As summer is here the Ueno zoo has started opening late so that people can see the animals in the "cool". Some of the animals had come out to enjoy the "cool" temperature of 33 C that apparently felt like 38 C. There was also some guy who dressed up like a Panda and there was a view of the Tokyo skytree across the lilypads. I also sampled some fine Yakitori.
After exiting the Denenchofu station (one of the more European stations I have visited in Tokyo complete with streets radiating from the entrance forecourt like spokes in a wheel, tree lined streets and water features) I headed towards the Tama River. Passing through one of the more opulent parts of Tokyo that I have seen, past a pretty little park, and a short ascent to the banks above the Tama River there is a park containing 6 ancient burial mounds. From the embankment high above the river there were also glimpses of a snow capped Mount Fuji behind the buildings.
Summer truly is the season for festivals in Japan. Just down
near Tamachi station over the weekend the local community closed one of the
major roads in the area and held the local festival. This festival was a little
different in that it had Brazilian dancers instead of Hawaiian dancers though
the obligatory mascot was there.
Back up to Yoyogi park and this weekend the Tokyo Brazilian
community held a festival not really similar to the Thai festival. There was mascots, again, and Australian or American beer???
Could this be a little bit of Brussels in Tokyo?
A short 30 minute high speed boat ride from
Hiroshima is Miyajima Island. Known mainly for its giant “floating” tori the
island has held special religious significance since the mid-8thcentury. Deer
wonder freely around the island and help themselves to any spare food that may
not be secured. Itsukushima shrine built on stilts in front of the tori
(apparently the shrine was built on stilts over the water so that “commoners”
could visit theshrine without leaving foot prints on the island), and you can
climb Mt. Misen (530m) for views back over towards Hiroshima (hiking up the
last 1.5 kilometres of stairs when its 35 degrees Celsius and 80 precent
humidity can be testing) but the climb through the forest and the view makes it
all worthwhile.
Four hours from Tokyo on the Nozomi super express
Shinkasen and you arrive in Hiroshima. What can be said about Hiroshima? The
A-bomb dome, children’s monument and flame of peace all stand as sombre reminders
of the almost 140,000 who died as a result ofthe atomic bombing in August 1945.
The city also has the iconic castle and several spectacular gardens including
the Shukkei garden.
