Tokyo Neighbourhoods: Meiji Shrine and Yoyogi Park

For almost three centuries, the Tokugawa shogunate founded by Ieyasu Tokugawa ruled Japan whilst the Emperor was marginalised.  This changed in the mid-19th Century when the last Shogun lost the support of the feudal lords and resigned.  The Emperor took charge again.  Recognising that Japan had slipped behind the western powers, he opened up Japan to foreign trade, technology and know-how.  It was he who presided over the industrialisation of Japan, and the renaming of "Edo" as "Tokyo".  The Meiji shrine was erected in memory of the Emperor and his Empress and is meant to "enshrine" their spirits.

Bonsai

Today, the shrine remains very much a key centre of Japanese religious life.  Indeed, when we were there we saw no less than four separate activities taking place at the shrine!


First, there was a chrysanthemum exhibition, featuring also bonsai bonsai plants.  The Chrysanthemum is always associated with the Imperial Family - a specific variety is the Imperial flower, and the Emperor sits upon the Chrysanthemum throne.  So it was most appropriate that there was yet another chrysanthemum exhibition to visit here.  In addition, there was also a selection of bonsai plants to be admired.  Personally I much preferred the bonsai exhibitions as the miniature landscapes displayed far more Creative flair and imagination compared to just viewing gigantic chrysanthemum flowers.

Sake from distilleries throughout Japan

Second, to commemorate the Meiji Emperor’s birthday on 3 Nov,  every year, major producers send a special gift of their best produce to his shrine, in hopes of continuing future prosperity. This is displayed in a small corner of the shrine area (I presume there are more but they select only a portion to display).  I was quite impressed by the number of sake bottles on show!  Of course there were other products exhibited but none of them made such a convincing display.

Dressed in her best kimono

Third, we saw lots of little boys and girls dressed up in their traditional clothing, looking ever so sweet and cute.  I was wondering what it was - on checking up it is a "shichi-go-san" or "3-5-7" festival, so named because children of these ages are meant to visit the shrine as part of their "growing up" rituals.  Accompanied by their parents and sometimes their grandparents, the children
walk into the shrine, to get a blessing - a candy representing longevity and health.  The families don't need to go to the Meiji shrine in particular - any shrine will do.  Technically the festival is on Nov 15 (3+5+7) but families do go to the shrine even a few weeks beforehand, presumably to beat the crowds.  All dressed up in their best clothing, the children looked as they were having a good time, getting their photos taken, playing with their balloons etc etc.  I'm afraid to say that we did go around "stalking" the especially cute ones, to take their photo!

Fourth, we saw a wedding procession!  Not entirely unexpected, as I had read earlier that the shrine is a preferred location for couples to solemnise their weddings.  So we came to the shrine hoping to see a wedding.  This, to be honest, was my highlight of the day.  Earlier on,  I had seen the Shinto priests just outside the main courtyard of the shrine talking to two women who must have been the mothers of the bride and groom.  Then, as I was busily trying to catch a photo of a cute kimono-clad kiddie, the bridal procession marched in.  Dressed in traditional clothing, the bride and groom walk in behind the priests, accompanied by their entourage.  Everyone looks quite stern and serious.  They walk into the shrine, ignoring the gaping tourists around them.  After a few minutes (presumably after the appropriate rituals are completed) they return to the courtyard.  Just before the exit, the Shinto priests stop, exchange bows with the couple before making their way out.

To me, the Meiji shrine visit really gave me an insight into the spiritual heartbeat of Japan.  It is a "working shrine", one where the spirit of the great Emperor Meiji continues to be venerated and thanked for helping to bring about modern Japan.

We went for lunch thereafter (at Heiroku Sushi) but made our way back to walk around Yoyogi Park. It's one of the restful green lungs of this busy city - where Tokyo residents spend time with family and friends in the peaceful environment of the park.  An elderly bunch of Elvis imitators were gyrating near the entrance, and we walked past a group of men playing frisbee, girls chatting under a tree, a poodle club (and owners) meeting and so on.  We reached a little lake in the middle of the park where the trees around were just beginning to show their autumn colours.  It was a lovely end to the day.

