Birthday morning
8 April, BB Bagel’s first birthday, and the big lunch wasn’t till noon. The birthday boy woke up laughing, in nothing but a nappy, with no idea it was his day.
Tsukiji Hongwanji
So the morning was Tsukiji, and we came with hopes. 8 April is also the Buddha’s birthday in Japan, Hana Matsuri, so we figured Tsukiji Hongwanji would be throwing a matsuri and Bagel would get a free one for his birthday. Two birthday boys, one party. Nothing was going on. No stalls, no crowd, no party, just blue sky, a quiet morning, and a lion statue for Bagel to poke. He checked if it was real. It wasn’t. The birthday boy didn’t mind. He had no idea he’d been stood up by the Buddha.
The other reason we were here: X Japan’s hide has a shrine inside the temple. We came looking for it in 2018 too, our (my) objective both times. Still there, still pink, with fans still leaving him flowers, plushies and cans of beer. Bagel’s first rock star.
The outer market
With the birthday boy asleep and nothing to do till lunch, we wandered into the outer market, mainly because I needed my daily coffee. I found Hoshino Coffee, but Gindaco was right downstairs, so why not. Takoyaki first. Second breakfast, sorted.
Then up to Hoshino for the coffee I actually came for, plus a soufflé. The birthday boy slept through his own second breakfast, woke up when it was gone, and Daddy carried him around like a trophy. Then off to lunch at Kitaohji.
Postcard from Tsukiji, Tokyo
A Buddhist temple that looks nothing like one, finished in 1934 by the architect Ito Chuta in an Indian-inspired style. A few minutes' walk from the Tsukiji outer market.