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.

One Never Knows What They May Find

Last time I was in Tokyo I took photos from Tokyo City View at Mori Tower in Roppongi Hills. A couple places I had not visited before interested me. So after Shibuya I was on my way to one of those places.

 When I found myself walking on a path surrounded by bamboo encased in glass walls.

While I knew I was in Aoyama and I knew this was a shrine I didn't know much else about it. In an area of concrete buildings it did give a sheltered feeling of being somewhere less hectic and more calming.

Later I discovered it was the walk way for Baisoin Temple, designed by Kengo Kuma and Associates. I might have taken more photos if I had known then.

Beyond it was a well tended cemetery. Given that it was almost Shunbun no Hi 春分の日, Spring Equinox when people visit the graves of family and loved ones to clean and remember them, meant there were probably more people there than usual.

Being mindful of this I limited my photo taking. I paid my respects to those who passed on and continued my walk towards the place I wanted to visit.

A Different Look at Shibuya

Actually this post starts out with very familiar views of Shibuya. That world famous sky line and scramble. Along with a Hachiko bus.

One more of the Shibuya Crossing after coming out of Shibuya Station. That sky was amazing. I was surprised more photographers weren't out taking photos.

I know I couldn't help but take a few.

One of the reasons I like taking photos here is because of the interplay of the video screens and people. Shibuya is definitely a place where people go to be seen at times.

 However this was morning so the Shibuya Crossing and streets around were unusually pedestrian light.

 Good thing because I couldn't stop looking up. That sky!

However I wasn't headed to the part of Shibuya that tourists go to. I was headed in a different direction. Where Shibuya's music venues are. Like Tsutaya O-West and O-East.

And duo Music Exchange.

Club Asia needed staff and a bit of pain.

With their Club Vuenos across the street.

At this point I was trying to find a different place and ended up at Hyakkendana. Which is known for a few things. While the restaurants there were closed, there was some activity at places by the many love hotels. Which I was not there to see, so back to music related places.

Which there were many crammed into this small area.

It is amazing how many shops and bars can fit into one small building.

After a bit I found what I was looking for. The venerable Lion Cafe, home of coffee sipping to classical music. Even though it was after 11 am it wasn't open. Had this happen at a couple other places during my trip.  Still I made it there even if I didn't get to go inside.

So headed back to Shibuya Station. On my way there I found one of the other places I was looking for. Mt. Rainier Hall, named after that big Pacific Northwest mountain. Don't ask me why. Despite the big name I missed this the first time I walked by the Uniqlo store. In part because there was a television crew filming a couple fashionable people right outside the store.

 Lunch was in order at this point so I enjoyed my first MOS shrimp burger of the trip. Along with those delicious onion rings. That Shibuya location is pretty good with a bit of room for seating which was nice.

So while I missed out on experience Lion Cafe from the inside, I did locate a couple of places which would be helpful a few days from this return to Shibuya. So it was a success in part and I was ready to see another place I had spotted on my last trip. Which will be in my next post.

Finally Figured Out Where I Was

Actually I knew where I was but will explain that in a bit. But first I was focused on my first dinner in Tokyo. For that I decided to go back to a place I stopped at in 2011. CoCo Ichibanya in Hamamatsucho. Not only that but I wanted to see how their newer vegetarian curry was. Nice to see their choices right next to my seat.

 When I was last here I tried their Caesar salad. Which wasn't quite up to snuff. This time it was better.

Along with the eggplant version of the vegetarian curry. I would have tried one of the others but seeing there was bell pepper in it, I decided against having that upset my digestion on the first full day of my trip. While the eggplant might not be the prettiest plate of curry it was definitely full of flavor and very much curry. Well done Coco Ichibanya!

Quite full but not ready to settle down for the night I decided to explore the area I knew well from my visits in 2010 and 2011. Good old Shibadaimon.

Except the Daimon was under repair to my surprise. But really it did need a new coat of paint and clearly got one.

Still it was nice to see the roof and part of the supports. This gate gives it's name to the Daimon Station which is almost under it. Many stories under it.

I was also thrilled to see this lovely plum tree in bloom. So much so that I took photos at night.

Along with seeing Tokyo Tower next to Zojo-ji's main gate Sangedatsumon. Not the first time I'd wandered these streets at night. Even took a few photos from about this same spot. Sadly no illuminated heart on Tokyo Tower this time.

Also good to see the well lit Nio of the So-mon Gate. Which is actually in Shiba-koen, aka Shiba Park. I was feeling pretty tired by this point so didn't walk over there at the time. Counting my long walk through Los Angeles Airport my feet were saying enough.

On my way back I passed by a sign gate I didn't remember. Not sure if it's newer but it's for Shiba. Which was the actual area I was staying in. Since my hotel says it's Hamamatsucho I previously thought the area was Hamamatsucho. However where the hotel is isn't. It's actually Shiba, a ward in Minato and the area where Daimon is actually is in Shibadaimon which is also in Minato. Hamamatsucho is right by there but it's a small area with the same named station and a bit of the wharf and such. I guess because the station is thought to be well known the hotel uses it as part of their name even though it's not actually in Hamamatsucho. Confusing? Yes it is since some wards are so small you might walk right through them and not know you missed it. Wards are really like neighborhoods in a way.