Tokyo Day 4: Two Shrine Visits=MASSIVE Photo Dump

First order of business: visit the Meiji Shrine (the one right next to the Harujuku station, actually~)

Katie had told her about how it was over 100 acres of forests, and there were walking paths that curious wanderers could actually explore; so with the forecast of sun and 68 degrees, they set off (she, for one, with every intention of being spirited away, should the occasion arise).

Naturally, in order to better blend in with the local Kami, she bought a kodama charm which she promptly decided to have attached to her braid (thank you Katie, for obliging~). And yes, she did it purposefully so that when she tilted her head like the Kodama in Princess Mononoke, it made just the same sort of eerie wood rattling sound.

(Photo by Tori)

(Photo by Tori

(Photo by Tori)

There's just something so calming about being in the middle of a forest. and at the same time, there's an edge of excitement. A person can't see everything that's going on in the trees and what may be scampering across the ground below the brush. And while there were acres of forest to explore, it was mandatory (and respectful) to stay on the paths.
Naturally, being in Harujuku and right next to Takeshita-Dori, they decided to go back to Bodyline! And while she still couldn't find a reasonably priced apron by itself or a pair of (realistic-ish) clip on cat ears, they did have crepes again!

(Photo by Katie)

Oh, crepes....you are so delicious~

Second order of business: Fox Shrine in Aoyama
...with a quick pit-stop at a park they happened across along the way~

("You Are Here" in red)

(Careful... There be Lions about...)

(Tori in her Pumpkin-Pantsu, bunny hood and, Watch Medallion 
looks ready for a stylish stroll through the Tulgey Wood~)

(Hello, Sophie)

(Lacey Suspenders!)

(That crow... was mocking me and wouldn't sit still to have his picture taken...
He probably didn't want his soul stolen)

A nice little respite and exploration opportunity before we came to the main attraction:

(This picture is purposefully focussed on the light and shadowing all else)

(Photo by Katie)

The meandering pathways, the tight corridors, the flashes of red everywhere accenting the lush green...And many, many guardian kitsune statues with sly grins and teeth barred. (Katie was definitely in her happy place~ if only we had an egg or two, maybe they would have led us to the Isle of Oblivion...)

After much rejoicing, they decided to head back to Shinjuku for a late lunch and to find the multi-floored book store Kinokuniya. On the way to the station they saw this:

(well, hello there Sony building...)

(Way to crush my dreams, Katie... Crush them in the dirt....)

And then figured out the best way to get back

Through out the past few days in Tokyo, the Wandering Travelers kept happening across a certain restaurant. And so they dined at Freshness Burger:

(The equivalent of a black bean veggie burger with POTATO  WEDGES!)

(Sad face?)

With satisfied appetites (it's nice to bite into something hearty every now and again), they set off for the book store~

(Darth Vader is going to take over the Universe by making his son want to stick with the family business.
True story, that's what it says...) 

(Terry Goodkind and Neil Gaimen next to each other in the Foreign section~
They knew I was coming~)

(Twilight comes in two volumes each, over here I guess)

(Pillars of the Earth and Jack Jackson. Just for you, Leggers <3)

And after broken conversations and scribbled messages, she was finally led to the shelf she had been waiting for, and given the book she'd been aching to hold in her hands: Pride and Prejudice

("Darcy-sama" around the part where he confesses to Elizabeth!!)

And if that wasn't enough, as soon as she walked over to the self where the attendant had pulled the most beloved volume from the shelves, it seemed like destiny when Our Explorer reached out her hand at random and drew out Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland.

(All of the book photos were taken back at JCMU so she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself....Right Mr. Underhill?)

With all being right in the world and her materialistic needs satisfied, the group decided to head back to the station to make sure they knew where the night bus would be picking them up. Aaaaaaand then the long wait was setting in, so they went back to Denny's where she had Spaghetti with Mozzarella and marinara sauce~

(and Eggplant..)

SO after much waiting (and far too much frustration to be written about since they were all quite exhausted at this point) they boarded the night bus. This one was the "Relax" style and had better leg room and even weird head things to block out the light:

(Photo by Tori)

....But, mostly they just made us look like pod people~

After that, they rode off to Hikone and then taxied back to JCMU to sleep.

oh. but there was one small incident. She had to explain, for the second time in her life, and only a couple weeks apart, to an attendant about an hour into the ride: Sumimasen, watashi no tomodachi wa hakimashita... Which, in layman's terms means "Excuse, I'm sorry, but my friend threw up".... Needless to say, folks, that it doesn't matter where you go, even to the other side of the world, Denny's is still making quality meals~