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Image is of Omori Lions Club member playing 'Yamabushi', Mountain Monk, for the local matsuri. 5-13-2007 Sunday Su Manshu's Japanese mother is said to have lived in Oomori, several stops from Shinagawa station on the Tokaido line. So this morning decided to see if any of the old Oomori remains. On the way dropped in to the Sengakuji the temple where the 47 Ronin are buried. They commited ritual seppuku in 1702 after they had avenged there lord Asano Takumi's death. Oomori was once on the shore of Tokyo Bay. but that was a long time ago. In the mid 1950's there was still a famous seafood restaurant sitting on what was once the seashore, but the bay was already a kilometer away. Now the shore is not visable and not within walking distance. On the east side of the station there are only new buildings. The west side faces on the the old Tokaido street, and I though I might have better luck there. Oomori has always been a high class residential area. A hill rises on the west side of the Tokaido and the top used to be dotted with one and two story Japanese and western style wooden and stucco buildings. I found only one old structure! Only new concrete and glass apartments and large single homes. On the hill the only old thing is the Oomori Jinja, but its grounds have been turned into a children's playground with swings and seesaws. Down across the street from the station I spied one tiny old four meter wide unagi shop and went in for lunch. Two old men, one cooking behind the small counter with four narrow stools, and one serving the two small tables with four chairs each. The shop has been doing continuous business here for 'over 50 years', probably from soon after World Was II.

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