Autumn colours in Yoyogi Park

I've been visiting Japan every year from 2014 to 2017 and with each visit here, I am slowly learning more about the rich and distinct Japanese culture, history and society.  This is a society which appreciates beauty and nature, believes in the pursuit of perfection, and filled with an ancient pride and spirituality which makes it distinct from all others.  Can't wait to see what my 2018 visit has in store!

In the meantime, all photos from this Tokyo trip here.

Himeji: Castle and Garden

Himeji Castle

My last visit to Kyoto, I had wanted to visit Himeji Castle, one of the oldest surviving castles in Japan and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  But it was closed for renovation and major repairs, so it was not an option then.  But the castle has since been reopened to visitors and so naturally became one of the "must do" items for this visit.  

The town of Himeji is about an hour's journey from Osaka (train from Osaka station). We realised after looking at the fares that this was indeed one of those few occasions when it was worthwhile to purchase the one-day JR pass.  But it's only valid for JR, so other journeys still have to be paid for.  Since we were staying in the Dotonburi area, we had to find our way to Osaka station - easier said than done, given the numerous private railways, and the subway lines which intersect with the JR lines.  Maybe if we didn't want to "maximise" the use of our one day pass it would have been easier.... a lesson for another time...

Anyway, after adding another hour to our travel journey (to get to Osaka station), the train ride to Himeji was uneventful. Once there, it was clear that we didn't need a map to figure out how to get to the castle - it dominates the town, and the road from the railway station leads you right to the base of the castle grounds.

Himeji castle is a majestic, yet extraordinarily graceful building.  It's apparently supposed to resemble a white heron - and I suppose the wings of the building, beside the towering main keep, the white of the walls and the tiers of the roofs do support the idea of a bird in flight.   Yet, this beautiful and elegant building was very much a functional castle - built to be defended on top of a hill, with small windows piercing its sturdy walls to allow defenders to shoot cannon and arrows down on potential invaders.  A comprehensive description of Himeji Castle's history is here.  More about Japanese castles is here.

The castle is organised in several sections, with an outermost moat just in front of the castle wall.

The sturdy walls of the castle

 Once past the main gate, you enter the large open grounds right in front of the castle - a great photo opp - and walk all the way to the next section, just beyond the ticketing counters.  Here, things start to get more serious.  Internal walkways are much narrower and wind around the hill.  The sturdy walls enclose the last section, containing another courtyard and the castle well.  We went next into the keep, and climbed all the way up to the top where we admired the glorious 360 view of the castle grounds, and the Himeji region around that.  I could almost imagine myself a castle guard looking out for the enemy hundreds of years ago!

I have to say that whilst there were notices and placards here and there giving more information on the building (and also a little pamphlet) there could perhaps be more done to excite visitors about the Japan of that era.  There were not that many exhibits in the first place, and the ones which really caught my eye were the model of Himeji and the surrounding country side and the scale model done to aid an earlier restoration.  There was also a Himeji Castle app but it wasn't available in the Singapore app store and having to figure out how to switch to the Japanese store, then find the app, etc etc was just too much bother.  Which was a pity, because it was a real opportunity to learn more about Medieval Japan.

We followed our visit to Himeji with a a visit to the Koko-en Garden, just next to it.  Once part of the castle, the garden is now a separate attraction in itself.  Actually it is not one garden but nine  - each with their own name such as the Garden of Bamboo, the Garden of Flowers, etc.

Garden of the Lord's House, with Himeji Castle 

One of the most impressive gardens was the Garden of the Lord's House.  You enter via a long wooden corridor, over a pond.  On your left is a little cascade, trickling down from the rocks.  But on the right - a waterfall greets you, with its waters pouring into a large pond, with a quiet garden beyond that.  The leaves were gorgeous, glowing red. Himeji Castle rises in the background.  Indeed, a fitting sight for the lord of the manor!

My other favourite was the Garden of Summer Trees.  Indeed, it should be called the Garden of Autumn Foliage instead.  It is a smaller, more intimate garden than that of the Lord's House, meant for private pleasure rather than public show.  I could see myself sitting in the small shelter, reading a book and enjoying the brightly coloured leaves.

