Today I headed for Kairaku-en(literally park everybody can enjoy. Comes from the fact that when it was built unlike the other two big parks this was open to public and not just nobility) located in place called Mito.
I started up going early up and ended up in 9am rush. First train I took from home station to where I would switch train was TOTALLY crowded. Maybe small kid like my niece could have fit in but other than that it was totally crowded. Thankfully having been in couple rush hours already I have already picked up couple good survival tricks. Like when using escalators don't just STAND there waiting for escalator to bring you up or down but keep walking. There's like 2000 busy Japanese right on your tail trying to get to job as fast as possible!
Anyway on next stop took me 3 attempts to find train with some spare room for me to stand as well(shoulder to shoulder). But having left earlier than initial plans I thought I would be still on my way soon. Except that I then had to wait for train from Ueno to Mito enough that it was actually the very same train I was supposed to take. Lol. Could have waited 45 minutes before leaving. Then again...If I had then botched to board train due to crowd I would have missed this train. Wonder how long the Japanese rush times are? I thought 9 am trains wouldn't be so crowded anymore...
Arriving to Mito I then headed toward the park. Walked a while and started to think I must be close. Then I saw this:
This could take longer than I expected...
Luckily there was Senba-lake in between so I had more than just buildings to marvel on my way. The lake had lots of swans(called hakuchou in Japanese. Literally white bird. Well it's logical name I'll give them that!) and ducks. And lots of sakura leaf that have been falling to the water. The birds were after them like crazy. Guess it must be tasty food for them!
The black version of the swan(I'm guessing name is kokuchou) is actually pretty wild looking with the red eyes!
Lots of these on the lake. Also smaller boats. Considered renting small paddling boat but tad expensive plus didn't feel like starting sea adventure alone. With my luck would run out of paddling power middle of the lake :D
Circling the lake I arrived to place where were two statues and coffee restaurant where I went to eat very tasty pastry and drink some ice cold tea. The weather was again quite warm. As it is looks like I'm on luck with weather. Just as I started to use JR pass it got real pretty. On weekend it will rain but since I'm in Tokyo don't care that much. On Monday when I again go out of Tokyo it promises to be hot and sunny day. What a luck!
After this I started to home in on the Kairaku-en proper. Turns out it was on top of a small hill where view was positively stunning. Wonder what it must have looked before all these modern buildings started to appear?
Wonder what those ladder like formations are supposed to be?
Kairaku-en is actually most famous for it's plum trees. Unfortunately best time to visit this is late February/early March so I'm bit over month late...
There was also old styled Japanese building that was used by lord of the place in the former days. As usual with old style Japanese buildings going inside in shoes was big no-go. Into the plastic bag they went. This was only non-free place in the park(190 yen for entrance. About 1.5 euro or so).
Seriously I wonder how long drawing those wall pictures took? They were amazing!
Narrow! So narrow! Also took some extra care to walk in these narrow ways least I end up losing balance. Did not exactly want to think price of payment if I collapse through these paper-thin(literally) walls!
This room was btw used by two princes(before they became Emperors). Interesting that even such high ranked person didn't have huge room for himself. Even I have bigger room here available than this one!
My favourite room by far. Sakuras!
And the traditional garden attached to the building. Entering it was no go unfortunately so had to settle to wonder it from the building.
Which btw had yet another floor I ran just as I thought I had gone through it. Big building.
But the view was quite nice!
After this I spent time walking the plum tree area. If I come to Japan again so that I'm in late February got to come here again.
After plum trees I started to head toward "natural spring" I spotted on map(good thing there's these maps all over the place. It was quite a maze!). On my way ended up walking middle of these great trees. Refreshingly cool under the shade.
800 year old tree.
Timer is handy feature!
After this I headed for next spot that was interesting. Temple! Can't get enough of these ones.
Unfortunately it seems my album is full for pictures(I HAD been wondering how many I can cram into here...) so until I can figure how to get rid of old ones can't post more. Humhum. Anyway after visiting the temple I had my tour pretty much done. Climbed top of small mound with nice view. Friendly old man asked if I would want my picture taken(well hell yea!) and then just headed toward the station and back home. Was surprisingly early home today.
Tomorrow is the day of Kalafina concert. Seeing they are my favourite Japanese band I'm starting to get more than a little hyped up! Maybe this time I'll join the chanting, especially when it comes time to chant name of my favourite member. "WA-KA-NA! WA-KA-NA!". Well actually I don't know if they will be chanting but based on previous concerts I figure odds are good they will.
That's her voice that you can hear all the way until 1:10 or so(after which Hikari takes turn. Keiko sings later though this song she doesn't sing THAT much. Other songs yes(and in other songs Wakana doesn't get that much to do) but not in this one). First minute of this song is basically her voice alone. On the instrumental version apart from the very beginning there's almost no instrumentals. Just her voice.
No pictures likely tomorrow(especially with the upload limit. I have been trying to find where I could find how much I can use space and how much I have used but so far no luck). Expect another concert report(I just hope they have set list available as a leaflet)
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