Meiji Shrine 2009.9.13

Most Japanese people are influenced by Shintoism even though it is not clearly recognized by themselves. Nature worship lies at the center of Shintoism. Ancient Japanese saw the spirits of their ancestors in the mountains and deep forests and this worship developed into Shitoism.

The best place to share this feeling in central Tokyo is Meiji Shrine. It is relatively new (built in 1920), but is the largest and is the only shrine with deep woods in central Tokyo.

The paved road turns to a gravel path when you walk in the shrine through a big entrance gate (torii). Then, you may feel that you are in the different world. Twenty meter-high cedar trees block the sunshine. Only the footsteps and birdsongs are heard.

Around ten-minutes walk lead me to the main building. There were many small tablets hung on the walls near the building. Some visitors write their wishes in various languages in the tablets. The wishes include: the happiness of their families, promotions in their businesses, big money (without any efforts), and the world peace.

The shrine was build to commemorate the Meiji Emperor and Empress. There are more than 80 thousand shrines in Japan and some of them have more than 1000 years history.

There is a open place in front of the shrine. Famous cosplay girls attracted tourists. Foreign tourists were busy in taking pictures of them (and with them).

Omotesando 2009.9.13

It’s too much to say that it’s like Champs-Elysees, but Omotesando is one of the most fashionable streets in Tokyo.

Famous fashion brand companies open their shops there. Young people enjoy window shopping (and sometimes real shopping). The street was so crowded in the weekend it’s hard to walk fast. We hear English, Chinese, Korean and other foreign languages here.

Omotesando Hills is a new landmark in the area. The building is a bit queer. The floors are sloping and visitors walk upward or downward.

The street was originally developed as a pass to the Meiji Shrine, one of the country’s most famous shrines build in the Taisho era (1912-26). It has turned into the shopping district in the post war era.

About 30 minutes slow walk from the subway Omote sando (space included in this case) station took me to the entrance of Meiji Shrine (see other blog post).

Yoyogi Park 2009.9.6

Every time I visit Yoyogi Park, I find something new around people’s life and culture of Tokyo.


Some parts of the park are covered with pine and other trees. The air is fresh. I saw families enjoy cycling through the trees.

At the open space, people were spending their own times in the Sunday afternoon. The activities included: sleeping on the grass, reading books, rope jumping, badminton, the hoop, sword battles etc. The ratio of non-Japanese was extremely high here.

Not only young people but also middle-aged men and women were playing music and dancing. A middle-aged group in black costumes (off-mainstream style of the 1980s) attracted people.

The park always is messy and interesting.

Odaiba & Tokyo Bay area 2009.9.5

There are many artifucially-built islands in the Tokyo Bay. The most popular spot for visiters is Odaiba. I walked Odaiba and surrounding areas.

Odaiba was diveloped after the 1980s and the district is seen as one of the most fashinable places in Tokyo. Many shops, hotels and amusement spots are there.

The Odaiba Seashore Park has a beautiful sandshore. People enjoy suimming and suntan in the summer season. Over the sea from the park, we find the Rainbow Bridge, which connects the mainland and Odaiba, and the skyscrapers of central Tokyo.Families and couples enjyed their times in the evening.

The copy of the Statue of Liberty stands at a corner of the park. 18 meter high Gundam, a famous robot in Japanese comics, also stands in the park and defends the earth from the invasion of the aliens.

There is another park called Mizu-no-Hiroba Park near Tokyo Big Sight, one of the biggest international exhibition centers in the metoropolis. The sea was so blue and beautiful.