SEPTEMBER 2019 : JAPAN : DAY 10 : Tokyo

Our last day in Tokyo. We planned a full program criss-crossing the city, refining our Metro skills. We decided to get a day pass. I selected the cheapest one and confidently ventured off, not realising it was only for the green line, which we didn’t travel on, unfortunately. So we had to buy individual tickets along the way. It was an easy process with all the machines having an English option.

We set off after 8 and made our way to the Tomioka Hachiman shrine in Monzennakacho.

The shrine and the surrounding area was the historical centre of Edo.

One of the shops of the early Edo times.

Requests for blessings

The main gate leading to the Tomioka Hashman shrine built in 1624.

We arrived in the temple precinct early and there were quiet ceremonies underway in each temple - chanting, horn-blowing and clapping to summon the gods.

We then found our way to the Imperial Palace. There are sweeping parks surrounding the palace but the gardens are not as spectacular as the temple gardens in Kyoto.

The palace, still the present emperor’s residence

The main gate and entrance to the palace, which is surrounded by a moat, as every palace should.

Then we travelled up to the north-west of the city to Ueno and thoroughly enjoyed a visit to the Nezu-jinga Shrine. It was founded 1,900 years ago but the present buildings were built in 1706. In spring 3,000 azaleas bloom. Today the gardens were a lush green.

There is a shrine walk through red- coloured torii.

Then back into the city to Shibuya district with its glamorous modern buildings and office crowds out for lunch.

The highlight for me today was the Ota Memorial Museum of Art. The gallery specialises in exhibitions of  traditional woodcut print artists. At present they are showcasing the work of Utagawa Toyokuni, who died in 1825. Most of his work was inspired by kabuki theatre characters.

Lunch at a friendly cafe nearby with excellent cappuccinos

We booked a hotel bus to the airport - an hour and a half trip. Great views of the harbour en route.

Excellent flights home

Sunrise in Brisbane

Home

M&M

SEPTEMBER 2019 : JAPAN : DAY 9 : Tokyo

Breakfast included

Walking down to the subway station

More creative drain lids

We met Michelle and her delightful 8 month old son at Hamamatsucho subway station. Michelle was a primary school friend of Ashley, our daughter. Michelle works in Tokyo and has married and settled in Japan.

We walked towards Shiba Park, crossing the canal and with Tokyo communication tower always prominent on the skyline.

Shiba Park, not in its best condition today. The winds from the typhoon on Sunday night have uprooted many trees.

Pre-school children playing in the park

In the grounds of Shiba Park is the Zozjoji Temple, founded in 1393. It became the family temple of the Tokugawa shogunate.

The wooden gate was built in the seventeenth century and has cultural heritage status.

Sculptures in the grounds

The main temple

There is a shrine dedicated to children with hundreds of dressed child sculptures lined along the perimeter of the temple precinct

Leaving through the gate

It was another extremely humid day so we took the metro to Shinjuku, where there is a huge department store..with air conditioning and many cafes and restaurants.

We investigated several floors of the Takashimaya store

Everything was beautifully displayed. There is even a garden nursery that people sit in, despite no food being served, to keep cool and to feel they are in a more natural setting.

Lunch in one of the small restaurants

Very formal lift operators - highly professional but a little robotic as well.

The top floor had traditional Japanese outfits, fabric and clothing.

The Food Hall in the basement was as impressive as Harrods in London

Connor enjoyed the outing as much as we did

Then Michelle dropped us off at the Metro and we negotiated our way back to the hotel.

After a thunderstorm we ventured out to a restaurant nearby tonight, dragging myself away from the sumo wrestling finals on TV.

Masuya, the corner restaurant, was filled with locals - always a good sign - the meal was tapas style - small tender helpings and absolutely delicious

Tokyo Tower at night

M&M