Garden of Summer Trees

We left Koko-en as the sun was setting, which meant also that we could watch as the skies around Himeji Castle darkened around the illuminated castle.

Where Kyoto is a city of temples, Himeji indeed stands out as a reminder of Medieval Japan.

Himeji at dusk

More photos on my Flickr album.

Going Local: Holiday Apartment Living

What we did quite differently this trip to Japan was to try some apartment living (interspersed by a night in a ryokan).  This was prompted partly by the high hotel rates (thanks to the autumn leaves) and partly because they are so much more spacious than the tiny hotel rooms you get in Japan!

Home away from home

In Kyoto, we stayed in a small house in the Gion neighbourhood (the quieter, southern part of Gion) with a sitting/dining/kitchenette area downstairs and two bedrooms (one western style i.e. With beds and one Japanese style ie with futons!) upstairs.  It is not a traditional machiya but it is a snug cosy place (thanks to the gas heater) and we liked it very much.  It is not that easy to find, being at the end of a small alleyway tucked in between two buildings on the main road.  But thanks to the excellent directions given, we were able to find it.    Our "travel angel" let us into the house - we were so early getting there that the house was still being cleaned from the last tenant (cleaner is an elderly Japanese man), so he first proceeded to give us a little tour of the area, and showed us where the local supermarket was, and gave us little tips about the eateries around us.

We took one of his suggestions later that evening, and went to eat at the local Okonomiyaki restaurant around the corner.  The shop was a one-woman-operation.  She was a bit abrupt but then we didn't speak the language.  Tried to order the grilled tofu the guy next to us was having but she pulled out her English menu and got us to order from it.  Looks as though she has her own way of dealing with the foreign tourists who turn up, as opposed to her "regulars".  Halfway through our meal a Malaysian couple arrived.  We were able to guide them through the ordering process.  And also to explain what "Okonomiyaki" was. (They were hoping for teppanyaki, I can tell).

A tea house or ochaya near our house

Another night, we wanted to have dinner at a restaurant near our place.  We wandered around the area but must have made a wrong turn, as the street we ended up in was a row of tea houses or ochaya - the sort where the geisha entertain in!  We heard music and clapping coming from one teahouse, and some samisen music from another.  Admission, clearly, was by invitation only.  We finally found the row of restaurants, but one was closing (at 8pm!) and the other was selling hamburger..... so we picked up dinner at the supermarket and went back to our little home away from home and ate it off our breakfast bar.  How pleasant it was to be able to kick off one's shoes and rest on our comfy low sofa and table, before eating sashimi and potato croquets.  We finished our meal with the persimmons and sweet pancakes we bought from the stalls at the subway station.

In Osaka, we had an apartment also but quite clearly we were only supposed to sleep there and not

My bed, and bed companion

Much more.  The entrance lobby opens up on one side into the laundry area and shower, and on the other side into the room for the WC.  Another door leads you to the main apartment, which is divided by Japanese-style screen walls into a main kitchen-cum-sleeping area, another sleeping area and a third Japanese style room with futons stacked up on the side.  So this little apartment, with one shower and one WC, can sleep SEVEN people in total!  Dormitory style accommodation indeed.  (Our Kyoto apartment at most can host four).   There was no eating area per se, you are not really meant to sit and eat in the apartment unless in the Japanese room where there was a low coffee table.  It was not as clean as our Kyoto residence and the kitchen was not as well equipped.  But it was nice and roomy, and I really liked the company of the Snoopy stuffed toy.  

There are, I realised, a few things to look out for when renting apartments in Japan.  First, the standard rule where it comes to properties - location, location, location.  Where exactly do you want to stay?  Near lots of eateries, shopping, or in a quiet neighbourhood where you can feel like a local?  Do you intend to make lots of day trips, in which case being next to the station could be very useful and important to get that early start to the day?  

Second, check on how the house is furnished and equipped.  Does it have wifi, for example, or a washing machine?  Another tip, relevant perhaps especially for Japan - to check on the type of beds.  In particular, if the apartment has western style beds or Japanese futons.  Futons are all very well for a single night but for multiple nights, give me a proper bed!  

