Gajoen

Gajoen is a facility for wedding ceremony with restaurants, hotel and 100 steps stairs.
Hall way is decorated accordingly by season, mainly in Japanese taste.

There're artificial waterfalls and a pond in the garden.

100 steps stairs are in the wooden building built in 1935.
Actually steps are 99 and connected to 7 rooms.
Each room has unique decoration on walls and ceilings.

These rooms are used for exhibitions now.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Meguro station on Yamanote Line
Megro station on Mita Line (I01/Toei Subway) /
Namboku Line (N01/Tokyo Metro)

<Admission>

Free of Charge


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Daienji Temple

Daienji Temple is at the middle of steep slope (Gyonin Zaka) in Meguro.
It's opened in early 17th century, but this temple had fire which became a huge fire to burn city of Edo in late 18th century.

Stone statues of 500 Disciples of Buddha were made after this fire for victims.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Meguro station on Yamanote Line
Megro station on Mita Line (I01/Toei Subway) /
Namboku Line (N01/Tokyo Metro)

<Admission>

Free of Charge

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Sengakuji Temple

Sengakuji Temple is famous for the story of Chushingura.
Chushingura is a revenge story in Edo era.

A feudal load Asano Takuminokami attacked Kira Kozukenosuke with a sword in Edo castle.

Asano was assigned a host for imperial visitors and Kira was an instructor of manner to receive imperial visitors.They didn't have good relationship and Asano lost control himself when he encountered Kira on Matsu no Roka (hall way with sliding doors with pictures of pine trees) in Edo castle.

There's a monument to show where Matsu no Roka was in Higashi Gyoen of Imperial Palace.

Fighting in Edo Castle was prohibited and Asano got a death penalty.
Also, his fedal domain of Ako was demoted.

47 samurai of his men secretly prepared for revenge, they killed Kira at his home after almost 2 years later.

They walked to Sengakuji Temple where Asano's grave was to show Kira's head to Asano.
There's a well which water they washed Kira's head with.

All samurai got death penalty since their revenge was against Government's judge two years ago.
Their graves are in the same block next to their load Asano Takuminokami.

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<The Nearest Station>

Sengakuji station on Asakusa Line (A07/Toei Subway)

<Admission>

Free of Charge

7:00 - 18:00   (Apr. - Sep.)
7:00 - 17:00   (Oct. - Mar.)

500 yen to enter Memorial Hall

9:00 - 16:30   (Apr. - Sep.)
9:00 - 16:00   (Oct. - Mar.)

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This story was so popular among people in Edo era and has been played in Kabuki until now.
Many dramas, movies and novels have been made based on this story, too

.

JR in Tokyo

Yamanote Line is a main line of JR (Japan Railways) in Tokyo.
It makes a big circle and has major stations like Shinjuku, Ikebukuro, Akihabara, Tokyo, Shinagawa, Shibuya etc.

It has 31 stations and takes about one hours to make a circle.
So, it'll take about 30 minutes to go to the station on the other side of the circle.

Keihin Tohoku Line goes side by side with Yamanote Line on East side of the circle.
From Tabata through Shinagawa, Keihin Tohoku Line skips stations during daytime.

Chuo Line goes from South to North. (Tokyo - Shinjuku etc.)
It has Rapid train which skips stations and Local train which stops all stations.

Shinjuku has the most passengers in Japan.
Average is about 750,000 passengers a day.

The second is Ikebukuro with 550,000 passengers followed by Tokyo with 420,000 passengers.

Subways in Tokyo

 As I mentioned in the yesterdays article, Tokyo has two different subway systems.
One is "Toei Subway" operated by Metropolitan Government and another one is "Tokyo Metro".

 You can purchase tickets to go through both systems, but it's cheaper to stay in one system.
Some study to combine these 2 systems is going on but it may take long time to get the result.

 Toei Subway has 4 lines and Tokyo Metro has 9 lines.
Each line has an alphabet letter and each station has number. (ex. A12)
If one station has multiple numbers (ex. A09/E20), you can transfer from one line to other line(s).

<Toei Subway>

Asakusa Line    (A)
Mita Line          (I)
Shinjuku Line    (S)
Oedo Line         (E)

<Tokyo Metro>

Ginza Line            (G)
Marunouchi Line    (M)
Hibiya Line            (H)
Tozai Line             (T)
Chiyoda Line         (C)
Yurakucho Line      (Y)
Hanzomon Line      (Z)
Namboku Line       (N)
Fukutoshin Line     (F)

 Also, each line has its own color.

 There're sign board on the street at the entrance of subways.
Both system has sign board of front face of the train.

 Toei Subway has a leaf of gingkos and Tokyo Metro has letter M.

Public Transportation System in Tokyo

In Tokyo, using public transportation system is economial and convenient.
Trains are punctual and you don't have to wait so long. It comes every 5 minutes or so.

