Koishikawa Botanical Gardens: July 25, 2010

Tokyo has a botanical garden in its central part. It is Koishikawa Botanical Gardens.

The garden’s history is long. It was originally developed as a physic garden of the Tokugawa government in the Edo era in the 17th century. The operation was succeeded by the University of Tokyo in the Meiji Era and it now belongs to the University.

There are about 4000 plants in the gardens. Many tall trees as well as beautiful flowers are planted. It is nature rich. I did not feel that I was in central Tokyo when I walked in the gardens.

The reason of my visit today was to see a titan arum. The plant is the largest unbranched inflorescence in the world. It opened its flowers for the first time in about 20years (since 1991) in the gardens.

The flower stays only two days. It smells so bad when it opens its flowers.

Unfortunately, the central pole of the plant fell down (which means the end of the “opening” of the flowers) about 10 minutes before my arrival to the gardens according to the staff. Still I found how large the flowers were. Many people were taking pictures. It did not smell bad as the peak of the opening of the flowers was over.

Another famous plant in the gardens is Newton’s apple. The tree has been raised from the branch taken from the original Newton’s apple in the U.K.

Mendel’s grape trees are also in the gardens.


Map: Koishikawa Botanical Gardens

Epson Aquarium @ Shinagawa: July 24, 2010

The aquariums develope rapidly in Tokyo (and other parts of Japan). We can expect more interesting experiences every year than before. That is why I sometimes visit aquariums.

Today, I visited Epson Aqua Studio in Shinagawa. The aquarium is only 5 minutes walk from Shinagawa Station. It opened in 2005 and it is Tokyo’s newest aquarium.

The dolphin pool is especially popular.

The dolphins showed excellent performances. They jumped high. They lifted their trainers up to the air. The trainers enjoyed surfing over the dolphins’ backs and forwarded moved forward more than 15 meters.

More than 70% of 1350 seats were full. Children and families looked so happy.

At the Sea Lion’s pool, the sea lions showed funny performances.

They received the rings thrown from the audience seats. They held fans and dolls on their noses. They waved their hand to say (?) good-bye.

There is a 20 meter-long tunnel which goes under a huge water tank. I could see sharks, rays and other fishes swimming over me.


Map: Epson Shinagawa Aqua Stadium

Minato Mirai 21@Yokohama (off Tokyo): July 19,2010

Yokohama is the second largest city in Japan (after Tokyo) and locates about 30 kilometers south from central Tokyo. It is famous for its port. I visited the city's Minato Mirai 21, an urban development area in the Yokohama Port district.

Minato Mirai 21 has been developed after the 1980s. There are convention centers, shopping facilities, cultural facilities, amusement parks and many other facilities in the area. 

There are two Red Brick Warehouses in the waterfront. The warehouses were originally built in the Meiji era (late 19th century). They were converted into modern commercial and cultural facilities in the 2000s. The original bricks and other materials are reused.

There are many stalls and restaurants in one of the warehouses (the other one is a cultural center). I felt retro-flavored mood when I walked in it. 

Yokohama port is the biggest port in trade volume in Japan. The main imports include LPG, iron ore and coal while main exports are automobile and mechanical goods. The passenger ships also arrive in and leave the port.

I saw only passenger ships in the Minato Mirai 21 area today. The sea and the sky were blue and beautiful.

I also walked Yamashita Park, which spreads along the seaside. Many families and tourists were enjoying the beautiful day.

I walked forward to a small hilltop park nemed "Minatonomieru Oka Park", which means "a park of good viewpoint to see the port".

I saw Minato Mirai's famous facilities over the port. The facilities include: The Cosmo World, an amusement park, and a Giant Ferris wheel called “Cosmo Clock”; the World Porters—a shopping and trade center; the Queen’s Square – business and commercial complex; the Pacifico Convention Center.

I could also see the Bay Bridge, which links both side of the port.

Map: Minato Mirai 21

Ueno Zoo; July 18, 2010

I like visiting  zoos and aquariums. Today, I visited Ueno Zoo.

It is the nation’s oldest and most famous zoo. It has about 500 species and 3000 individual animals and birds, according to its pamphlet.

It was my first visit of the zoo in about four years. Many things have changed.

Good developments:


(1)The cages of sea lions, hippopotamuses, pigmy hipos have remarkably improved.

The front walls of the cages have been changed from concrete walls to transparent plastic boards. Visitors can dirctly watch how the animals swim in the water.

Many children as well as their parents were enjoying observing the motions of the animals.

(2) New exhibition facilities have been built.

