Tokyo – David Kotz

Japan, day 15 (September 17): Tokyo’s Hama-rikyu Gardens

Exploring Hama-rikyu Gardens, Tokyo.

Our final day was relaxed, a chance to pack before our evening non-stop flight to Boston. So we took the opportunity for a morning walk around the Hama-rikyu Gardens… one last chance to enjoy the art and beauty of Japan! Donated to the public in 1945, “it was remodeled as a public garden on the site of a villa belonging to the ruling Tokugawa family in the 17th century.” These gardens (which we also visited late the day before) are unusual in that they are “surrounded by a seawater moat filled by Tokyo Bay” [Wikipedia]. Most of the original buildings are gone – destroyed by fire, earthquake, or war, but a 300 year-old black pine tree survives; likely planted by Tokugawa himself. Read on…

The large pond at Hama-rikyu Gardens, Tokyo, Japan.

Japan, day 14 (September 16): Tokyo, Meiji Shrine, Senso-ji temple, Geisha

We visit the Meiji Shrine and Senso-ji temple, then dinner with Geisha performers.

For our only full day in Tokyo we boarded buses to visit the Meiji Shrine, a Shinto shrine meant to memorialize Meiji, who ended the Shogun period and became the architect of Japan’s modernization. He died in 1914, and the city built the Shrine in 1920. Unfortunately, it (and much of Tokyo) was destroyed in WWII, but quickly rebuilt after the war. Today, despite pouring rain, it was crowded with tourists, as well as many young families with babies; it is customary to bring a newborn (at 30 days of age) to pray for their good health. Read on to see where we went in the afternoon!

Japan, Day 13 (September 15): Shinkansen, Tokyo

We hop the Shinkansen bullet train to Tokyo, enjoy lunch, then explore.

Today we disembarked for the last time, leaving the Resolution and boarding trains for Tokyo. In the Kanazawa train station we boarded the Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train), which left the station spot on time (Japanese bullet trains are never more than a few seconds late, and in 60 years have never experienced a single accident). Speeding at up to 260 km/h (162 mph) – and even faster between Omiya and Takasaki Stations, running at 275 km/h (171 mph) – we reached Tokyo in two and a half hours. Read on!

Hokuriku Shinkansen (bullet train) in Kanazawa, Japan.

Coastal Japan trip

The start of our next adventure.

We’re embarking today on the National Geographic Resolution, an arctic-class cruise ship identical to the ship (the Endurance) we sailed to South Georgia in March 2023. On this trip, Coastal Japan: Imperial Dynasties and Modern Culture, run by National Geographic on a ship managed by Lindblad Expeditions, Pam and I and my parents will be cruising along the southern coasts of Japan, and make a brief stop in South Korea, exploring many of the natural and cultural highlights of this beautiful region of the world. More to come, and you can be sure I’ll bring back lots of photographs!