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.

Benzaiten's Rain in Ningyocho

So where was I? Four trains up till Tokyo Dome. I then boarded the Oedo Line at Korakuen. I think I've ridden every part of the Oedo Line after five trips to Tokyo. This time from Korakuen Station to Kuramae Station where I got on the Asakusa Line. Rode that back to the place I stayed at the last time I was in Tokyo. Ningyocho.

Unlike the last time it was cool weather and very rainy. Which made taking photographs at Koami Jinja very difficult. It was sad for me because I really wanted to get some nice shots in the daytime. My prior visit was at night as I wrote about in this post.

I did use the chōzubachi this time although I had trouble remembering which hand to wash first.

Even in the rain it was nice to see the shrine again in daylight.

Walked a bit more to come across another place I had visited before. Dai Kannon Ji Buddhist Temple which I wrote about here with a lot of photographs.

I did get to see inside the shrine this time. I think that is Amida Buddha although I can not find information online about it. Very ornate shrine. The large cast iron head of Tetsuzo Bodhisavatta was not on view this time. It is behind the doors that are behind the statue.

I had hoped to get a bite to eat at the Mifune Izakaya this time but it was not open. Such was my luck. I did remember how to get to another place that had food that I enjoyed.  人形町今半惣 which translates to Ningyocho Now Semi-Prepared Foods. More about this great little place in this post.

Along with finally getting world famous taiyaki from Yanagiya.

After taking the Asakusa Line back to Hamamatsucho Station (would that be six or seven trains?) I was able to enjoy that delicious karaage fried chicken and potato salad for dinner. The little cup sake was from a konbini and I kept the cup since it is nice. More about sake in a later post.

Also enjoyed that Yanagiya taiyaki. Which ended up a little flattened by the time I made it back to my hotel.

Not to leave empty handed from Ningyocho, I did get a couple omamori or charms from Koami Jinja. The white one is for good health and the purple one with dragons is a protection charm. It joins my purple protection charm from Portland, Oregon. Covered from coast to coast now perhaps?

To Tokyo Dome and Beyond

Trying to remember how many trains I took this day. There was the Oedo Line from Daimon station to Aoyama-Itchome Station where I caught the Hanzomon Line to Kudanshita Station to get to Budokan. Then I got on the Shinjuku Line at Kudanshita Station to Jimbocho Station where I took the Mita Line to Suidobashi Station. So far four trains and my next stop was Tokyo Dome City.

A very wet and rainy Tokyo Dome City that is usually teeming with people and kids. So in a way it might have been a good choice for this day.

While I have been at Tokyo Dome before (more on that later) it was my first time walking around the shops and amusements outside of Tokyo Dome. One of my reasons for coming here was to visit the Jump Shop.

Because sometimes one has to be a little dorky. This Jump shop is much bigger than the one at Tokyo Station and it has a couple full size statues of their characters. Luffy from One Piece was in the window, inside was Naruto (I think) and this natural perm hair guy. Gintoki from Gintama. While you can't take photos inside the store you can take photos of the statues so I...was a dork and took a couple.

I bought a few things and then went looking for food. A lot of shops are geared towards kids there along with the food court.

Although bigger people can find things to eat. Like ramen. Ramen Setagaya that is.

I couldn't find much information about this ramen shop online, perhaps because there are so many ramen places in Tokyo now? I went for the Narutama Ramen のり玉ラーメン which came with extra nori sheets to put in the ramen as you eat it.

Despite there only being one review on Yelp Japan for this place, this wasn't a bad bowl. The noodles held up and the broth was not too salty or fatty tasting. What little I could find is they use chicken bones along with pork and seafood for the broth. It wasn't really a tonkotsu so perhaps it's more shoyu? It was good for a colder rainy day.

Back outside I realized the rain was not going to let up at all. At least Tokyo was getting that well needed water after feeling so dry. And I spent time listening to and watching the waterfall fountain outside of Tokyo Dome Hotel.

Tokyo Dome City is known for it's amusement rides including their roller coaster and Ferris Wheel. Which wasn't getting many riders this day.

So I took a few photos of Tokyo Dome. Last time I was here was March 28, 2008 for the first X-Japan reunion show. It started really late and didn't last long because Yoshiki collapsed at his drums. Still it was a moment in music history and I got to see Sugizo play with them for the first time in a concert.

Since it was too wet to go to the Koishikawa Korakuen Garden next to Tokyo Dome I headed for Korakuen Station. Easier said than found I discovered. But after a walk I did find it and headed for my last stop of the day. As for these two maneki neko, it's something I bought in the Jump Shop. Little Gintoki and Hijikata chibi from Gintama. I could not resist.

Meanwhile Near the Imperial Palace

Despite almost every day having great weather, there was one day where it rained. Since every place I wanted to go in Tokyo was outside, I planned to visit one area where there might be some inside time. But of course, I wanted to see more than that despite the rain. So I ended up outside at a moat.

This interesting building is the offices of Japan Family Association. I have no information about the history of the building. As for that moat, that I know. It's Ushigafuchi, the north east moat that boarders the grounds of the Tokyo Imperial Palace.

I wished the weather was better. I would have explored more. But there was one thing I did want to see. Something I have heard about for most of my life. And I did not want to waste a day of my trip. So on to Tayasu-mon (gate) I went. Along with a lot of other people. Just to note, the lantern, built in 1871, belongs to Yasukuni Shrine even though it is across the street from the actual shrine.

Just a few of the crowd of people. With a lot of young ladies wearing hakama adding a little color to this grey day.

I threaded my way through people, pausing to get a few photos of the ichi-no-mon (outer or first gate) of Tayasu-mon and the sakura trees which were just days away from blooming.

Despite the rain I attempted to get a shot of this onigawara. It appears to be a dragon which makes sense since it was believed that dragons guarded the four points of the compass. This would be the northern gate of the Imperial Palace grounds.

Just a glimpse of an interestingly shaped building and a bit of the thick stone walls that surround the Imperial Palace. All created by hand.

How the gates are fortified on both sides.

Looking back at the amazing details of the inner side of the Korai-mon styled outer gate.

 The main Tayasu-mon gate. You enter under the smaller gate and then turn 90 degrees to your right to walk through here. This layout of gates is called Masugata-mon and was done as a form of protection.

Another look at the outer side of the ni-no-mon (inner or second gate). Impressive in size. It is one of the few things of the Kitanomaru Koen area of the Imperial Palace that remains from the Edo days.

Just inside the gate are two stone very lion looking komainu outside which guard Yayoi Memorial Hall and shrine which I did not check out due to the rain.

 What I did want to see was this. One of the most famous concert venues in the world, Nippon Budokan. Despite being built as a sports arena for the 1964 Olympics, it became one of the premiere places for bands to record live albums and videos. The eight sided shape is modeled after the octogon Yumedomo (Hall of Dreams) at Horyu-ji temple in Ikaruga-cho. It is still used for concerts and sporting events. From the looks of it, it's also used for school graduations.

While I wished I could have strolled through Kitanomaru Koen, the rain was getting the better of me so I decided to head to my next stop. Before re-entering the gates there was this stone marker. Unfortunately I do not know what is carved on it.

Once again the inner side of the ni-no-mon and the difficulty of taking photographs in the rain.

The tree from which they took that massive wood beam must have been gigantic. The natural shape is stunning in what would be a rather sedate looking structure.

 And the ichi-no-mon in the rain as I head out to explore more of Tokyo.