JR is an abbreviation of Japan Railways.
Yamanote Line makes a big circle to stop at main stations in Tokyo.
Chuo Line runs from North to South to connect Shinjuku station and Tokyo station.

Subway system has so many lines and makes a big network.
We have two different systems.
One is Toei Subway which is operated by Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Another one is Tokyo Metro.

You have to go through ticket gate to get into JR/Subway stations.
You can purchase ticket at automated ticket machine and wand or put into the slot at the ticket gate to go through.

 

There's an "English" button to change the screen to "English" mode.

Prepaid cards (SUICA or PASMO) are available if you use JR/Subway/Bus many times.
You can use this cards at vending machines and convenience stores.
500 yen deposit is required when you purchase it but you can get it back when you return it.

There's a street car line (Arakawa Line) and some new transportation systems like Toneri Liner, Yurikamome , Tokyo Monorail.

We have so many bus lines and they are pretty punctual, too.
You can use SUICA/PASMO on buses, too.

Tips

I'll add a new page which title is Tips.
On this page, I'd like to put useful information to enjoy Tokyo.

First, I recommend to use these "Pages" in my blog.

Basically, links to detail articles in each category are available on pages.
You may have places with no links.
These are future articles.
They'll be linked when the articles are released.

You can use these pages as index to find places where you are interested in.
(F) indicates the place requiring no admission fee.
Currently, I have following pages.

* Gardens/Parks
* Museums
* Temples/Shrines etc.
* Other Spots
* In the Season
* Tours
* Tips (I added this today.)


"Other Spots" has Observatories, Architectures, Towns and Theaters.

"In the season" has "Autumn Leaves"and"Cherry Blossoms".
I'm planning to add "Illuminations", "Fireworks" and so on.

"Tours" has model plans of one day tour to enjoy Tokyo.
I'm glad to guide you if you like. (I'm certified National Guide.)

Send e-mail to book tours.    fukudarichie@gmail.com

Mohri Garden

Mohri Garden is a Japanese garden right next to Mori Tower at Roppongi Hills.
This area was urban villa of Hidemoto Mohri, feudal load in Edo era.

A new garden was rebuilt when Roppongi Hills area was developed in 2003.
This garden is small but has a pond and stream with waterfall surrounded by trees.

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<The Nearest Station>

Roppongi station on Hanzomon Line (H04/Tokyo Metro) /
Oedo Line (E23/Toei Subway)

<Admission>

Free of Charge

7:00-23:00

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Roppongi Hills

Roppongi Hills is a commercial complex with Mori Tower Building.
It has an observatory (Tokyo City View), museums, residence, hotel, movie theater, TV station, radio station, restaurants and shops.

There's a Japanese garden (Mohri Garden) beside the building.
An object of the spider is kind of the symbol of this place and it's called Maman.

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<The Nearest Station>

Roppongi station on Hanzomon Line (H04/Tokyo Metro) /
Oedo Line (E23/Toei Subway)

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Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre

Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre is at Ikebukuro West Gate Park.
There're 4 theaters and 4 galleries in this big building.

The largest concert hall is from 6th floor through 9th floor with almost 2000 seats.
There's a one of the largest pipe organ in the world which can be rotated 180 degree.

They have a middle size theatre and two small size theaters.

Different kinds of performances are going on all the time.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Ikebukuro station on Yamanote Line / Saikyo Line etc.
Ikebukuro station on Seibu Ikebukuro Line / Tobu Tojo Line
Ikebukuro station on Marunouchi Line / Yirakucho Line / Fukutoshin Line
(M25/Y09/F09/Tokyo Metro)

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Free concert may be held on the open air stage at the West Gate Park.

Mejiro Garden

Mejiro Garden is relatively small but beautifully maintained garden with a pond in the middle.
There's a waterfall coming through rocks.

The gate is Nagayamon style which was popular in Edo era.

This garden seems to have a long history.
But surprisingly, this garden was built in 1990.

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<The Nearest Station>

Mejiro station on Yamanote Line

<Admission>

Free of Charge    Closed on the 2nd and 4th Mondays

9:00-17:00

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Yushima Tenjin Shrine

Yushima Tenjin Shrine started in 458 by the order of the emperor and Michizane Sugawara was deified in 1335.

Michizane Sugawara is known as a genius in late 9th century.
He made a poem when he was 5 years old.

So this shrine is popular among students who are facing to the entrance examination of the school.

People write their wishes on the wooden plates which are called Ema.

There're several approaches to this shrine.
Steep stairway is called Otokozaka or Men's slope and the other gentle stairway is called Onnazaka or Women's slope.

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<The Nearest Station>

Yushima station on Chiyoda Line (C13/Tokyo Metro)

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