Gardens of Delight

It's 4 am, which is 6am to my body and I'm awake. May as well just go with the flow and get my room sorted out. I am staying here for the full trip, for me that equals travel bliss, no packing and unpacking. I have just realised there is an alcove in my room, which is very Japanese. I can make my very own shrine of shopping! 

The correct name for this space is Tokonoma
it's a recessed space for artistic appreciation.
So far on display is my day 1 shopping and the
lovely origami bird made by the cleaner 

My first trip to Tokyo was all about cherry blossoms, this trip is timed to see autumn leaves.  The only bit of research I have done is from the many gardens which ones to visit, I have picked one large and one small. 

So to kick off my first full day I am walking to Shinjuku Gyeon National Garden, it was once the estate of a shogun (ruler).

Shinjuku Gyeon National Garden,
an oasis in an urban jungle
It's big, 144 acres

Out into the sunshine I go, oops, already distracted I had planned to head directly west, but the sunshine on that building is amazing so let's walk this way, snap, snap, moving on. 

Oh, a man is putting out a sign that the post office is open, let's just nip in and get some stamps.

Hmm, sign language is needed and the super helpful guy is getting me two stamps to send postcards to Australia. Oh my, oh my, I wish I could have video on now to share this. He is separating each stamp one perforation at a time, each edge is perfect. This guy loves his job and is in the ideal career. Well, that detour took much longer than anticipated but was worth it to experience a real-world experience of Japanese perfectionism. I am going to have to at least stick the stamps on straight to honour his efforts!

Now onto the gardens, ticket paid, I'm in. Through the woodlands, down to the lake, there is a bird, what is it? I am too slow. No autumn leaves yet, oh, wow, there is a beautiful chrysanthemum display. The Chrysanthemum Festival is an annual event that was meant to finish yesterday but it's still going strong. Lucky me. Finally find the right path to the pavilion, now up to the avenue of trees. This garden has it all and hardly any people on a work day, just pensioners, a few birders and some kindergarten kids. Finally, I spot some maples turning red. Thats perfect. 

Part of the annual Chrysanthemum festival

Taiwan Pavilion reflections

First spot of red

Time for a break, this cafe looks nice. Oh oh, no English menus. They seem to have disappeared during the pandemic as well as confidence in speaking English. My 10 words of Japanese are not going to get me very far today. The girl in front of me is very excited, hmm, I will have what she's having. 

The end result:

The next garden is a train ride away, I have made it to the right station but there are two exits east and west and I have no idea which one I need. But I can see the direction I've gotta go. I point and have a half-English conversation with a man in a suit and he points to the correct exit. Phew. Arigatou gozaimasu! 

And here we are at Koishkawa Korakuen Gardens. It's much smaller, but oh so beautiful. Very traditional, with lots of history, I can just imagine 200 years ago, lovely ladies dressed in kiminos wandering the paths and reciting poetry. 

My lunch, udon noodles and seasonal vegetables	A bride and groom in traditional dress
My photo of the day  a lady dressed in autumn colours  (a very Japanese thing)	Photoshoot by random Japanese couple I met who wanted to practice talking English with me

 

Exhausted now, it's time to head back to base. 

A toursit can always fit in one more 'thing'. Next door to me is the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building so lets go. It's massive, slightly Art Deco / Modern style, I assume it was built after World War II?  At the top is a free Observatory and that is my objective. I arrive as the sun is setting......