Background

Historically Shinjuku park was the Imperial family’s private garden, during World War two the garden was destroyed. After the war the park was fixed and reopened with the name Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.

What to see

Shinjuku Gyoen park has over 20,000 tree’s of which 1,500 are cherry tree’s. Going to Shinjuku Gyoen during cherry blossom season is recommend if you get the opportunity. The garden has three distinct styles, English landscape, traditional Japanese and French Formal.

How to get there

Shinjuku Gyoen has three entrance gates, Sendagaya gate is right beside the JR Sendagaya station, Shinjuku gate is right beside Shinjukugyoenmae Station, and Okido Gate is right beside Shinjukugyoenmae station as well.

Admission & working hours

The park is open from 9:00 to 16:00, and is closed on Mondays and national holidays  (open during cherry blossom season). Admission fee is currently at 200 Yen.

More information here

47 Ronin Story

Sengakuji temple’s fame comes from the 47 Ronin and their story which you can read below;

The story of the 47 Ronin is about a group of samurai who had lost their leader ( daimyo) because he was forced commit seppuku (Suicide) for attacking a court official named Kira Yoshinaka. The 47 Ronin wished to avenge their masters honor, so they waited and prepared for one year and a half until December 14th 1702 until they could finally get their chance to kill Kira. After killing Kira the Samurai brought Kira’s head to Sengakuji. The 47 ronin were sentenced to commit seppuku for the murder of Kira. The grave of 47 ronin is now at Sengakuji temple along with their armor. Every December 14th a festival takes place in memory of the 47 ronin at Sengakuji, which usually gets thousands of attendee’s.

The story of the 47 Ronin is popular in Japan because it symbolizes loyalty, persistence, honor and sacrifice.

Location

The temple is located right beside Sengakuji station. You can also take a short walk from Shinagawa station. From Tokyo you can use the JR Yamanote line to get to either Sengakuji station or Shinagawa station.

Working hours & admission

The temple is open from 7:00 to 18:00 and is open every day of the week. There is no admission fee.

Background information

Shinagawa is located inside the Tokyo Bay, and is surrounded by Koto, Minato, Meguro and Ota. Historically Shinagawa has long been a transportation hub catering to travelers, all the way up since Japan’s Edo Period people passed by Shinagawa to get into Tokyo.

Things to do

Shinagawa may not have has much to offer like Shinjuku but it is still a pretty interesting and fun ward nonetheless. Since Shinagawa is a transportation hub it has many shops and restaurants which cater to European and American tastes so if you’re already tired of Japanese food or just want to eat some western food Shinagawa is a good place to find delicious food with decent price’s when compared to Ginza which is very price.

Areas and things to check out

Sengakuji Temple – Is a famous Temple because it is the resting place of 47 Ronin, a group famous for avenging their slain master. Definitely check this temple out if you are interested in lore. The temple is open from 7:00 to 18:00 every day and there is no admission fee.

Epson Aqua Stadium – Is located behind Takanawa Wing West, the aquarium has a dolphin and seal show and hundreds of species of fish on display, ticket price for adults is 1,800 Yen middle school kids at 1,000 yen and for 600 yen for kids over four. The aquarium is open from 10 am to 9 pm

Hara Museum of Contemporary Art – This museum hosts varies exhibits which showcase Pre-war Japan architecture and also has a very nice cafe open from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm located at 4-7-25 Kitashinagawa, admission fee is 1000 yen or 700 yen for students. The museum is located 15 minutes from JR Shinagawa station (Takanawa Exit) by foot or 5 minutes by taxi.http://www.haramuseum.or.jp/generalTop.html

How to get to Shinagawa

You can get to Shinagawa by using the JR Yamanote Line or the Tokaido Shinkansen. You can get there from Tokyo station in under 10 minutes for 160 yen by riding the JR Yamanote Line, or in 18 minutes from Shinjuku Station via the JR Yamanote Line. There are other lines that can take you to Shinagawa but the JR Yamanote Line is the fastest and simplest, if you wish to try other lines there is also the JR Tokaido Main Line, JR Yokosuka Line and Keikyu Main Line

Picture licensed under Creative Commons 3.0 user chris 73

History

The shrine was completed in 1920, eight years after the death of the emperor. During World War two bombings the shrine was destroyed, after the end of the war the shrine was rebuilt by public donations.

Why go see it

The Meiji Shrine covers 700,000 square-meters and has over 120,000 tree’s. Meiji shrine is also an active Shinto temple so you might be able to see a traditional Japanese wedding if you are lucky. The shrine’s location make’s it a nice escape from the hustle and bustle of Harajuku and Yoyogi which are right around it.

Location

The Meiji shrine is located near Harajuku Station ( from the south) or Yoyogi station by the North entrance.

Working hours & admission

The shrine is open from sunrise to sunset and open every day, admission is free

Background information

Asakusa is located on the north east side of Central Tokyo, near the eastern end of the Ginza subway line in an area commonly refereed to as Shitamachi ( low city) which refers to the area of old Tokyo which has a low elevation and is near the Sumida River.

Things to do

Asakusa has much to offer, especially in festivals ( Matsuri’s) and Temples. Because Asakusa has such a high amount of older building’s you are more likely to find traditional Japanese style houses/buildings, which are interesting to see and great for photographers. You can also experience a night or two at a traditional Japanese guest house (Ryokan).

