TOKYO – trains, parks and baby trees

Wednesday am – today is our last day in Tokyo – that is until we return at the end of our journey.  We are off to see the magnificent Autumn colours of Showa Kinen Park and then onto Sensoji & Namami-dori Temple back in the city.

As we head off down one of the many side streets, I spy this hanging outside a building – now I don’t know if it is a cow or a bull but there is only the rear end.  Is it a bar?  Is it a motel?  Is it a restaurant? Who knows – I just know that it definitely was a Kodak moment.

Of course, the plan to get to the park is more subway journeys; this time RL has a surprise in store for us.  We are travelling in peak hour when everyone is heading for work.  Remember seeing station attendants cramming everyone in the carriage?  I am here to tell you that it really does happen.  We let 2 trains go before our troupe can all get on at once.

We are pushed in but it is not rude pushing with abuse a la Sydney – it is more like controlled ‘in you go, please move in more’ – all said in a gentle manner.  I am standing upright and surrounded by business men and women and school kids.  I cannot move – not even to take a photo.

When people want to get off everyone moves out and then everyone moves back in – it is a real experience and after we have passed most of the busiest stations we get a bit of breathing space (time for a photo – the gentleman with the beard is Barry from our group doing his usual photo bombing) and then a few minutes later we even get a seat.

First up – Showa Kinen Park.  It has been a long journey and we can finally get a chance to stretch our legs on the walk to the park.

It is a beautiful day with clear blue skies but something tells me that the days are also going to be hot!  We have arrived early so while RL gets our tickets we have a few minutes to have a look around before we go in.  Once through the gates we have a rather long walk to our first photography spot – the golden gingko trees.

We pass Waterfowl Lake that I should imagine would be full of people in the Summer – lots of little boats eager to take you paddling around looking at all the bird life and then maybe stopping at the Restaurant for a bit of lunch.  Back on the path to the trees.  This sure is a long walk but we are not in a great hurry and when we arrive the Autumn gold is everywhere – like so with the photographers.

To say that the Autumn gold assaults the senses is definitely an understatement.  It really does take your breath away, so much that you just stand and stare forgetting what you came here for – and that is photos.  OK – to business.  Finding a spot at the front of the group, you are never going to get an open path down the avenue, still people in the shot give it the perspective of the size of the place.

After getting some photos and like Macarthur – I do return; it is time to walk down the avenue – although I walk to the side as much as I can so that I am not smack dab in the centre of everyone’s photos.

It is a long walk that’s for sure – but every now and again when you discover a seat, it is time to  just sit and watch everyone.  Lots of little kids laughing and tossing the leaves in the air while their parents take hundreds of photos for their family album.  The kids love it and so do I – just sitting there snapping away.

To see them running around picking up the leaves and then laughing and throwing them in the air gives the spirits a lift.

Of course the mums and dads are having just as much fun as they take their photos – the main thing is the kids are enjoying themselves – and for that matter so am I.

Time to move along and explore – this avenue goes for miles but the colour is brilliant so I don’t mind walking under this canopy especially when there is a breeze every now and again and the leaves start to fall

Moving along – plenty of sports fields for soccer and also an area for Disc Golf which was created in the 60’s and played with different discs being used for driving for distance, approach and putting and even curving certain ways to get around obstacles.

The courses have pars like traditional Golf, so each course has a par set for it. Usually over 18 holes the par can range from 54 to 72.  Definitely not for me.

More walking – this time to the Flowering Tree Garden where there are some beautiful Camellias.  The colours are outstanding –

The pink is so intense on one tree – so beautiful. This tree is definitely the highlight of the area at this time of year especially with the pink carpet that surrounds the trunk.

We have to meet up back at the top of the avenue so after another long walk there is a lovely little rest area where I spend some time just sitting in the shade and looking and waiting but soon the group is back together and it is time to venture forth and head to the Japanese Garden which we are told has the most incredible displays of Bonsai.

Past highly coloured maple trees and an area set aside called The Children’s Forest – and after yet another long trek – we arrive at the entrance to a secluded spot that houses the exhibition. Bonsai is one of the Japanese traditional arts – trees of a certain age that have been planted in pots or on rocks and carefully cultivated and shaped to express various natural refinements.

In the display, there are many excellent Bonsai donated from growers in Japan.  Above left is a White Pine and on the right – a Japanese Maple. They are displayed to match the season.

In Autumn there is a persimmon tree and many trees with highly coloured leaves.  It is a marvel how these trees have been nurtured in a way that the branches grow and the plants are kept small.

So many beautiful tiny trees – I can understand why they call this ‘living art’.

After wandering around for about an hour it is time for the group to meet outside the garden and start our way back to the city.

We are all pretty well flagged out so RL decides we will get the little train back to the entrance.  It is like travelling back in time and the best part is that the train stop is right outside the garden so we don’t have to walk far.  Into the little carriages and it’s time to chugg away.  It’s great to feel like a kid again!

Past some more wonderful colours and we are soon back to the beginning.  Time for a bit of a break and a cool drink – Iced Lemon Tea purchased from one of the thousands of vending machines – so delicious.  Both hot and cold refreshments are available – it’s amazing.  I must get up the courage to try the hot coffee in a can.

Today will be a long day so we purchase some light lunch refreshments to eat on the way to Sensoji Temple. It is not really acceptable to eat on public transport except for the long journeys but we are discreet and get away with it.

The day sure heated up – the catch phrase ‘unseasonably warm’ – was used on more than one occasion.