Bloom of orange cosmos in Hama-rikyu Gardens
1. Today's Walking Course
Today, I came to Hama-rikyu Gardens, just center of Tokyo. I will stroll around the garden and enjoy Japanese beauty.
2. Today's Photographies
Hama-rikyu Gardens are reclaimed land surrounded by the sea. So we have to cross the bridge to enter gardens.
After entering gardens, I could find flowers of Japanese morning glory. This flower is one of Japanese summer features.
The garden is very spacious.
The sea water is drawn into the pond to enjoy the change of scenery caused by the tide. I’ve never seen this kind of Japanese garden.
The contrast between modern high-rising building and traditional architecture is so interesting!
I can feel salty breeze here. It’s so refreshing.
Wow, there is flowers of orange cosmos as far as the eye can see! Nobody won’t be able to imagine that here is just center of Tokyo! How beatiful it is!
3. History
The area around Hama-rikyu Gardens is called Shibaura. Shibaura means coast with turf grass. This area is very famous for its scenic beauty and many artists painted this landscape. The following picture was depicted by Hiroshige Utagawa in the 19 century. Shiba-rikyu gardens are just right in this picture.
Shiba-rikyu gardens used to be residence and ground by Tokugawa Shogun, the substantial ruler of Japan from the 17th century to the 19th century. After Meiji Restoration in the 19th century, the gardens became a Detached Palace for the Imperial family.
After the end of World War Ⅱ, the Imperial family gave this garden to the City of Tokyo and it became open to the public in 1946.
4. Information
・Closest station to Hama-rikyu gardens is Shiodome Station, Oedo Line.
・The garden is open from 9am to 5pm. New Year’s holidays( from December 29th to January 1st) are closed. The entrance fee is 300 yen for adult and 150 yen for 65 years of age or older.
・The time of orange cosmos's bloom is from August to the first part of September.
Zoshigaya Cemetery, McCaleb Old Missionary House and Kishibozin
1. Today's Walking Course
Today, I came to Zoshigaya, north west part of Tokyo. I will leave Toden-Zoshigaya Station, Toden Arakawa Line for Kishibozin through Zoshigaya Cemetery and McCaleb Old Missionary House.
2. Today's Photographies
There is Zoshigaya Cemetery just next the station. There are some famous people’s tombs here.
This tomb is for Soseki Natume (1867-1916), a famous Japanese great writer.
The following picture is Soseki. He established new modern literature in Japan. He thought that modernization and capitalizm would influence Japanese mentality negatively and wrote many works which implied the side-effects of modernaization and capitalizm.
After 5 minutes walk from Soseki’s tomb, I could arrive at McCaleb Old Missionary House. I didn’t know that such a beautiful house was in Zoshigaya. McCaleb(1861–1953) taught in school around Zoshigaya and lived in this house.
Since this house is surrounded by garden, it looks very peaceful.
The indoor is also very simple.
There are wide hallways facing a garden on both first and second floors. I really want to sit around here and enjoy reading book. I feel McCaleb liked such a peaceful atmosphere.
After 15 minutes from the Old Missionary House, I reached to the approach to Kishibozhin. Zelkova trees on the both side of approach are very big and gives a solemn atmosphere.
I finally arrived at Kishibozhin. Kishibozin is a temple dedicated to Indian goddess and it was established in the 16th centuries. This temple is also very tranquil.
They are called Ema. Worshipers write down their wish on Ema and hang it in the shrine precinct to make their wishes come true.
3. History
Zoshigaya has been a very popular tourist spot for Kishibozin temple since the 16 centuries. There were many shops for tourists and this area was very lively during 17th century to 19th century in Edo era as the following picture for this area shows.
On the other hand, this area lagged behind compared to neighborhood such as Ikebukuro due to the bad traffic access during the high economic growth in 1970s. That is why such a peaceful atmosphere has still remained in this area.
After Fukutoshin-Line was open in 2008, the problem of bad traffic access was solved and many people have started flowing into this area.
4. Information
・Closest stations to Zohigaya are Zhoshigaya Station, Fukutoshin Line or Toden-Zhoshigaya or Kishibozinmae, Toden Arakawa Line.
・McCaleb Old Missionary House is open from 9am to 4:30pm. Every Monday, the third Sunday and New Year’s holidays are closed. If Monday is a holiday, the day is open and next Tuesday day is closed instead. The entrance fee is free.
Shakujii River and Oji Shrine in Oji
1. Today's Walking Course
Today, I came to Oji, north part of Tokyo. I will leave Oji Station, Keihin Tohoku Line for Oji Shrine through Otonashi Water Park.
2. Today's Photographies
There is a very peaceful river called Shakujii River just next the station. I cann't imagine that such a peaceful place is in a hustling and bustling Tokyo.
This area is called Otonashi Water Park, where people can play in the water. Since today is very hot, many people are enjoyning with kids in the river.
Here is an oasis in the city. Some people are cooling down at the riverside.
I went up the hill next the river and found Oji Shrine. Torii, the gate is very magnificient!!
Passing through the gate, I can see the main shrine building.
If you came in front of a main building of shrine, you should put some coin into the offering box. After that, you ring the bell and bow twice deeply and clap your hands together twice. Then, you pray by pressing your palms together. After praying, you bow one more time. This is how to make a prayer in shrine.
You can see a Guardian dog in Japanese Shirine. The model is came from Lion in China.
The portable shrine is desplayed throuogh the glass. The local people carry this and march around the city in the festival.
Tokyo has remained such peaceful old scenery in some places.
3. History
A large weir was created around here in Shakujii River in 1656. After that, this area has attracted many Japanese people as tourist spot. Many people came here to swim in the river or feel nature. This area was also depicted by Hiroshige Utagawa, Japanese famous woodblock artist as below. He introduced this area as one of the 100 attractive spots in Edo, the old name of Tokyo.
4. Information
・Otonashi Water Park is about 3 minutes and Oji Shrine is about 5 minutes from Oji Station on foot
If you are interested in Oji area, please check the following article.