Areas and things to check out at Asakusa

Sumida River: You can take a small boat cruise down the Sumida river, which will let you see more of Asakusa

Geisha: Asakusa is Tokyo’s oldest geisha district and still has a 45 working geisha.

Sensō-ji: This ancient Buddhist temple is Tokyo’s oldest temple and one of Tokyo’s most significant.

Kappabashi Dori Avenue : This area is the restuarant/food sale area of the city, great place to get snacks and only a 10 minute walk from Sensoji Temple

Hanayashiki: The oldest amusement park in Japan, has a many rides and would be a great place to visit if you have kids, it is a five minute walk from Asakusa station. ( there is a small admission fee)

How to get to Asakusa

You can use the Ginza Subway line or the TOEI Asakusa line. You can also get to Asakusa by boat by using the Sumida River. It is a 40 minute trip from Odaiba where you board.

(Article based on Wikipedia article and used under the GNU Free Documentation License)

Why go check this site out?

Firstly this site is located in the center of Tokyo, it is really amazing to see so much greenery in one of the most expensive cities in the world. The east gardens are also magnificently made and a spectacle for nature lovers or photographers. The gardens are surround by cherry blossom tree’s which is a great viewing spot during the Japanese cherry blossom season.

Admission and working hours

The Imperial garden is open every day but Monday and Friday, also the garden is closed, alibet rarely on special occasions. There is currently no admission fee for entrance

Hours of operation

March 1st to April 14th: 9:00 am to 4.30 pm

April 15th to end of august:9:00 am to 5:00 pm

September 1st to end of October 9:00 am to 4:30 pm

November 1st to end of February 9:00 am to 4:00 pm

How to enter

To enter you can go through; Ote-mon Gate, Hirakawa-mon Gate or Kitahanebashi-mon Gate

Source

History

The current Imperial Palace was the site of Edo Castle ( Edo is the previous name for Tokyo) . During World War Two the castle was destroyed by bombings, after the end of the war the castle was rebuilt in the same style which it was previously.

Site seeing

Tokyo Imperial Palace is not open to the public except on January 2, and December 23rd the emperors Birthday. Even though the main section of the palace is not open there is much to see around the palace  such as the Imperial Palace East Gardens. ( You must book a tour to see this site/ the tour’s will be offered in English/ it is recommend to book in advance for something such as this)

* Note no tour is needed for the Imperial Palace East Gardens but for the Imperial Palace itself ( inside) you will need a tour guide.

How to get to Tokyo Imperial Palace

The Tokyo Imperial palace is a 10 minute walk from Tokyo Station.

Picture Source

So what does Cherry blossom season signify in Japan?

Japan’s cherry blossom signifies the start of spring and marks the start of the new school year for students, it is also the start of new finical year for business’s.

Things you should know:

Getting a good viewing spot in Tokyo can be a somewhat difficult process, many Japanese citizens go ahead of time to place blankets to reserve spots. Ueno Park and Shinjuku gyoen park are popular places for cherry blossom viewing, but they are also the most packed, so if you intend to go there be ready for big crowds.

When does Cherry blossom season start?

Cherry blossom season starts when the cherry blossom tree’s begin to Bloom. When this occurs is different, depending on where you are in Japan. Cherry blossom’s typically begin to bloom in Okinawa and work their way up to Tokyo. Usually the cherry blossom tree’s will bloom in between March and May but nothing is set in stone. Once the tree’s begin to bloom, cherry blossom blooming will only last a week at most, which is why the rush for viewing spots can be so competitive. ( The current average bloom time for Cherry blossom tree’s in Tokyo is around March 28th)

What are the best viewing spots in Tokyo?

Shinjuku Gyoen – Located in Tokyo’s Shinjuku district. This spot has over 1,000 cherry tree’s and is very popular. ( 200 yen fee for park entrance, and is located near Shinjuku station)

Ueno Park – This cherry blossom spot is located near one of the most crowded area’s in Japan. This park is usaly very packed if not the most packed so if your an early bird this would be a good spot for you, but if you rather take you time then shinjuku Gyoen would be more preferable to you. ( Entrance fee is 0 yen, and the park is right beside Ueno Station)

Sumida Park – This spot is a little more unique then Ueno park and Shinjuku park, it is streched alongside the Sumida river which makes viewing a little more pleasant. ( Admission is 0 yen, located right beside Asakusa Station)

Note: Coming of age party is a public holiday and is held on the second Monday of January. It is attended by young women celebrating their entrance into adulthood.

Cost

Furisode is one of the most expensive kimono available especially if it is for the coming of age party. Such a kimono can easily cost more then 10,000 dollars so it has become popular to rent the kimono for a day or two only and not purchase it.

Just like in the west Christmas takes place on December 25th , tree’s and lights are being set up by an increasing number of Japanese. A “Christmas Cake” is bought on Christmas Eve and eaten by the family in celebration. Christmas is very popular among couples due to much of the hype of romanticism by the Japanese media so dating or going out on Christmas Eve is very common for couples.

Hours of Operation for shops

Christmas may be gaining traction in Japan as a holiday but currently it is not. So shops will remain open their normal hours.

Japanese language tips; if you want to say merry Christmas in Japanese, just say merry Christmas the pronunciation is the same.