Third, whether you want to be met or not.  Both our apartments were accessed off a small little alleyway (not a side road, an alleyway) and you can't take for granted that the directions given are correct.  So it is very reassuring to have a person to call in case of need.  It was also good for someone to tell us how to use the equipment, advise on when and where to dispose of rubbish and so on.  For example our Kyoto travel angel told us which rubbish bag was for our glass/plastic/ aluminium containers and which was for the other items.  And if there is, say, defective equipment, it can be rectified quickly or at least it is quite clear that you didn't break it.

One last point.  We went through a company, Japan Experience (google "Japan Experience Kyoto holiday apartment" and you should be able to find it) for our Kyoto apartment and for Osaka, got the booking off Agoda, where it was rented by an individual.  May be better to deal with a company, just for the more consistent service and better backup it provides.

Anyway, the more I travel around the Japan, the more I realise how convenient everything is and how easy it is to get around even for a foreigner who doesn't speak the language.  And that from a complaint-prone Singaporean, is saying something indeed!

More photos on this trip (in general) can be found on my Flickr album.

Nara: Oh Deer Me!

Isuien Garden

Nara is one of Japan's ancient capitals, situated about 45min train journey from Kyoto.  Whilst many people do it as a day trip from Kyoto, we spent the night there, and travelled on to Osaka the next day.  With about 24 hours in Nara, we didn't have much time.  So since autumn leaves were the focus of our trip, we decided to spend the time at the famous gardens and parks of Nara.

Yoshikien Garden - Pond Garden

Japanese gardens are in themselves, an art form - carefully designed, beautifully executed, meticulously maintained. It is another way the Japanese express their love and appreciation of nature, flowers, and scenery.  Indeed, I really felt that the visits to the garden really refreshed the soul and delighted the eye.  The gardens are designed so that every step presents a different view and every turn surprises the visitor.  More about Japanese gardens and the different elements in the gardens can be found here and here and here.

We were indeed privileged to visit two very famous gardens in Nara, the Yoshikien and Isuien Gardens.  The Isuien Garden dates from the 17th Century and is famous for its use of shakkei, or "borrowed scenery".  Both gardens have ponds, and the pond in the second garden is supposed to be in the shape of the Japanese/Chinese word for water or "shui" (in Chinese).  But I couldn't quite make it out.

The Yoshikien Garden is just next to the Isuien and is made up of three gardens - the Pond Garden in front, then the Moss Garden and lastly the Flower Garden.  A small hill by the Pond is topped by a pagoda, with a charming view of the water and the tea house by the water.  Another tea house looks out into the Moss Garden - which was surrounded by the russet and red of the maple trees.  Sadly, there were not many flowers in bloom this time of year but nonetheless the Flower Garden was a charming spot, with a dry rocky river, a pavilion and more autumn foliage surrounding it.  I can just imagine how lovely it must be in spring or summer, with the flowers all in bloom.

After our stroll around the gardens, we went back to our ryokan.  We stayed in Nara Hakushikaso,

Kaiseki

which is really close to the Kintetsu Railway Station and also a short walk from both the gardens and Nara Park just beyond it (in fact the gardens are on the perimeter of the park).  We had to clean up and get dressed in our yukata (an informal kimono) in readiness for our yummy kaiseki dinner.  The dinner was served in our room - you can see from the photo our sashimi, soup, hotpot, tempura, pickles, chicken cooking on a hot plate, each with their own dipping sauce (or seasoning) as appropriate.

After dinner, one of the staff came in to lay out our futon beds.  I have to admit that it was quite comfortable and I woke up feeling refreshed.

Deer are everywhere

On our second day in Nara, we decided to walk around Nara Park.  Many of the important temples and shrines are actually in the regions of the Park and so it is well worth spending an entire day there, if you have the time, visiting the temples and wandering around the park.  We contented ourselves with walking around the park, looking at the imposing temples and of course, meeting the deer!

Indeed, it is not possible to avoid the deer, even if you wanted to.  They are everywhere!  But it is also important to remember that these are semi-wild deer and hence their behaviour can be unpredictable.  We saw a notice at the park warning us to be careful and there is also a video online for visitors to the park, advising visitors to only feed the deer the specially made deer crackers, being careful around them, etc.  I should admit that we did not bother buying deer crackers but saw many people with crackers not being able to "escape" from the deer who kept on following them for more. Later on, we also saw a deer trying to get the crackers directly from "source", ie one of the street vendors selling the crackers...  .... that's one smart deer.

