Day 4, being a Sunday, was the best time to visit Harajuku to experience Japan's most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles. We thought that we would be better off going there in the afternoon when it's packed with people. That left us with a free Sunday morning and the weather was good, Mei Lee wanted to visit Japanese gardens. We then decided on Imperial East Gardens in the Imperial Palace.
Like our other trips, we catched the train to Imperial East Garden. The public transport is so reliable that all the trains that we took, never once was late, even when there was an accident. All our journeys were done outside rush hours and we never waited more than 1 minute for the next train to arrive. Impressive! It was very clean and no one was on the phone as well. Only start making/taking calls after leaving the train. Something that we can never get in Melbourne!
A very long, clean train with well-behaved commuters
450 metres to Imperial Palace
Sceneries of Autumn outside Imperial Palace
Us with Tokyo city at the back, outside Imperial Palace
We arrived at the Sakuradamon GateThe Meganebashi Bridge is the entrance to the inner palace grounds. Unfortunately, the palace buildings and inner gardens are not open to public. Only on January 2 (New Year's Greeting) and December 23 (Emperor's Birthday), visitors are allowed to enter the inner palace grounds and meet the Imperial family.
During the rest of the year, tour of the inner palace grounds must be reserved in advance with the Imperial Household Agency. We only decided in the morning itself, we had to settle with views from the outside. Still beautiful nonetheless.
During the rest of the year, tour of the inner palace grounds must be reserved in advance with the Imperial Household Agency. We only decided in the morning itself, we had to settle with views from the outside. Still beautiful nonetheless.
Meganebashi Bridge and Imperial Palace
Us with Meganebashi Bridge Imperial Palace at the back - 1
Lily with Meganebashi Bridge and Imperial Palace at the back
Us with Meganebashi Bridge and Imperial Palace at the back - 2
Lily at the Imperial Palace
Stephen at Imperial Palace
Lily with Edo Castle at the back - 1
Lily with Edo Castle at the back - 2
Stephen with Edo Castle at the back - 3
Lily with Edo Castle at the back - 4After a couple of bad turns and few directions from the guards on duty, we finally managed to find our way to the Imperial East Gardens (EG). EG are the former site of Edo Castle's innermost circle of defense and it has been transformed to a beautiful garden. We were expecting to see some Zen Garden but don't think there were any. Maybe in the Imperial Palace inner grounds.
Lily at the EG - 1
Lily at Ninomaru Japanese Garden
Us at Ninomaru Japanese Garden
Lily at the EG - 2Shortly past lunch, we marched on to Tokyo Station and catched Marunouchi Line to Harajuku. One thing we both appreciate is the discipline of the Japanese. At all the train stations we went to, the locals never fail to queue up to get onto the train. There is no marking or any indication on the floor, they just line up behind the first person behind the yellow line. Another thing that we can never get back in Melbourne.
Queue at train station - 1
Queue at train station - 2
Queue at train station - 3Approximately 5 minutes of train ride, we reached Harajuku! Takeshita Dori being the symbol of Harajuku and birthplace of many Japan's fashion trend, that was our first stop. It was a very narrow street, packed with people and kept on knocking on each other's shoulders. There were many wierd clothings on sale and don't think anywhere in the world can accept that kind fashion unless you are superstar like Gwen Stefani made a music video out of the Harajuku girls.
Harajuku Station
Takeshita Dori - 1
Takeshita Dori - 2
Takeshita Dori - 3
Takeshita Dori - 4
Extreme fashion clothings - 1
Extreme fashion clothings - 2Mission accomplished! :D
1 comment:
omg soo cool!
Post a Comment