Let's go and see turtles(14)
Some turtle's statues at the area of Sumida River (Tokyo)

We visited some places in the side of Sumida river in Tokyo to see very unique turtle's statues.

this is near Sumida river. It is under the overpass of Metropolitan Expressway.. It's dark place. There are the statues of a turtle and a frog here. Both of them have pipes for running water in their mouths. They are probably fountains.

Turtle is often paired with crane or rabbit. Combination with frog makes us to feel fresh. But turtle and frog put on the containers for rainwater in Jindaiji temple where we have been to before as well. So such combination may be uncommon.

Jindaiji temple deeply connected to water. And this place is near the river. The reason why the combination of turtle and frog was chosen may be that both are animals connected to water.

And it's Ryogoku here. There is such a statue of Japanese General in Edo period, Ieyasu Tokugawa who stands on a turtle in the back of Edo-Tokyo Museum.

It's a huge turtle. But we seem to overlook it because it stands in the sideways of the passage and it's harmony with surrounding scenery naturally.

About 30 minutes' bus trip from Ryogoku took us to Sumidagawa shrine, one of seven shrines for good fortune in this area. It's in the river side.It's a quiet and small shrine.

It's general that there is a pair of dog's statue called "koma inu" in the both side of the entrance of the Shinto shrine in Japan. But not the dog but a pair of turtle's statue is here instead.

Its face looks funny. But both of them look to smile.

At Asakusa

This is the back yard of Sensoji temple at Asakusa, the famous sight seeing spot in Tokyo known as Kaminarimon gate.
There is a turtle shaped pedestal for a monument called "kifu"also here.

Speaking of turtle shaped pedestals
for monument, they often have faces with ears. So they don't look like turtle at all. But this is a real and lovely turtle