Instead of riding to a park, I took a train. Instead of taking the train all the way to my meeting in town, I got off two stops earlier, where the park was located. Instead of leaving just enough time to get to my meeting, I left an hour and a half early so that I could wander through the park and then walk to my meeting. Instead of packing my computer, I packed my camera.
It was fun, even though I beat the best autumn colours by 10 days or so (I also beat the crowds, it was relatively peaceful there today). I've had this tentative plan for a few days, but wavered today because it was windy and I hate wind! However, I steeled myself, put on extra layers and went. The sky was so blue, it was gorgeous! And my layers worked well, so I didn't get too cold.
It was also lovely to be on my own with my camera in a different park. On my own agenda, I could take my time in fiddling with the settings on the camera as I continue to learn about this new hobby of mine.
Here are some of my photos of Koishikawa garden.
This park sits right next to Tokyo Dome. It's almost possible to forget you're in the city, it is quiet and peaceful, but any photo involving sky includes buildings. Nice buildings, mind, but still buildings. No powerlines, though!
This photo was taken from the other side of the island you can see above.
A few sightseers around taking selfies. This boardwalk looked very temporary, obviously a work in progress.
I love the blue-green contrast in the below photo. But I'm also amazed in these old Japanese gardens, the way they prop up vulnerable limbs. This is an old garden, begun by the son of Tokugawa Ieyasu in 1629 (I wrote a bit about Ieyasu the shogun who united Japan in the 17th century and founded the Tokugawa shogunate in this post). Interestingly, the garden was finished with the help of a Chinese refugee!
So close to the city surrounding it!
This one might be my favourite.
This was a tiny leaf. It barely had begun to grow when it ran into autumn.
Below are photos I took on my phone, mostly because I put my camera away after I left the park, but the first one was in the rest room. This, apparently, is what the park will look like later in the month!
On the right is the wall which surrounds the park on all sides. Makes a nice wind-shield. But I was delighted to find this little winding path on the outside of the park, going in the direction I needed to go. Much nicer than a city street!
A map along my route, only noteworthy because this butterfly decided it was a nice resting place.
Fascinating art is to be found. I'm not a great art appreciator, but this seemed fascinating. It was rotating too!
And, at the end, coffee at a serious coffee shop (seriously, we sat next to the coffee roaster, which took up fully 1/4 of the floor space of this city-corner cafe).
I ended up walking nearly six kilometres. It was a perfect day, really. A really nice balance of work, rest, and play (with a coffee shop thrown in to make it just perfect).
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