Starting in Shibuya

I think it was November 29th. I headed to Shibuya to figure out where two new music venues were. This may have been the first time I noticed the concrete encased Shibuya River. It's possible that the name of one of the new venues comes from this urban waterway.

From Shibuya I took a train one stop to Aoyama. I was focused on reaching a certain place. I turned a corner and surprised myself. It was the building where the Aoyama Moi-même-Moitié store was. Unplanned visit.

While there are a lot of high end architectural buildings and shops in Aoyama, there are still a lot of older buildings and interesting shops if you walk through the narrow streets. It's always interesting to see design details like the stained glass in the back of this store.

But what I wanted to see was something I had glimpsed on my last visit to Tokyo.

Aoyama's St. Grace Cathedral.

Granted it's not that old, and it's actually a wedding venue not an actual church, but it still has that great Gothic architecture.

Sadly it was not easy to take photos because of all the power lines and there was a couple getting their wedding photos taken, but the place still looked amazing against that vivid blue sky. I love seeing all the details.

My next stop would be for lunch. Still walking along those narrow streets. Another wedding venue. This is the Chapelle des Anges.

Which was right by where I was having lunch.

Everything Salad and their website is here http://www.everythingsalad.jp/. I really like when places have websites and social media. Because I can figure out what I want to eat before arriving. Since not every place has an English menu or people who can speak English. It's helpful even when a person can speak a little Japanese.

I had the fresh salad set for lunch. Those avocado slices got me. The soup was minestrone and it was delicious! They are on Instagram which is where I figured out what I wanted to eat before going https://www.instagram.com/everythingsalad/. And their address is 3 Chome-14-26, Minamiaoyama, Minato City. This was a really great fresh salad. Tokyo, your salad game has definitely improved.

I decided to see one last thing before going back to my hotel. Still walking through those narrow Aoyama streets. A feeling of timelessness with this restaurant. It's lovely with all the wood and green trees and plants. It's Aoyama Torimikura, an izakaya.

Back out on the main streets. Aoyama Dori to be exact. This clock with the astrology figures caught my attention.

I reached my destination. Meiji Jingu Gaien Ginkgo Avenue, with the Meiji Memorial Picture Gallery in the distance. I will spare you the image of the hundreds of people on the street and just share a couple photos of the golden ginkgo trees.

Back at my hotel after those really long walks. I was able to see a little bit of sunset with silhouetted mountains. It must have been quite a view before all the concrete buildings were constructed. 

Remembering the Past in Aoyama

After wandering around Shibuya I headed to Aoyama. It wasn't the first time I had been there. In fact I spotted the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant I ate at back in March, 2011. I didn't stop there this time.

Because I wanted to see this. Which once was the Moi-même-Moitié store.

Even though the store is gone, there are still some mystical creatures around.

I wonder what it was like to visit the store. I wish I had gone back when it was here.

I have been to the Vivienne Westwood store. Back in March 2011 I bought a ring there. I still wear it, it's a favorite of mine.

I also stopped at Sabon that day. I did stop again this trip. Nice little shop that smells good.

Since it was getting late in the day, I figured dinner would be good. Can I help it that I wanted berries? So if they were surrounding a couple pancakes, is it that bad? Along with a pot of Earl Grey tea?

And not just any old pancakes but a riff on crème brûlée with caramelized sugar on top.

And a lovely custard cream in between. These nicely done but not too sweet pancakes and berries were found at Toraya Café.

Did I mention the weather was absolutely beautiful this day? Perfect for viewing Aoyama's distinctive architecture like the Ao Building. It really is angular like this.

And I found fruit. Organic also.

Even with all the modern architecture in the area, there are still hints of the past.

Including this really large tōrō, Japanese lantern, at Omote-Sando Station.

Like back in March, 2011, I bought a few things from Sabon.

A couple of their lovely bath bombs.

And a jar of their Rose Bath Salt. This made it home with me.

Past and Present in Aoyama Cemetery

Last year when I was up high in Roppongi Hills I spotted this large cemetery in Tokyo. Of course it was Aoyama Cemetery and I decided when I came back I would see it from ground level.

Having nicer weather helped too in my getting there this time. I made it from Gaiemmae Station through Baiso-in to Aoyama Reien. 

I first wandered through more traditional Japanese plots. Some like where Hachiko and his owner Ueno-sensei were laid to rest had people working on cleaning up since it was right before Shunbun no Hi, Vernal Equinox. I do not know who this plot belongs to but the rusting gate was interesting

Aoyama Cemetery is a very interesting mix of different styles of grave markers, like this cairn style.

A Western style marker in the gaikokujin bochi, foreign section. Aoyama Cemetery is one of the few places where non-Japanese people were laid to rest beginning at the end of the 19th century.

 Contrasted with a more traditional Japanese style including a stone lantern.

Another stone lantern. Not sure if this one could be lit like others there. Imagine what it would have looked like with the stone lanterns flickering in the night.

The Foreign Section finally gained special recognition in 2007 after years of neglect for some of the plots. Not only is it interesting for people to visit but there are a number of historically important people laid to rest here.

Still not all is kept up but it's the same in other parts of the cemetery beyond the Foreign Section.

It does make for interesting photography along with wondering who these people were. Efforts have been made to document who has been laid to rest in the Foreign Section.

Especially given how worn some are due to time. While these may look vandalized, more damage has been done by earthquakes than anything else.

I must say, Aoyama Cemetery has an interesting aura of history and more.

Which brings me to one of the reasons I was checking out the Foreign Section. Besides my curiosity about it, I found out a few days before going to Japan that it was the location for a set of photos that I had wondered about. Back in the early years of the band Malice Mizer they used Aoyama Cemetery for a photo shoot. So I'm borrowing these old photos, I hope no one minds. Knowing this I did a little internet searching and found a few of the spots.

 Wilhelm Heise's stone is one of the easier to find. I wasn't actually looking for it but there it was. German engineer and instructor, best known for designing the Double Bridge, Niju Bashi, over the moat at the Imperial Palace.

 I wish I knew something about these church styled sarcophagus.

A little bit away from those is the family plot for Robert Walker Irwin, American business man and first counsel general from Hawaii to Japan.

While it's changed since Malice Mizer took their photos here, it is still recognizable. The Celtic cross at Robert Walker Irwin's marker has fallen but is behind his marker so apparently it will be repaired.

While it was fun to experience something related to the past, and also related to one of the reasons I was in Tokyo, the present was also very much happening with blue sky and pink sakura starting to bloom overhead.

At ground level butterflies flickered and people wandered through. At one place an older Japanese woman sang a hymn along with a tape. Others cleaned graves while some just walked and looked.

 And on my way out I noticed this fertile orange tree. Very present and very alive.