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Every year at the New Year, a huge crowd of people queue up to pray. You can buy a special talisman or other symbolic items of luck and health for the new year. With special decotations and religious performances, the whole shrine creates a pleasant celebratory
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atmosphere.
There are also lots of booths selling various snacks and drinks inside the shrine’s grounds, so that you will not be hungry when you come home...
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Hamarikyu Garden is an oasis in the middle of Tokyo. Located near the coast of Tokyo Bay, just a few minutes walk from the Tsukiji fish market, it offers a nice escape and symbolizes the tradition and modernity coexisting in harmony in Tokyo. The ground of Hamarikyu was originally a hawking yard of the shogun, but when it was granted to one of the Shogun’s brothers in 1654, he did some reclamation work and built his second house. The residence later became officially the posession of the
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shogun family. The garden was changed and restyled for several decades. The main attractions are a 300-year old pine tree and a tea house in the middle of the Shori-no-ike pond, where you can actually enjoy real Japanese green tea. Bridges lead the way to the little island in the pond where the tea pavillon is situated. The mirroring of Shiodome’s skyscrapers in the pond are among the nicest views of Tokyo.
In spring you will be able to see plenty of flowers blooming in the special flower field. Other interesting features are the duck hunting ponds (kamoba). Interesting enough, this reminded us of a method of duck hunting that was also used in the very north of Germany in old times.
Click on the link to get further information about Hamarikyu Garden.
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are a bit familiar with the Japanese railway system you would take the JR train (Tokaido line) from Tokyo to Odawara and then change trains to Hakone-Yumoto. From here the Hakone-Tozan-Line will bring you up into the mountains with lots of spectacular views on the way. In the mountain region there are bus connections, mountain train services (with switchbacks), cable railways and ropeways connecting each tiny village, most of which have quite a few hotels with their own hot springs. It is the great advantage that you can easily get around the area without a private car.
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What to do in Hakone |
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Hakone is an ideal destination for the busy Tokyo citizen for a short holiday - quiet, natural, not too far, lots of onsens around. The area is volcanic and there are lot of hot springs and sulfur sources, which often entertain you with its overwhelming gushing and,
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of course, distinctive stench... There are various activities possible. Most interesting in this area will be hiking. There are several routes on top of the mountain chain or around Lake Ashi. This lake is most famous for its great view of Mount Fuji from Moto-Hakone (see above picture with Fuji san in the background middle, partly covered by clouds). Hakone shrine is also very nice with its shiny red torii, the front gate, in the lake water. Also well known is the Hakone Open Air Museum near Gora, where a number of interesting modern art “objects” are on exhibit in the vast park-like setting. Its
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“Picaso pavilion” also attracts many people with its good collection of Picasso’s original works. Several other museums featuring arts and handcrafts from the region (e.g. Hakone Art Museum with nice Japanese garden, close to the Koen-kami station on the cable
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railway line from Gora) are also popular.
Have a look at the photos of our stay by clicking on the icon...!
Click here for more information about Hakone.
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Where we stayed in Hakone |
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Check out our special ryokan information on this website, including the ryokan “Sanshien” in Ohiradai, Hakone, where we stayed this time.
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