Shinjuku Lights

 Less rain in the evening but it was cold. So I headed over to Shinjuku to buy something that would keep me warm and to see the Shinjuku Terrace City Illumination. It took some time to find it. There were lights here and there, but not a lot.

So I kept walking. Various companies had decorated for the holidays so I took a few photographs. 

Finally I found it. 

The white lights on the trees went well with the NTT Docomo building. 

There were a number of people enjoying the walkway between the lit trees. 

It was nice, but I had expected a little more since it was Shinjuku. There may have been more illuminations in other places there but I could not find the information online at that time. Since it was cold I decided to call it a night and head back to my hotel.

As for what I bought, it was the new Moi-même-Moitié Candelabra Lace Muffler at KERA SHOP. The muffler did a great job in keeping my neck warm and dry. I love the blue accent ribbon. I liked the blue and white version very much, but the black one goes better with my wardrobe and the M Warm hoodie.

Shoshuniji and Taichoji Temples in Yoyogi

Remember my post about eating curry at Potohar again? Of course I took a walk afterwards. Through the same area I walked a year prior. The Bunka Fashion College which is right by Potohar. 

 Just an aside, since I saw a cloud like this recently. Turns out this formation is rare. It's called a cirrus vertebratus because it looks like a spine. So now I've seen one in Oregon and one in Yoyogi, Japan.

Under those clouds, I walked the greenway again. Sadly the sakura were not blooming yet. 

But that did allow some nice glimpses of the temples nearby. 

Which I visited again. This is Shoshuniji Buddhist Temple. 

 Where a few ume, plum, blossoms were still blooming.

This time I decided to take a better look at the hondo at Shohuniji.  

My telephoto lens on my camera gave me nice shots of the komainu on the roof. 

Along with a carved bird at the center of the roof lintel. I will assume it is probably a hou-ou, a phoenix.

Also on the grounds of Shoshuniji was this delightful pair of stone fish. 

More ume on this tree in a rather bare part of the grounds. Perhaps it is an attempt to distract from the not so attractive Metropolitan Expressway. 

Over to the other temple here, there was sakura blooming with this little kawazu-zakura. I want one of these little trees.

More ume showing off. I'm glad I was able to see some during my visit. 

And the hondo for Taichoji Buddhist Temple. 

Gorgeous tree growing so big it's run out of space. 

And the entrance mon or gate. Still closed. This is a view from the inside, to contrast with the surrounding buildings. 

The modern structures really overwhelm in this area. Like the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building. 

And the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building. 

I will say the good thing about these skyscrapers is they help in knowing what direction you are headed if you are walking in the area. And that clock is helpful too.

My previous post from the year before about these temples is here in case you want to know a little more about them: http://blukats.blogspot.com/2018/08/temples-and-shrines-in-yoyogi-shibuya.html

Going Back to a Place I've Never Been to Before

Only a few days left of my trip and there was one place I wanted to visit, and another I wanted to revisit. Sort of. So I made it to Shinjuku Station and successfully found the exit I wanted without getting lost. The exit was to Shibuya. Where I discovered a glass pyramid, a tiny version of the Louve Pyramid in Paris. In the distance, the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building in Shinjuku. Confused yet? 

Where I was at was right on the edge of Shibuya, next to Shinjuku. And while there was a place I wanted to see, I first needed to eat. So I stopped at Cafe Veloce. Not the same location as the one that helped me out back in March, 2011 but it is the same company. 

Following the March 11th disasters, most places did not have any food available. Thankfully Cafe Veloce in the Minato area stayed open and had take out sandwiches. Really was a great help for this stuck in Japan visitor.

Menu wasn't quite the same but then it's been a number of years. 

Cute little black cats to hang on your drink. But to get one required a stamp card and so many purchases. I didn't have enough time to try. 

While they didn't have the teriyaki chicken sandwiches that I enjoyed back in 2011, they did have another version.

