Tokyo 2015 - Part 2

Tokyo 2015

This is part two of the gallery for photos and videos I took while in Tokyo in 2015. Click here for part 1.

Photos - Ramen for Lunch

After much research, I decided on a top-rated ramen shop near Iidabashi station - don't recall the name at the moment but I have it saved in an archive somewhere and I'll update this whenever I dig it up. The stall was barely able to fit 10 customers and food prep was made and served by 2 cooks behind a little bar. The process was to wait outside until there was space to stand inside. Once inside, there was a push button machine that takes orders and provides a coded ticket in exchange for payment of that order. The ticket is then handed to one of the cooks when they get a free moment. After that, you get to stand and wait until one of the few seats has opened up. Amazing food - fun experience - seems like it would be hell to try to eat there with a group of 2 or more people.

Worth the Wait

I stood in line with 15+ other people just to eat at this ramen shop. In the heat. With no shade. And yes, it was that good. Here you see the few people still ahead of me (about 45 minutes of waiting to go).

Inside the Shop

The inside was just big enough for 7-8 people to sit at the counter, 2-3 people to stand against the wall, and for the food ordering machine.

Photos - Yoyogi Park

This is one of the many, many parks in Tokyo. I chose this one to visit because it was closest to the other parts of the city I wanted to visit. I spent about 1.5 hours to stroll across the park and see the Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Park Entrance

One of the beautiful entrances to the park. This one is on the northwest side of the park near the horse building (no idea what it is called). Torii gates like this are everywhere in Tokyo but I'm particularly partial to the plain wood ones.

Park Path

The path from the northwest gate towards the Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Everything Has Limits

They are very protective of the wilderness in their parks. At one point in my life that might have bothered me but now I can appreciate how important it is to protect old ecosystems such as those found in these spaces.

Not All Limited Though

Despite the limits, there is a lot of green space that is open for use by everyone.

Lots of Green Space

Not many people taking advantage of that space in the middle of a work day though.

Park Bathroom

This was the mens' public restroom in the park outside the large temple. It was a free bathroom and yes, that is a bidet. I didn't do a good job of capturing the door to the stall though. It was a curved wood door - floor to ceiling - that was actually curved and slid back and forth.

Shrine Courtyard - South Side

Sourthern side of the shrine building looking from the courtyard. The building is the traditional style in which a large courtyard is enclosed on all sides and there are large wooden doors allowing access through that building in places. I didn't have the pleasure of seeing inside the shrine on this trip but hopefully next time!

Shrine Courtyard - East Side

It would be amazing to see this courtyard full of people during a festival. The people in this photo only help a little to give a sense of scale - it is huge!

South Torii

The southern entrance to the shrine. The sides of the walk was lined with places to buy small items to aid in prayer. This is just outside the courtyard to the south.

Long Walk

The formal entrance to the shrine leads south and southeast through the park. It is massive and lined with gravel that was constantly maintained - a park worker can be seen sweeping the gravel on the far right side.

Photos - Shrines and Temples

Shrines and temples are everywhere in Tokyo. I mostly saw shinto shrines but there are also buddhist shrines and the occasional other religious building. All of them are a pleasure to look at and some were more important than I realized at the time.

New and Old

Sadly, I totally forgot where this shrine is. I recall seeing it early in the day and so it is probably somewhere near the Tokyo Metropolitan Government area of town. I found the difference between the old-style shrine in the foreground and the new skyscrappers in the background quite striking. If you notice, there is also a security camera in the very near foreground. Tokyo is safe but that doesn't mean they don't enjoy surveillance as much as the next government.

Neighborhood Shrine

I stumbled across this modern shrine along a small neighborhood street. It seemed open to the public but I (sadly) didn't take the time to stop.

Shrine Statue

Even small shrines around town were ornately decorated and nestled in greenery.

Rooftop Temple

I can't remember where I took this - probably in or near Shinjuku. You can just barely see s amall temple/shrine on top of the building near the middle of the photo.

Nestled Here and There

The wall of trees and wooden torii between the two buildings hints at something important. It is actually the entrance to Hanazono Shrine on Yasukuni Dori (street) in Shinjuku.

Peaceful Path

Immediately after stepping through the outer torii, the atmosphere changes. The city has done an excellent job of maintaining some sense of tranquility for their sacred spaces. Walking down this path, the noise of the city fades away and all that remains is the calm of the shrine.

Hanazono Shrine Courtyard

This is the view looking down the shrine steps towards the central courtyard. The trees on the far right are those that mark the pathway between buildings that I had come through. Straight ahead is a heavily forested area that holds a smaller shrine and a few other small buildings.

Hanazono Shrine

The vibrant colors and hidden location bely the fact that this shrine is one of the oldest in Tokyo. It was founded in the mid-17th century and has sat on this same spot since then. I avoided taking any more detailed photos of the place out of respect for the people praying there.