Visit to Japan-The Antique Shows

While we were in Tokyo, we were able to go to 2 antique flea markets/shows. You can't really call them shows as they are outside, but they do have mostly antiques and collectables. I guess there are a few proper shows in January. Anyhow, what is really interesting is that they are mostly set up on the grounds of shrines. Why? I don't know. There are 1 or 2 in Tokyo every weekend, and some also is Kyoto, etc.

Here is the first show we went to. It was outside a large conference center in downtown Tokyo. Pretty big, maybe 80 dealers.

Here is a guy I bought something from. Lots of pottery, some wooden stuff, samurai swords, old kimonos, misc collectables. Mostly Japanese, some western things.

Some old woodworking tools, a mat, a sake jug. I will add some pics of this show when I get my phone back. Yes, I shamefully admit I left my phone in my son's apartment to charge the morning before our flight. Geesh, I thought you were supposed to get smarter when you get older! And the mail from Japan is not exactly swift, so someday I will add those photos.

Here is the entrance to the show we went to on our second weekend in Tokyo. As you can see its at a Shinto shrine.

 A view of the show.

Mostly Japanese. We saw very few foreigners in Japan. Did you know Japan is 99% Japanese? Very few immigrants. The few foreigners we saw were mostly at the antique shows.

Here's a booth with lots of "guy stuff". Mostly swords, and parts of swords.

Here's the Shinto shrine. Mostly people stand in front, throw in a few coins and say prayers. There was a service going on inside, for what I don't know.

Here's the big drum in the shrine. They were beating on it for the service, and you could hear it all around.

Of course we went out to lunch after the show. Here is our restaurant.

 
 I had this, called parent and child. It is chicken and an egg cooked with some really yummy onion flavored rice. Delish! Came with miso soup and a bit of pickled cabbage and tea. All for 8  bucks if I recall. Very good for the most expensive city on earth.

Cy and Jesse had this, tempura shrimp and veggies, and some special noodles. You put a few noodles in your bowl of broth to warm them, and then you slurp. Yes, you must slurp, otherwise they'll think you don't like them. The waitress chided Cy for not finishing all his noodles, just like Mom.