The instructions on the front of my newest Tokyo t-shirt (found in Asakusa when I was supposed to be shopping for tabi) suggested enthusiastically that I might have what it takes to be a Super Monkey:
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| The speech bubbles say 'love music!' and 'love banana'! I love both. |
But when I turned it over, the obligations were a bit more onerous:
After ensuring my status by eating a banana as quickly as possible, I naturally wondered who else had passed the Asakusa 'Super Monkey' test. I looked around: at the big teams of people carrying portable shrines as part of Asakusa's biggest festival, the Sanja Matsuri
At the golden peacock on top of one of the shrines
And at the cartoon dog, who was waving at it
At the traditional musicians joyfully banging drums and playing unbelievably intricate flute melodies
And, at a group of oddly tall Daruma deep in conference about which of their followers were going to get their wishes granted today
They all clearly had Lives, but not one of them had any Bananas. I was the only Super Monkey in Asakusa.
They didn't seem to mind, though.
And neither did I!
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