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From daytime drinks in Tateishi to samba and sweets in Asakusa

Haruru had planned to visit three places for daytime drinks in Tateishi. A change of plan and a few too many plates left room for only one. The outing continued in Asakusa, where samba, shopping and sweets filled the rest of a day with old friends.

A personal outing with friends from middle school, preserved in Haruru’s record saved on 26 August 2018.

A first visit to Tateishi for daytime drinks

It was Haruru’s first daytime drinking outing in Tateishi. The place she had wanted to visit had apparently only been open in the morning that Saturday, so she moved on to the place she had intended as her second stop.

The photographs begin beneath the large red Tateishi Nakamise sign. Edokko appears on the shopfront, and the same name is printed on a yellow shirt behind the counter inside.

A first visit to Tateishi for daytime drinks — Haruru’s photograph
A first visit to Tateishi for daytime drinks — Haruru’s photograph
A first visit to Tateishi for daytime drinks — Haruru’s photograph

Too many plates for three stops

The plan had been three stops, but Haruru ordered too much at the first place they actually visited. Haruru was too full to carry on with the food-and-drink crawl.

Her photographs show a bowl of stew topped with tofu and sliced spring onion, several plates of skewers, and more dishes covered in spring onion. It was a filling start to a day spent eating, drinking and laughing with friends.

Too many plates for three stops — Haruru’s photograph
Too many plates for three stops — Haruru’s photograph
Too many plates for three stops — Haruru’s photograph
Too many plates for three stops — Haruru’s photograph
Too many plates for three stops — Haruru’s photograph
Too many plates for three stops — Haruru’s photograph

Samba and tenugui shopping in Asakusa

They then took the train to Asakusa. Haruru had not expected to arrive on the day of a samba carnival, and the crowds came as a surprise. They watched in the heat, getting thoroughly sweaty.

Afterwards, they visited several tenugui shops. Finding cloths she liked and being able to buy them was another pleasure of the afternoon.

Cream anmitsu, a temple visit and something to take home

A bowl of cream anmitsu followed. In the photograph, ice cream and bean paste sit beside colourful pieces of fruit and sweets in a deep green bowl.

They also paid their respects at Senso-ji and bought fried manju before going home. There had been plenty of food, drink, laughter and walking. Haruru was already looking forward to trying another place next time.

Cream anmitsu, a temple visit and something to take home — Haruru’s photograph

Sources for this account

Haruru’s personal note saved in August 2018, edited and shared with her permission. Shop names visible in her own photographs supplement the account; opening times and the carnival belong to that past outing.