Last weekend, we headed west for the first time, taking the Tobu Tojo train to Shinrin Koen (Forest Park). There’s a pretty awesome Forest Park back home too and times like these feel like we’re back in the great, green Pacific Northwest.
We rented bikes and rode most of the 17 kilometer (about 10.5 miles) path around the park. The paths wind through the trees, and around ponds, fountains, arboretums, playgrounds and art installations. A great day trip and definitely on the list of places to return again and again.
Fountain at the south gate of Shinrin KoenThese gnomes protected the fountain at the south gate of Shinrin KoenThese kids were learning how to rope climbPonpoko Mountain—We should have known this wasn’t a real mountain when we had to climb downhill to get thereThe fountain at Memorial Plaza in Shinrin Koen. Snack shack had rose ice cream. Delicious!I’ve always wanted a cruiser bikeKids: Do not try bike selfies at homeMap of the cycling course at Shinrin KoenWe had to walk a couple kilometers from the train station to the park. Stay on the walking path… or meet your fate!The train emptied out a couple stops before the park. We’ve never been on a train this empty in Japan.We passed this recently flooded rice field on the way to Shinrin Koen. The growing season is just starting.
Another weekend, another Tokyo adventure. This time we set our sights on Chiyoda, home to the Imperial Palace, the National Gardens, National Archives and Japan’s legislature, known as the National Diet.
Of course, the day was planned around the potential for good eats. We actually found Loving Hut on our first try instead of aimlessly wandering the streets of Tokyo for hours on end. The restaurant is part of an international chain with a goal of providing people access to affordable vegan food. There’s one in Portland with more of a Chinese vibe.
“Be vegan, make peace” say the fine folks at Loving Hut
This location took a more traditional Japanese approach to its menu, but with an awesome weekend twist: VEGAN BUFFET! The fat kid inside me screamed with excitement. All you can eat with no “what’s in this” moments to worry about.
My big, fat vegan lunch
I only took a picture of one plate, but I didn’t stop here. Hoax ham, faux fish, counterfeit chicken—not their real names, but I think I just populated my vegan restaurant menu! “Eel” sushi and veggie pork-stuffed buns (nikuman is the traditional pork-filled bun in Japan) alongside curry, sautéed vegetables, gyoza and fresh rolls. And the “meat”-on-a-stick didn’t stand a chance. I haven’t been so full since we’ve been in Japan.
After eating like a man going to the electric chair, we needed a walk. We were situated right between two great tourist destinations. Chiyoda City to the left, Tokyo Dome City to the right.
We started left and made our way to the Imperial Palace. The original site of Edo Castle, the grounds have beautiful gardens and parts of some buildings date back to the 1600s. Just entering is impressive as you cross the moat designed to protect the palace and enter through massive gates.
No alligators in this moat… as far as I know
Skyscrapers from modern Tokyo peek around corners of centuries-old stone, once again blending the old with the new in the way that only Tokyo can.
Tokyo’s skyscrapers peek through the old stone walls of the Imperial Palace
The gardens were in full bloom with every color in the crayon box, although we’d just missed the sakura by a couple weeks. Equally colorful carp swam in the ponds, showing off for their human visitors.
Trees and flowers in bloom
While the east garden is highlighted mostly by the wide-open park space at its center, the outer garden is more densely populated with flora, including 260 trees representing each of Japan’s prefectures.
A crowd of Nikons and Canons surrounded a bush in the park. Turns out they were capturing one of the days more beautiful and simple sights. Viktoria captured several wonderful photos of this butterfly feeding on the blooms.
Just… wow
After feeling like we’d seen the grounds, we explored the nearby area. We walked through the Kokyo Gaien National Gardens across the street. A beautiful scenic walking path again gave glimpses of new Tokyo while encasing us fully in nature.
The Tokyo Skytree sneaks into view through Tokyo’s real trees
The area is also the home to the Science Museum and Nippon Budokan, the arena where many “Live at Budokan” albums were recorded, including the dynamite Cheap Trick recording.
We headed back the other direction toward Tokyo Dome City, site of the massive Tokyo Dome, home to the Yomiuri Giants.
Japan’s Yankee Stadium
The Giants are Japan’s version of the New York Yankees, owners of 22 Japan Series titles and Japan’s Babe Ruth, infielder Sadaharu Oh. In 22 seasons with Yomiuri, Oh slugged 868 career home runs and won nine Central League MVP awards. I’m sure I’ll gush about Oh more when we return to visit the Japan Baseball Hall of Fame, located in the Tokyo Dome.
