My family’s apt was about a 45-minute train ride from the airport, in the area of Tokyo called Kita-Ku (or Kita City). Like most apartments in Japan, it’s small and cozy. Basically 2 rooms with a bathroom split into an additional two rooms, one for the shower and soaking tub, and one for the toilet. The kitchen is a mini kitchen, with a small fridge, sink and cooking surface, and some cabinets. The rest of the room housed the dining table, baby’s crib, and a wall of deep-set storage. The other room was a living room that converted to futon sleeping quarters. The apartment is just a 5-minute walk from the train station. And that train links up with rails to every part of the city.

Chris’ wife, Rie, has her family very close by. So, during my visit, Chris and I stayed at the apartment while Rie and baby Julia stayed at her mom’s. But we did almost daily trips out to the city as a family to see the sights and explore.

We saw so much! I will share a variety of trips so you can get a larger view of Japan in the next several weeks. Thanks for allowing me to share the highlights.

One of our first stops was the Shinjiku Goy’en Botanical Gardens. Cherry Blossom season was close to ending and I was hoping to find some trees that were still blooming. And we did!

Here are some pictures of the gardens. I must admit I truly love plants and flowers, in all forms. I’m always checking out places either out in nature, botanical gardens, forests, or just my own back yard. So you’ll see a lot of nature shots from both my trip to Japan and my visit to Sweden, in all of the upcoming posts.

Enjoy the flowers of last spring. I know I am.

We caught the last of the cherry blossoms (Sakura) at Shinjiku Goy’en Botanical Gardens

Azaleas (tsutsuji in Japanese) are the next flowers to bloom after Sakura. You will find them all over Tokyo, especially in big planters along the streets and in the alleys.

In the center of the park is a huge lake. Each part of the shoreline has a different landscape. It was so peaceful..

I loved this dancing tree. It’s one of my favorite pictures.

Inside the tropical greenhouse was a really unique orchid display.

And a garden of waterlillies

The greenhouse also had this amazing succulent garden. With drapey plants along the wall.

And they had plants attached to trees, upside down.

And more plants hanging in the trees. This was a definitely a theme.

And one last look at the azalea mounds, before we go.

Visiting the gardens was a fun way to start my visit to Tokyo. We did go to more touristy places while I was there, but as busy as the city gets, there always seems to be a small spot where you can step out of the fray and into a piece of quiet solitude.

I’ll have more next week.

See you then.

Bev