibi (numbing pepper, that delays the sensation of heat). The photo above and below has the 4th level for each spice. It is pretty hot!