The first thing I noticed after taking the crowded Tozai line to the Takebashi station was the inner moat surrounding the palace grounds. The water was calm and came right up to the huge stone wall that also surrounds the palace grounds. After walking through the palace gates we were confronted by another stone wall encasing a hill. My group stopped by this wall for a bit to take in how big both the stones (which seemed bigger than the stones used in the outside wall) and the wall itself was. One member of my group said the rocks were placed in such a way that they were earthquake proof and had no mortar or any connecting substance between them. I'm not sure, however, if what he said is true or not. I am curious to know how old the stones are however.
On the short way to the Tenshudai (the remains of the castle tower), we noticed an odd looking building to the left. None of us knew what the building was, what it was used for, or if people could enter inside. The architecture was really interesting and there were mosaic murals on part of the building. Here's a picture:
After looking at the map again, this building is supposedly the Tokagakudo Music Hall. I wouldn't have guessed that.
On the way to the Tenshudai we also noticed the huge grassy area in the middle of the grounds. A couple of people were laying down on blankets, or just relaxing in the afternoon sun. The palace grounds seem like a nice place to come to relax, which I assume is a big reason why most people go there. Although of course people go there to learn or experience the history of the grounds as well. Many groups from class were at the top of the Tenshudai; not a whole lot of other people were there. A couple of old ladies were just sitting on the benches there. One looked like she was about to doze off. The top wasn't too high, but we could see how huge the grounds really are. I wonder how much work it takes to maintain the area. Many trees surround the grassy lawn, and beyond the trees were the buildings of the Marunouchi and surrounding areas. Sounds of birds, bugs, and city life all mixed together.
Next my group went to the Higashi Gyoen aka the East Garden. We got a bit lost on the way, since we ended up just following other groups around, but after looking at a map we all found the garden. I thought the garden was really beautiful and peaceful. There were many different types of trees around the pond (which had koi fish in it), and I think there was also an area for irises to grow. The sun was starting to set, and while exploring the garden I forgot there was a city behind the barrier of trees. Of course I would be reminded of that fact when I would hear a car horn, etc. After climbing up some stairs to reach a waterfall, you could really see a great view of the garden below. I really love Japanese gardens, and although this garden wasn't necessarily extravagant, it was beautiful.
There was a light post that I saw on the way out of the grounds that I'm sure must have some sort of significance since it was there and had a sign next to it. I couldn't read any of the kanji on the sign, but I'm assuming it must be a remnant of some era.
Here's a picture of my group by the way!
While leaving the palace grounds from the Otemon gate, it was interesting to note how it felt like there were two different worlds right next to each other with the grounds on the left and the city on the right. Outside the palace grounds there were a lot of people running. I've heard that the area was a popular place for runners, so I guess it is true.
Next we walked to the Wadakura Fountain Park where we rested for a bit. I've noticed in Japan that some parks have a of of concrete in theme. I guess that makes sense for a water fountain park, but usually when I picture a park I think of green grass and trees. Anyway, the water fountains were pretty interesting. There was one main fountain to the right of the park, and a smaller sphere fountain to the right. There was also a restaurant in the park as well. A couple of people were outside taking pictures of the water fountains, but other than that it was pretty empty. I wonder what the history behind the park is. I probably wouldn't have stopped there if I was on my own, but it was a nice little park.
On Hibiya dori we got to see the Tokyo Ginko Kyokai Building which had a brick styled bottom and a concrete top, which is reminiscent of the area during the Meiji period. I'm not sure how else to describe it, here's a picture:
This building definitely stood out against the rest of the buildings there. The Marunouchi area was once referred to as the "London Block" during the Meiji area since the model for the area was once the "financial district of London" (Mansfield 104). Although back then the are was thought as "a forlorn and lonely place" I definitely did not get that feeling of the current Marunouchi area (Mansfield 104). I felt like the area was really nice. There were trees up and down the clean streets, many brand name shops were located there, and the various bench art there was nice as well. Overall the main street we walked down seemed peaceful in comparison to other areas of Tokyo. There are many areas in Tokyo with upper class shopping areas, Ginza comes to mind, but to me the Marunouchi area seemed a bit more comfortable than those areas.
We also stopped by the Marunouchi Brick Square (more brick usage) where there were more cute shops, cafes, a little garden area, and well dressed people. Compared to the Japanese feel of the Imperial Grounds, the brick square had a very different feeling. The brick buildings definitely give off a more European vibe. It seemed like a really nice area, and I'd like to go back sometime to explore the shops more.
My group had a little bonding experience when we were trying to visit the Mitsubishi Ichigokan building where free archives are located. We climbed a small set of stairs to go to where we thought the entrance of the archives was. Then we ended up going into an elevator since we thought we had to. After a minute or two the doors open to the brick square area again. We literally moved three feet down from where we were. This was pretty hilarious to us all, since we thought we would end up at the archives and also since the elevator ride seemed to take a long time for the amount of space we moved.
Anyway after checking out the archives quickly, we headed to Tokyo Station. Out of all the places we visited that day, I think that the Tokyo Station was the place that most surprised me. The outside looks just like it did when it opened in 1914. No other station or building that I've been to in Tokyo looks like Tokyo Station. People gathered around the station to get pictures of the building. Apparently the station was under construction for five years and was just recently finished. Here I encountered the familiar crowded hustle and bustle of people moving around, getting from one place to another. Tokyo Station really is amazing. I wonder how Japanese people view the station since the outside appears so different from other buildings in Tokyo. I think that the stations height and width surprised me as well since most of the buildings here are tall, not wide.
Inside the station was a dome area with beautiful architecture as well. Many people were stopping to take pictures here too. Beneath the ground level of the station are various themed "streets" such as Kitchen street and Character street. It's amazing how many shops are located there. I checked out the character street with a friend and had trouble not buying all the incredibly cute things I saw.
To me, Tokyo Station seemed like the most fascinating region of the city. I wonder how long the original development of the station took during the Meiji era. I'm also curious as to if the station has always had the same outside appearance I know it was recently redeveloped, but I wonder how the area looked between 1914 and before the redevelopment. Tokyo seems known to be constantly changing, but I think that such a constant change must be tiresome. If everything is constantly changing, then people have to constantly adapt to that change. Maybe for those who are born and raised in Tokyo it's not such a big deal, but for me, this is my first time living in a big city. It would be sad to come back here five years from now to see that most of the areas I was once familiar with have changed. Tokyo also has such a rich culture that it seems like a shame to have such important landmarks torn down. I believe that one of the readings mentioned how only a gate of a former daimyo's residence remains in the Marunouchi area. I'm really curious about how the Marunouchi area would have looked back when the daimyo lived there.
Overall it was a lot to take in during the few hours we spent in these areas, but the trip was amazing. I probably would not have seen or explored these places had I just been on my own.
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