The complex is full of restaurants, shopping and an amusement park. Kids of all ages seemed to be having a good time with the different rides and activities.
You hear the screams from the roller coaster before you see the riders
We walked around for awhile and took it all in before finding dinner. We settled on pizza since it’d been awhile since we’d had any. The restaurant served Neapolitan-style pies and the food certainly impressed more than the service. We were seated in the “international” section, next to a couple young men traveling from Iran and a young European couple.
On the way home, we decided to stop in Shibuya for the full, nighttime experience. We were not disappointed.
Shibuya at night
Tokyo’s Times Square was lit up like a Christmas tree and thousands crowded the area heading out for a fun-filled (and booze-filled, from the looks of it) Saturday night on the town.
While in Shibuya, we went to the towering Tokyu Hands department store. Floor after floor of everything you’d ever need. We bought cards (the ones with glue-free envelopes) and light fixtures while perusing fitness items, beauty products and a great Hello Kitty display.
Tokyo provides a lot of opportunity for tourism, shopping… your typical big-city stuff. But, the gems of a city are in the alleyways and parks. We found an abundance of both as our Tokyo adventures continued last weekend in Harajuku.
The fashion scene was pretty subdued that day, but these girls were dancing in Yoyogi Park.
Our primary purpose for the visit was Tokyo’s Earth Day festival in Yoyogi Park, another of Tokyo’s fantastic public park spaces. Hundreds of vendors sold food and goods and non-profit organizations used the opportunity to reach thousands with their messages.
One booth demonstrated how you could pop corn with a reflector and sunlight.
Sun-popped popcorn
Others reminded us of our need for the ethical treatment of animals, our food and ourselves. Not being able to read food labels is actually one of the few real downers of being in Japan. We do the best we can.
Booth reminding us where fur really comes from…
A live band filled the air with covers of American classics. A spot-on rendition of Janis Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” was followed by a rockabilly take on Elvis Presley’s classic “Hound Dog.”
The Japanese Janis Joplin
The biggest draw to these things is usually the food, and Earth Day 2014 provided some great eats! Veggie “meat” on a stick, steamed “pork” buns and…
French fries as long as my arm.Deep-fried, cheese-filled avocado. Yes, you read that right…
Then there’s the innovative, weird and just plain Tokyo. A dog in a backpack, a truck that turns plastic into oil and whatever that thing is.
Then, there’s this.
After the festival, we explored Harajuku. Shopping is abundant, of course, but there are little pockets of awesome all over the district. We grabbed some amazing raw milk ice cream in coffee at Shiroichi.
These guys were really enjoying their ice cream towers from Shiroichi.
We walked up Takeshita Street, which is the crammed-with-tourists home of Harajuku’s fashion movement. The video screen captures visitors in their last seconds of freedom before crowd-induced claustrophobia takes over.
The camera on Takeshita Street’s gate projects visitors onto the screen. Viktoria is in the gray sweater at far-left.
We finished our big day out at Baird Brewing. At some point I’ll write a post about the beer “scene” in Japan, but on this day, we found a good one. Bryan Baird, a brewer with Pacific Northwest connections, has brought true craft brewing to Tokyo.
Baird Brewing’s Harajuku Taproom
The pub food was fantastic—we had grilled tofu, shitake mushrooms and edamame—but someone should tell the Japanese that you need to serve some carbs with beer approaching 10% ABV.
Reminders of home surrounded us in the corner of the bar. A postcard from Portland sat on the shelf to our left. Oregon breweries were well represented in the swiped coasters that lined the top of the bar.
Before we left, the bartender asked where we were from. I told him Oregon and he got very excited. He says “hold on…” and heads into the keg cooler. He comes back out with a 22-ounce bottle of Portland’s own Upright Brewing “Seven” and a big smile on his face. Apparently he’d just returned from his own craft beer pilgrimage to the Rose City.
I look forward to the opportunity to explore those alleyways again soon.
Last weekend, we ventured back into Tokyo for a day in Shibuya. Shibuya is the Tokyo you see on television. Towering buildings feature video screens instead of windows. Shopping centers feature all the latest trends, including malls with dozens of stores focused exclusively on clothing for teen and 20-something women.
Shibuya Crossing is one of the most famous “scramble” crosswalks in the world. When the walk signal flashes, people cross the road at every axis. You really get a flavor of Tokyo as an international tourist destination in Shibuya, with a variety of faces and languages exploring the streets. According to Time Out Tokyo magazine, it’s the number 1 visited location in Tokyo among tourists.
