Cleansing at a Shrine
When you enter a shrine there will be a water pavilion nearby with ladles situated like the ones in the picture. This is an area where you do a water cleansing ritual called temizuya before you stand in front of the deity. The etiquette is to take the first scoop of water with your right hand and wash the left, but do not use all the water on one hand. Then you switch the ladle to your left to wash the right. You pour the remainder water in your hand and use it to wash your mouth. Please do not spit the water in your mouth into the source, there is a drain area below that you can do that in. You will not find this at a temple, which is another indicator to know if you are at a shrine. Please pay your respects and remember to do this properly.
Biohazard Cafe, Shibuya
There is another reason why to go to Japan as soon as possible, which are the cafes. This one is the Biohazard Cafe that was located in Parco Part 1 in Shibuya. The set up was worthy of those who have ever played the Resident Evil series. The T-Virus canister and typewriter are notable items in the game and would cause anyone to geek out. They also had a few more replica items decorating the cafe like the wallpaper was actually the map of Raccoon City. It was a fun place to visit, but sadly it is permanently closed. I would say if you have the chance to go to one of these cafes then go before it could be gone. I’m glad that I had the opportunity to eat and geek out at this place while it was open.
Curry
Curry is widely popular in Japan and can be found in a variety of places. It usually has potatoes, onions, carrots and meat of your choosing. Personally I like their pork katsu curry, which is a piece of pork breaded and deep friend with curry on the bottom. Not only can you have curry with rice, but you can enjoy it as a soup base for ramen or udon. They also have a curry pan (bread) in the convenience store readily available. It is interesting that it was introduced in the Meiji era (1868-1912) through the British because India at the time was under colonial rule. Since then curry in Japan is considered a national dish.
Shonen Jump Festival ( Jump Festa )
Jump Festa is an awesome free entry anime/manga/ gaming convention where you can see the latest stuff coming out. It is usually held at the end of December in the Makuhari Messe, which is close to Tokyo Disney. It is a whirlwind of amazing events. Jump Festa is difficult to attend if you do not know Japanese or the system. Like if you wanted to test out a game that is not out yet then be sure to get a ticket before they run out. Also the line to get in is pretty long, but time passes by quick especially with all the cool cosplayers around. If you are a fan of what they showcase then I recommend going here because it is free to enter and there are some free stuff you can get.
Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto
If you have ever seen the movie Memoirs of a Geisha then do you remember the scene where the kid is running through a tunnel of red orange gates? Well I made it one of my goals to go there and have my own personal video and pictures of passing through the torii gates. Each of these torii gates were donated by different Japanese businesses because Inari is viewed as the patron of business. If someone wanted to walk through all the gates then it is estimated to take about 2 hours. There are different courses available if you are pressed for time, but it was amazing to walk through them. The sun emitting from the spaces in between serve as a reminder of how many have prayed for their success in business. It is definitely one of the places I recommend to people to go to especially if they go to the Kyoto area.