Teriyaki chicken with lotus root. It was interesting. Their food was still good and fresh. And it was just meaningful to me to be back. I didn't realize how difficult it was for me to return to Japan after the Great Tohoku Disaster. So in a way, this was another step in working with those memories.

Next will be a post with sakura. Of course.

The Garden of Words Shinjuku Gyoen

Welcome to a little exploration of the Garden of Words. Yes part of my reason for wanting to see Shinjuku Gyoen was because I enjoyed that anime. Part because seeing the different gardens of Japan is enjoyable. Part a desire for a break from the crowds. So on a Wednesday I took the Oedo Line to Shinjuku Station. Somewhere in that labyrinth station is this interesting glass and metal mural. The green markings on the floor means it's near where the Oedo Line platforms are. I could not find information online as to who the artist is.

Not only is the station a bit confusing since some directional signs are blocked by other signs or placed out of eyesight as you struggle to find your exit, also making sure you are going the right direction once you are out can be a bit intimidating due to the many skyscrapers that tower over you.

I tend to go by landmarks and maps but this time I added in taking random photos along the way in case I had trouble getting back to the right station entrance. Along with a photo or two of the almost clear blue sky. I could review the photos walking back looking for the same landmarks.

I was walking in the right direction to the park. But going the wrong direction to the main gate so I ended up walking down a very long side street while sakura blossoms waved at me over the garden fence.

And blue violets nodded their heads just beyond the very long fence.

After a while I reached the Shinjuku Gyoen Sendagaya gate, paid my entrance fee and began to explore. This is not the main gate to the park which is on the other side of the park.

One of the first things that struck me was how brown the grounds were. All the photos I've seen always shared how green and lush the garden is. Instead I was reminded of Southern California in summer. Except this was March. I guess Oregon has spoiled me with green winters. Also notable was how many trees were ready to bloom with flowers.

Despite the dried grass people were enjoying resting in the nice weather. I did notice that there were a good number of tourists from other countries in the park, more than I noticed in other parts of Tokyo up till that time.

Since I was going to meet up with someone later in the day I had to limit what I saw so I decided to follow the waterways to the other side of the park where the main gate is.

I think this was a good choice since there are a number of ponds and streams through out the Japanese Garden section and was calming and spacious. This is something to note in Tokyo since a lot of one's time there is spent in very crowded trains and streets.

One of the lovely buildings in the garden is the Taiwan Pavilion, Kyu-Goryo-Tei. Built in 1927 in commemoration of Emperor Showa's marriage, it offers a unique place to view the park landscape.

I imagine in the heat of the summer it must be quite nice in here. The building was designed by architect Matsunosuke Moriyama and is in the Minnan style. The building was donated by voluntary Japanese residents in Taiwan.

Along with that the wood carving inside matches the beauty outside. Information about it can be found at this Shinjuku visitors website.

Just a little of the view from the Pavilion. There were a number of photographers with very large camera lenses trying to take photos of birds in these sculpted pine trees.

Definitely a place to escape Tokyo crowds.

Even with the Tokyo skyline within sight.

 There are a number of these shelters at the ike (ponds). This one must look lovely when the flower vines over it bloom.

There are also a few stone lanterns along the paths of the Japanese style garden section.

Even carp in the streams. Curved bridges cross in places, their unpainted wood blending in to the natural feeling of the garden.

While this garden feels a little more wild than some formal Japanese gardens, there is still great care taken in the sculpting of many of the trees. This lovely one shelters a rugged stone lantern.

I have to say that Shinjuku Gyoen is a little oasis in the middle of Tokyo.

In case you are wondering what this building that looms over the park and Shinjuku is, it is the NTT Docomo Yoyogi Building, third tallest building in Tokyo.

You may be wondering where those sakura blooming trees are? Well I took a lot of photographs and to avoid overwhelming in one post they will be in my next post about Shinjuku Gyoen.