For me, the most charming part of Shibuya comes from its history. There are multiple references and memorials to Hachiko, the loyal dog. Everyday, Hachiko would make the walk from his home to meet his owner at Shibuya Station. Even after his master passed away, Hachiko would continue to travel to the station each afternoon in search of him.
Hachiko mural at Shibuya Station
He became a celebrity among those traveling through Shibuya Station and is now immortalized in statue and mural form at the station as well as on t-shirts, pens and postcards.
Originally, Shibuya was the gateway to Tokyo for those traveling east from Osaka and Kyoto. As Tokyo grew, Shibuya transformed to support the economic needs of the capitol. After World War II ended, the modern commercial transformation of Shibuya began.
The district is continuing its transformation with a detailed urban development plan, scheduled to be complete in 2027, featuring a combination of office and retail complexes with significant, pedestrian-friendly green spaces.
No matter where you are in the world, unexpected adventures are always a good thing. Such was the case with last weekend’s day trip, our first into Tokyo.
We planned to stop first in Ikebukero, a district in west Tokyo, to find a Taiwanese restaurant that specialized in vegetarian dishes. We’re still traveling without smartphones, so all we had to go off was some loose directions from a website and the city maps at the Ikebukuro train station.
We started walking and, within a couple blocks, stumbled upon a festival celebrating Taiwan and its heritage. There were even inflatable replicas of yours truly!
Which one is real and which one is inflatable?
We looked at a couple vendor stands, listened briefly to what must have been the opening address and then headed out in search of our restaurant.
As with many of these uncharted trips, we didn’t reach our destination. We’ve yet to figure out the street numbering convention. At present, I’m convinced it’s the worst way to identify addresses in the known universe. Check back in a couple months and maybe I’ll have a better attitude.
Fortunately, the festival had two booths serving exactly what we were in search of: Taiwanese vegetarian food! And even better, we finally found vegetarian gyoza! Those little pan fried, stuffed dumplings are so good, but usually so filled with pork. It was easily the best purchased meal I’ve had since we’ve arrived in Japan.
Taiwanese lunch
The festival also featured some amazing entertainment. All performed by young people, it was impossible to take your eyes off the stage.
A group of pre-teens pounded out the beautiful rhythm of taiko drums.
Taiko drummers
These young men and women put on an exciting display of dragon wizardry.
Dancing dragon
These beautiful young ladies entranced the crowd with their choreographed dance.
Early April is a magical time to be in Japan. There is a nationwide obsession with the “sakura,” or cherry blossoms. And sakura fever is infectious.
Catching sakura fever at Ueno Park
Late March when we arrived to our hometown, Kawagoe, we started to see glimpses of this fever. The innocent pink blooms start to stand out among the grayness of the city and the bareness of winter. A seemingly stoic passerby would suddenly stop and produce a camera to zoom in on a perfect shot of a colorful limb.
The cherry blossoms set a perfect scene on campus at Tokyo International University as students and parents gathered for the school’s opening ceremonies in early April. The perfect symbolism for renewal, a new school year.
On Saturday, we had an opportunity to see firsthand the “Hanami,” or cherry blossom viewing parties at Tokyo’s Ueno-kōen (park).
On the train and the crowded streets outside of Ueno, it’s business as usual. You’d never guess what you’re about to see. We followed the masses.
Upon entering, the mad rush of the city floats away and is absorbed by the petals of flowering tree after tree after tree after tree.
Boats circle Shinobazu Pond as Bentendo Temple watches over.
Hundreds of cameras emerge, and we, too, try to capture the sight. But it’s futile. No picture can describe this. Better to put the camera away and enjoy the moment.
Part of the Hinami is picnics under the trees. Friends and families gather and stake out their spot with tarps, food and drink. The shoes come off and the party begins. As our guidebook puts it, “locals gather…for rare public displays of euphoria.” Euphoria and maybe a little public drunkenness. But come on, this only happens once a year! The Japanese define what it means to work hard, play hard.
Typical? Probably not. But we’re tourists so we flock to see the geishas.Hanami at Ueno park
Part of this seasonal madness is sakura-flavored everything. Drinks, pastries, ice cream, candy, you name it! Get it while it lasts. I had the opportunity to try sakura-flavored ice cream and it was one of the best ice cream cones I’ve had here. Not that I’ve sampled a lot or anything.
How does a cherry blossom taste, you ask? My answer: not too sweet, a little flowery and definitely a little bit magical.
