Tokyo-Day2
Day 2 in Tokyo on Thursday April 30th. A cloudy, dry day with temperatures reaching 17C in the afternoon. Out by 9:30am and walked to Iidabashi station Then down to the Oedo Line subway. Took the train for 10 minutes out to Ueno. A short walk and arrived at Ueno Park. Completed in 1873 this park houses the Zoo and several museums as well as a lake and various temples and shrines. First stop was the Shinabazo pond with extensive lotus beds, and marshland which was mostly overgrown. Various birds in the lake including great white egrets and gray herons. Walked along the shoreline and out to the island where we visited the Bentendo temple. Just past there we came to the clear pond where there were swan boats for hire. Returning to the main park we walked up though the middle and came to the Red Torii gates leading down to the Hanazono Inari Shrine. From here we carried on though the park and came to Toshogo peony garden. An entry fee of 1000 yen was good value to walk through the gardens with various peonys out in bloom. From here we came to Toshogo shrine built in 1627 and dedicated to Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616). Close to here we could see the Kan’eiji Temple complex with its 5 level pagoda. Returning through the park stopped at the Kiyomizu Kannon Temple. Finally back out of the park by 11:30am and returned to the train station for our return to Iidabashi. Walked back to our hotel and stopped at the Patisserie Farine to get our lunch baking. Coffee at the nearby Starbucks before out again in the afternoon around 3pm and walked over to the Tokyo Dome about 10 minutes away. Completed in 1988 this is where the Yomiuri Giants baseball team play and there happened to be a game this evening so it was busy. There is also a rollercoaster and Big O ferris wheel nearby. Returned to the hotel by 4:30pm. Drinks and dinner at the hotel Carousel bar.