They include a house for aye-eyes and small mammals (tarsier, mice etc.). A new house for crocodiles, turtles, frogs ana other animals in the water area has also been built.

Animals such as giraffe, rhino and monkeys were popular as usual. Meerkat also attracted many visitors.

There were many water birds in the Shinobazu Pond, which is also a part of the zoo. The pond was covered with large leaves of lotus. It was amazing.

Map: Ueno Zoo

Shimokitazawa; July 17, 2010

Shimokitazawa is known as one of the sub cultural centers in Tokyo.

It has several off-broadway theaters. There are many shops, drinking bars and restaurants for young people.

The town is a bit messy, but the atmosphere attracts many young people as well as foreigners.

Students, couples and many other young people were walking in the streets when I visited there.

 

I found a queue in front of a traditional eel (unagi) restaurant. It is JApan'S tradition to eat eel in the mid-summer. It is to survive the country’s hot summer with the fish's nourishment.

Shimokitazawa station (of Odakyu Line) is under renovation. The railway company plans to increase the number of the rails to ease the congestion.

The front area of the station is also planned to be redeveloped.

The town may be more convenient and cleaner when the renovation is over. But it may lose its unique (subcultural) mood.

Imaging that the town will be different, I took many pictures to record today's scenes. 

Map: Shimokitazawa

Imperial Palace’s moats in summer: July 15, 2010

The view of the Imperial Palace change from season to season. I walked along the Palace’s moats.


Some parts of the moat were covered with water grasses. They included lotus.
The moats were covered with pink cherry flowers in spring. The impression today was different.

Ebisu Garden Place: July 12, 2010

Ebisu Garden Place is a commercial and residential complex near JR Ebisu station. I visited there.


The complex was developed in a former beer factory (brewery) site owned by Sapporo Brewery about 15 years ago. The JR station and the Place is connected with Ebisu Sky Walk, a moving walkway.

There are office buildings, restaurants, stores, hotels, museums, cinemas and residential apartments in the complex. The central space was used for open-air markets today. Stalls sold vegetables and fruits as well as jam and drinks there.

Many foreign families were enjoying their holidays there.

I visited Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. An exhibition of news photos was held and many pictures of conflicts, lives were displayed.

Map:  Ebisu Garden Place

Hozuki Market@ Asakusa: July 10, 2010

There are famous seasonal markets in Tokyo. One of them is Hozuki (Bladder Cherry of Japanese lantern) Market in the Asakusa Shrine (and Sensoji Temple in the same garden).

The bright orange fruit of hozuki is impressive. It is also culturally important as Japanese people see the fruits as lanterns to guide the sprits of their ancestors in the Bon festival season (the ancestor’s sprits return to our world in the Bon season).

Tens of hozuki stalls stood and each stall hung tens of hozuki pots. The wind bells rang. The green and orange colors of the plants were impressive.

The sellers wore traditional costumes. I also saw small brothers appealing their hozuki to the visitors. They were cute.

Map: Asakusa

Meiji Shrine, Omotesando@summer: July 3, 2010

Those who live in the western part of Tokyo often visit Meiji Shrine, Yoyogi Park and Omotesando area. I visited the area again to enjoy the shrine’s green and Omotesando’s busy shopping streets.

The shrine was crowded with foreign tourists. Many Chinese as well as westerners were there. It is summer holiday season.

The scene reminded me of the decision of the Japanese government to open its border for more Chinese tourists. The government on July 1st changed its border control rules, which enabled more Chinese tourists visit Japan without visa.

There was a wedding ceremony took place in the shrine. Many foreign tourists were taking pictures of a bride.

There were many votive tablets called “Ema” hung on several boards. Many wished were written in foreign languages.

A sports shop attracted more customers than usual at Omotesando Street. The Netherland beat Brazil last night in the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. They displayed the picture of Sneijder and other Dutch players in their large electronic panel. It was obvious that they quickly changed from (probably) Brazilian players.

I also visited Ukiyo-e Ota Memorial Museum of Art off Omotesando Street. They had a special exhibition of Hokusai’s famous “Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji”. “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” and other excellent pictures were displayed.

Small temples in Setagaya: June 27, 2010

When I am walking in Tokyo, I find many small temples and shrines.

Most of them are not famous, but they keep green nature. Some of them hold seasonal festivals and keep the function of “local community centers”.

I passed over several temples while walking in Setagaya ward. One of them was Saifgukuji Temple.

It is one of many temples which belong to Shingon sect of Buddhism. There stood sculptures of guardians in the gate. There were Buddha sculptures in the garden. They also have a cemetery.

Butterflies were floating and birds were dinging in the garden.

Cultural events like Rakugo performance are often held here.