On a rainy Kawagoe day, we ventured west to Wakaba in search of Nitori, best described as the Japanese Ikea (although there actually is an Ikea in Saitama).
Not unlike its Swedish sister, Nitori is chalk full of useful household items as well as items you never knew you needed until you saw them in their full big box store display glory.
Take this item, for example. For just 761 yen (around $7.60), you get not one, not two, but THREE items in one! This miracle product goes from blanket to shawl to skirt in seconds. Amazing!
A multipurpose item at Nitoria in Wakaba
Best of all, Nitori has also copied Ikea’s best feature (well, maybe second best feature after the snack bar), the demo room.
Dining room display at Nitori
This Japanese couple appeared to be imagining themselves sitting down to a nice dinner. Perhaps those glasses are filled with red wine or sake, easing away the stress of a long day at the office.
Living room display at Nitori
After dinner, they’ve retired to the living room. Nuzzled closely on the couch, they’ve tuned into their favorite NHK television show and settle in for a lazy night with their new furniture set from Nitori.
Across the street from Nitori is Hard-Off and Hobby-Off, a chain of second-hand electronics as well as new toys and collectibles.
Hard-Off and Hobby-Off
Among the many gems found inside, a classic rock album wall featuring the likes of KISS, Aerosmith and the Beatles; a teenage dream of video game consoles, including the Japanese version of the Super Nintendo, Super Famicon; and a crib full of grumpy teddy bears.
Awesome finds at the Hard-Off and Hobby-Off
Our rain-soaked journey through Wakaba wrapped up at Ringer Hut. From the outside, it looked sorta like an Alpine villa. The line out the door has been a good indicator that something delicious is waiting inside, so we ventured in.
Lunch at the Ringer Hut
The food was the usual fair of noodles and soup, but served with what seemed to be their famous sauces. A ginger sauce and a lime sauce added a zing to the dishes. It was also my first chance to practice modifying our order to take out the meat and fish. Our vegetarian versions of the lunch special were quite good, especially with the addition of Ringer Hut’s Signature Secret Sauce.
One of my favorite things to do in a new town is to get lost. Just start walking or driving until you have no idea where you are, then find your way home.
Typically, this isn’t as scary as it sounds. You stay out of dark alleys, keep main roads nearby and use the signs and known landmarks to guide your way back.
I headed out for my first big walkabout on my own. To be fair, I actually started out looking for the train station with the plan of taking it to Kawagoe Station to get Starbucks, but I’m hardly the first person to have a spiritual journey on their way to buy overpriced coffee.
I passed the Belc grocery store and the 100 Yen Shop (the current exchange rate is about ¥100 to $1, so it’s like the Dollar Store only way, WAY better). I bucked temptation, passing more than one of Kawagoe’s many patisseries. And I kept walking… and walking… and walking. I realized I was missing a few tools from previous treks.
First, the lack of a smartphone, GPS, Google Maps, internet, etc. makes you wonder how smart you actually are without these things. All of the buildings are two stories or higher, so it’s hard to find landmarks at a distance. The roads dance about like a ballerina, resulting in a bizzaro world of directional dissonance.
Second, very few of the street signs are in English. Every once in awhile, the fine folks at Kawagoe Public Works throw you a bone and give you a street sign in both Japanese and English. It’s just enough to recalibrate your path.
Finally, I left my water and snacks at home. It was high noon, 70 degrees, and very sunny. Fortunately, the ever-present vending machines appear every few blocks like some desert mirage. I had a pocket full of yen, so I was able to replace electrolytes in the middle of neighborhoods, street corners, parks… really, pretty much anywhere.
You tend to find very interesting things on these kinds of journeys. Kawagoe has several excellent paved paths surrounding recreational areas. In between two of the paths, a long field featured soccer and softball fields as well as an epic putt-putt golf course. Four players used croquet mallets and balls to putt the ball from tee to cup on an 18-hole course.
Community gardens, fantastic public park spaces and small shrines pepper the city’s neighborhoods. Some of the shrines are larger and supported by community donations while others seem to be built and managed by nearby homeowners. The parks are an interesting contrast of brown, dead-looking grass and brand-new playground equipment, tennis courts and picnic tables.
Community garden in KawagoeA park in Kawagoe’s Isehara neighborhood
The biggest surprise of all is my growing fascination with Japanese mailboxes. I find myself snapping pictures of them left and right. Some are traditional, some playful, but rarely boring.
One of many adorable mailboxes you’ll find in Japan
At this point, every trip out of the house results in a walkabout. Can’t wait for the next opportunity to get lost!
