Todoroki Keikoku

I wonder where all this time vanish. Just a moment ago t was 1st and now is already 26th... Oh well. I wanted to share with you one of my experiences around Tokyo: Todoroki Keikoku walk. In the middle of the huge city of Tokyo, there is always a surprising small green places, where you can forget the city around you. Todoroki Keikoku is one of those. A little bit aside from well known Yamanote line, you find a small Todoroki station and after maybe 100 meters walk a pretty red bridge and stairs that takes you beneath it. Welcome to Todoroki Keikoku park walk.

The view is like you would walk within a forest, only voices surrounding you are made by nature, no car voices down here. The walk follows the river where you can wash your feet if feeling like it. Some locals make almost the whole way walking in water instead of the path. From the path area you can find a Buddhist temple that has a special place for pets that have gone to a better place. Also a small riverside traditional Japanese tea house that sells kakigori (shaved ice) during summertime as well as other traditional sweets and of course tea. While moving forward on the other side will also be a Japanese garden, that has a tea service for visitors if you are lucky with the day you pick.

Todoroki Keikoku walk ends to a suburb area, but if you keep walking straight forward though it, you will arrive to another green area. A bigger river and green fields surrounding it. I still find it pretty weird scene in Tokyo, since close to place I live there is nothing like that. Warmly recommend this walk if in need of nature while living or visiting in Tokyo!

Koenji Awaodori

One of the summer events I had most waited was the Koenji Awaodori. Since the day number one when I googled the Koenjis name after getting our apartments address from our landlord, the first thing all the sites were talking about was the awaodori. Later also my friends here in Japan were talking about how much bigger it was than any other awaodori. And it sure was huge.

The weather had been very bad for many weeks, but we had a lot of luck and during Saturday, there was no rain, but just to be sure, some of the dance groups had their drums and lanterns covered with plastic so that if the so easily changing weather, would turn to be bad, they would be prepared. We picked PAL street to be the place to watch the awaodori. 3 hours lasting parade of different groups made an infinity mark shaped route starting from JR Koenji station, then going all the way to Metro Shin-Koenji station and returning to JR station. I was so much fun, though I am happy that I had earplugs with me because the noise from the drums was so intence that even with plugs I felt like I didn't hear properly afterwards.

Seeing our little Koenji to be so full of people was also very nice ecperience. All the streets were full of people and stands that sold food. Every single restaurant in the area had taken benefits our from the festival. It was so much fun!

PAL Street, Saturday

Rest of the Koenji