Bridal Couple (and deer)

But in general, we really had a lovely time in the park, just walking around, watching the people interacting with the deer, against this gorgeous background of the park and also some of the nicest foliage we have seen thus far, over a little stream. (Note: parts of the park are best seen during cherry blossom period, whilst other portions have maples planted and these look best in fall.  So not all the leaves on all the trees are red).  

My dear father, when I showed him my photos, said that the scenery was so beautiful, it made fools of photographers.  i.e., any fool can take a great photo.  But I have to say that it was really such a beautiful place that it is no wonder we saw at least three wedding couples taking their bridal shots in the park.  Of course the deer became part of the bridal party.

So, it was a short stay in Nara but looking back, I will always remember it as a really special moment in our holiday.

As a;ways, more photos here

Scenic Route: Kibune and Arashiyama

There is so much to see in Kyoto, but a lot of it seems to be temples.... so, in an attempt to insert some variety in our autumn leaves viewing experience, we decided to take in the maple leaves by train, especially after we read about a "maple tree tunnel" on the way to the little village of Kibune which was illuminated at night.  

So we decided to take the train there by day, visit the famous Kibune shrine, and take the train back by night.  Maple tunnel by day AND by night, sounds good right?  Unfortunately, things didn't quite turn out that way.  The train journey was easy enough (check here for the e-guide by the rail company)

But very sadly, our day time journey revealed that many of the autumn leaves had fallen already, so there was not much to see.  And the train zipped by so fast, we could not take many photos.  The night journey back? Well, suffice to say that there was a moment of suspense and excitement when the lights on the train went out, for us to better view the illuminations.  But there was also a collective sigh of disappointment when the leafless (but illuminated) trees appeared.  So much for that!

Up to the shrine

Fortunately, we did have a good visit to Kibune.  Confusingly, the village is called "Kibune" and the shrine sometimes called "Kibune" or "Kifune".  The shrine itself marks the ending point of a journey; a goddess in a yellow boat travelled up the river and stopped here.

River flowing over rocks and leaves

It is quite popular during this period, with many people lining up to pay their respects to the deity, and to pen down their prayers, wet them in the shrine's spring waters (it is dedicated to the water god), and tie them to the nearby stand.  At night, the lanterns lining the stairs leading to the shrine are lit, adding to its mystique.

The rest of the village is tiny - apparently there are expensive restaurants and ryokans here, serving busy city dwellers who want to come away for a lazy and quiet weekend.  In summer, the restaurants serve meals on platforms over the river flowing past the village as it goes down the hill.  At this time of year, there are no more platforms but the river continues to be lit up by charming little lanterns.  We hoped to see autumn leaves but we were just slightly past the peak so most of the leaves had fallen - but they still looked pretty floating in the river, trapped by the rocks!

We had a more successful train ride the next day, on the Sagano Romantic Train from Arashiyama to Kameoka.  The train itself is an old fashioned steam train, with old wooden carriages etc.  The ride took us on the banks of the Hozugawa river gorge, and the autumn colours were beautifully displayed along this scenic route.  Whilst it was perhaps slightly past the peak season, it was still quite a sight to see - when the train first emerged out of the hill side to a view of the river gorge there was another of those collective sighs - but of wonder and excitement this time, not disappointment, as the train hurtled through a gorgeous patchwork hillside, and by a rushing river in the gorge below.  Check out my video:

In theory, we were supposed to take a boat ride back to Arashiyama.  It would be a two-hour ride, back along the same river gorge, in an open boat.  Exposed to the elements.  On a sunny day that would have been fine.  But it was raining, a miserable, incessant and cold drizzle.  We decided that two hours in the rain was not for us.  So we went for lunch at Kameoka (more of this in a subsequent post) and took the normal JR train back to Arashiyama.

