Todoroki's Japanese Garden and Yazawa River

Since my last visit to Todoroki Valley was in autumn, I decided to walk through the Japanese Garden again. This time it was spring so the views would be different. 

The garden is mostly on slopes of the gorge so there are more steps through the pleasant greenery. 

This time I really enjoyed walking through the tall bamboo. Different from walking under tall pine trees, but just as nice. The sounds of the wind through the bamboo was wonderful.

Besides being a very nice strolling garden, the Todoroki Japanese Garden is a working garden with orange trees and other fruit and vegetables. It was originally designed in 1973. 

Since I wrote about this garden and the shrine to Buddhist Priest Kobo Daishi before, I will just share a photo of the chobubashi with camellias floating in it. 

Back out onto the walkway along the Yazawa River. 

At times, I felt like I was the only one here. Having the gorge all to myself, the feeling was of timelessness. To have all this space with the river and greenery, it was amazing.

The view from under the Tamazawa Bridge. 

The work on the promenades and riverbank protection was done between 1933 and 1936.

The use of river rock does make the walkways feel integrated with the valley and river. 

Golf Bridge is in sight. 

One last look before heading out of the gorge. 

Tranquility in Todoroki

At the bottom of the steps from Todoroki Fudosan Temple that lead into Todoroki gorge, there lies a tranquil pond. 

Where colorful and large koi swim. 

Since I wrote about Fudo-no-Taki waterfalls in another post, I will just share a few photos from my March visit. More about this is here http://blukats.blogspot.com/2020/01/seeing-shrines-in-todoroki-valley.html

Fudo Myo-o was still perched about the waterfalls.

The Inari Daimiyojin Shrine still stands.

 Along with Riken no Hashi, one of the bridges over the Yazawa River.

There is a timeless feeling here. 

Timeless, tranquil and very few people. 

Above the Todoroki Valley

 Something else about Todoroki Fudoson Temple is it has a wonderful view of the Todoroki valley.

There is a railed observation walkway which offers a view of the gorge with the many trees there. 

Including beautiful sakura trees. 

And bright pink ume trees. 

It is a very pleasant view. 

The observation walkway is near the steps that lead down to the gorge. Ready for this? 

 The dirt and board steps transitioned to these stone steps. Still couldn't see the bottom yet. It is a long way down.

However there are things to see along the way. 

Little shrines, like this one with a frog. Frogs have been considered protectors against fires and also for praying for returns, for bringing things back, in Japan.

This shrine was rather interesting, being set into the gorge wall and lined with concrete blocks, giving it an ancient Roman or Greek appearance.

Parts of this shrine appear older, yet the lanterns and bell rope are newer. 

There was even a stand for burning incense. I am not sure who the shrine is for. Perhaps the person who founded Todoroki Fudoson Temple, or if it is for Buddhist Priest Kobo Dashi who explored the valley back when. It does resemble his statue at another shrine in the valley.

 There is also a formidable looking Fudo Myo-o in a shrine up on the side of the valley. 

Someone is definitely tending and visiting this shrine, even though it would be a difficult climb up there. Also if you were to have a god to protect the valley, Fudo Myo-o is a good choice. His name means "immovable". Which I am sure they hope all the rocks are.

 I could finally see the bottom of the steps, which lead to that timeless valley gorge.

And looking back up the lowest part of the steps.

A Garden at Todoroki Valley

Having reached the end of the Todoroki Valley, I began walking back to the train station. But first there was one more thing to see. These tall bamboo behind this wall were an indication of what I wanted to see. 

The wall led to the entrance of 日本庭園等々力, Todoroki Japanese Garden.  

The entrance led to many steps up what is the side of the valley. 

 But it wasn't a bad walk up. Especially with all the trees dressed in their autumn colors.

 This garden is a great place for an autumn walk in Tokyo.

There were other plants there. Like this Ardisia Crenata or Coral Bush.

And the amazingly tall bamboo. The light filtering down through the bamboo was very pretty.

 There were Japanese features, like these 灯籠, stone lanterns, next to a stream.

I would guess that the water in the garden comes from one or more of the springs that feed into Todoroki Valley and the river. 

Because they also grow 山葵, wasabi there, and wasabi needs good water to grow. 

It is a working garden also, with the wasabi and this citrus orchard. 

 There is also a shrine there, 稚児大師御影堂, Chigo Daishi Mieido. The statue is of Buddhist Priest Kobo Daishi, who is believed to have invented Japanese kana and also explored the valley below after having a vision. When he did, he discovered the springs there.

Having seen a bit of the garden I headed back to Golf Bridge and the stairs out of the ravine. It was a really beautiful place to spend the afternoon. But my day wasn't over yet.