Parks and Gardens, Tokyo

Favorite thing: It's one and only zoo in the city. It's a part of Ueno Park and have been my favorite since I was child.

Surprisingly, the budget as for the
equipment of this zoo is upon the earnings of the lottery.

Open hour: 9:30-17:00
Open everyday except Mondays and between Dec 29th- Jan 1st.

FEE FREE! on Mar20, Apr29 and Oct1

See the official info here

Favorite thing: This flower is stronger that Sakura. while the most famous flower of the Archipelago is scattered by mild winds, this flower stays and smiles to those who care for her. Her name?

Fondest memory: Imagine the exit of any of the subway stations in any of the big cities you have ever visited. Imagine now this flower welcome you at the exit (or entrance, that all is relatice in this life) of one of the busiest district of the monster city that Tokyo is. Miracles?!!! Yeah, yeah...

Fondest memory: Living in the garden - home or homeless? Some people cannot afford paying high rental in Tokyo, many of them choose to live in a tent. When we are working hard to maintain our 'life style', have you ever step back to think that... what if our house/flat is not surrounded by 4 walls? no elevators, no security, no property management, no car park... When all traditional elements of 'home' do not exist, What will our life become?

Favorite thing: Short lived flower

They were radiant few days ago...Beautiful cherry blossoms are the excuse to have an outdoor party called "Hanami". Millions et, dance and sing under the Sakura trees. The fragile flower will be gone with wind few days later...Are they equally beautiful scattered between stones?

Fondest memory: It is a budhist phrase. Althouhg, I am not a religious person (not at all!) it makes sense to me:　Saku Sakura, Chiru Sakura. Which translates as Blossom Sakura, Scattered Sakura. It is up to you to give this phrase a meaning. Could Roberta's motto an equivalent? :
"Never expect too much and you`ll never be disappointed!"

Favorite thing: It will be difficult to explain... In a city "enyoing" one of the highest population density, I do considered an oasis a place where I can be alone and enjoy few minutes of introspection. Few meters away from here, there is Tokyo Tower, which is a sort of Tesla tesla magnet for visitors. How they manage to avoid these spot is a secret i do not want to "revelau", yet.

Favorite thing: Tokyo is not really a monster of concrete. It has lot of parks and greenery scattered in the few square nanoinches inhabited by 10 millions strong (the polulation of metropolitan Tokyo and surroundings hit 23 millions a while ago). Sakura trees can offer their fresh light color few days a year. They can surprise your sight betwwen the green of other less colorful trees. It is important those trees are there. Green is always refreshing and the shade of them is glory in the humid and hot days of the Archipelago summer.

Fondest memory: A glass of cold water under the shade. August 15, 1983

Favorite thing: Spring of Tokyo begins from opening of professional baseball game of Tokyo Dome and flowering of cherry blossom of Rikugien. Especially weeping cherry in this garden is very famous.Tokugawa Tsunayoshi, the fifth Shogun has given this land(151,200sq.mi.) to his grand chamberlain Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu in 1695.Yanagisawa spent more than 7years to build up this Rikugien (garden ) as his second house with beautiful garden (he lived here in his last 5years with wife). He might have loved waka(31-syllabel) poems or for other reasons, created 88 scenes which are described in famous Kokin-waka-shu poems, together with streams, pond, mountains and a lot of plants.
"Rikugi " stands for 6 basic components of kanshi (Chinese poem). If Bushi(Samurai) in those days wanted to succeed in life, definitely need to be educated, connection and a little money to open his door.
Now you can walk around in 87,809sq.mi. area and this garden is designated as a special historic site by the national government. You can rest at chaya(tea house) in this garden and try to taste traditional Japanese maccha(powdered green tea) if you like and many souvenirs are displayed at the kiosk.

Fondest memory: This is taken at AKATUKA BOTANIC GARDEN. Another place where I have absolutely no idea where it is and how to get there! I think you can't find this place in most guide books! See my travelogues for more pictures!