The last time I was here in Arashiyama was in spring time, looking at the cherry blossoms, and it was indeed quite a different experience seeing the autumn colours.  And the low lying clouds created a totally different atmosphere, compared to the crisp clear skies of spring.  Autumn is "a season of mists", after all.

The river at Arashiyama

Having been to the sights in Arashiyama the last time (bamboo forest, garden, two Temples) it was quite liberating to decide that we had enough rain for the day and find a nice place for tea.  

And so that's the way our train journeys went.  Neither really turned out as the "perfect" day out from Kyoto, but they each had their own pleasant and memorable moments, and that's all you can really ask from a holiday.

See more photos on Flickr!

Back to Kyoto: Autumn Foliage

Kiyomizu-dera Temple at Night

After two years, I am back in Kyoto!  During my first visit, it was for "Hanami" or to view spring flowers, particularly the delicate, transient cherry blossoms.   This visit, it was "Momiji" time! "Momiji" specifically refers to the red maple tree leaves but in reality there are others too, and the colour is not just red but also the golden yellow of the ginkgo tree and others.  

Here in Kyoto, we arrived as the maple trees were supposed to be at their peak.  But this is a fast season, and we realised that maybe we had arrived a day or two beyond the peak.  We also realised that just because the maples were at their best, it didn't mean that every tree was ablaze with red.  Some trees (eg the cherry) may have already lost their leaves, and others may be still as green as ever, resulting in a "patchwork" of colours.         

Kiyomizudera

Our first stop in Kyoto was the Kiyomizu-dera temple - one of the most well-known temples here in Kyoto, and the one nearest our little apartment!  We did not arrive early enough to visit the temple grounds properly (in daylight) but we managed to take a few photos in the fading light and then joined the throngs on the deck facing the main temple to get a chance to photograph the famous illuminations of the main hall.  
Indeed, the throngs waiting to take that one iconic shot were immense!  We stood five-deep along the deck facing the main temple.  People were pushing and shoving to get through and in the meantime, people were hogging the front of the deck taking their photos.  Well, we finally managed to get our shots and went on to meander around the gardens to admire the illuminated pagoda rising above the illuminated trees.

Next day, we went to two more temples, Nanzenji and Eikando-Zenrinji.  First, Nanzenji.  Nanzenji is famed for its aqueduct (quite easy to find) and also its sub-Temples.  We went to one, Nanzenin, famous for its little pond garden, and for the mausoleum to the Emperor Kameyama, who founded the Nanzenji temple in the first place.

The pond garden was a true delight!  First, being a sub temple, it was less popular with visitors (it had its own separate entrance fee, which could be one reason for the smaller crowds).  So we were able to admire the autumn foliage in the garden in relative peace and quiet.  The beautiful red leaves also formed a layer on top of the pond.... So the reflection of the red leaves was accentuated by the leaves already in the water.

The pond garden at Nanzenin

Rock Garden at the Hojo, Nanzenji

Nanzenji itself has a beautiful tranquil zen rock garden in its "Hojo", the dwellings of the chief priest.  Apparently, the rocks look like a tiger with her cubs.... I'm afraid that that one went right past me.  We sat there and contemplated the rocks and the patterns in the pebbly sand nonetheless.  Subsequently, walking through the Hojo, we did see rooms with wall paintings of various animals including tigers (and leopards, I think).  That, I can get.  

Our next stop was the Eikan-do Zenrin-ji temple.  Like Nanzenji, this temple is famed for its autumn foliage.  Indeed, we were not disappointed (and got to see the leaves in the blaze of sunset!).

Momiji lit by the setting sun

We walked all the way to the Pagoda, with its view of Kyoto, and then walked around the temple buildings, looking at the internal gardens before making our way down to Hojo pond.  Well, I can only say that a picture tells a thousand words so please do take a look at my Flickr site for more glorious photos of Eikando temple and the other two.  (Please note that the photos are being put up progressively).

Pagoda at Eikando 

Technically, this was the day we were supposed to walk up the Philosopher's Path and end our day at Ginkaku-Ji (yes, yet another temple).  But the thing about short days and our relatively slow progress is that we don't cover all that much each day.  Of course we could have gone there for the illuminations but somehow after the first night's experience, it didn't appeal.  

Maybe another time, another visit to Kyoto!