A Day In: Shirokanedai

The weather was lovely; it was too nice a day to just go shopping. Where could I go to find a nice spot of nature - preferably somewhere new and not too far away?

I betook myself to Tokyo - specifically, to Shirokanedai, near Meguro. Just by the station is Happo-en, a traditional Japanese-style garden. This garden is not very touristed, but is pretty and is a popular spot for wedding photos. Indeed it was impossible to walk five metres without getting in the way of yet another couple's photo shoot. I sat on a rock and watched the koi - not a bad way to pass the time - until all the groups gradually left. When this happened, I pretty much had the place to myself.

It's not a very big garden, but that makes it a good size to potter around; you can easily see all of it and just sit and enjoy the feel of it. The garden also features a collection of bonsai trees, with their type and age printed; the oldest are over 500 years old!

After Happo-en, despite my resolution to spend the day outdoors, I was lured in by the Shirokanedai Book-Off. For those who don't know, these are stores that specialise in books, CDs, DVDs and games; they sell a lot of second-hand stuff, and you can also sell your own cast-offs to them for a pittance (I did this when I left Japan, having accumulated a vast number of books in a short time and not liking to just throw them all away). 

The Shirokanedai Book-Off has quite a nice little cafe in it, where I sat for a while, and, to my great astonishment, the downstairs had a HUGE selection of books in English. I've rarely seen so many cheap foreign books; I'm not sure quite how this Book-Off in a quiet, obscure little Tokyo neighbourhood should have come by so many!

The upshot was I spent about an hour and a half in there and came away with 11 books…

I decided to walk down Meguro-dori with the eventual goal of reaching the Meguro Parasitological Museum. I should say that this small museum, quirky as it sounded, was the only sightseeing spot on my 'places to go' list that I never visited when I lived in Japan. That I never made it there proves it was never a priority, but being in the vicinity, I thought it a good chance.

Shirokanedai is a pretty quiet neighbourhood, despite the main road I was walking along. There were a couple of cute little cafes and other small shops that I think give Tokyo character. I bypassed a couple of museums and came to a national park, the National Park for Nature Study.

Well, it was a nice day, after all, and although I had never heard of this place, that's what carefree days are for, right? In I went. Great idea!

People are always saying of this or that park or garden, 'it makes you forget you're in the middle of a city'. This park really made me forget I was in the middle of Tokyo. I felt like I'd stepped right into the fresh green lushness of the Japanese countryside. You couldn't see any buildings or hear any traffic noises; just trees.

I wouldn't call it picturesque, exactly; it certainly wasn't manicured; as far as nature goes, it was quite a contrast to Happo-en. Yet it was a refreshing place to be immersed in. It would take at least half an hour to walk around the whole track. 

When you go into the park, you take a ribbon to wear, and return it to the box when you leave. I have since learned this is because they have a limit of 300 people that they allow in the park at any one time, presumably to avoid spoiling the peace of it. And to be sure, it wasn't busy, being mostly populated by old ladies in hats and old men with big cameras. This seems to be a popular place to take nature photos; some shots of flowers and insects are on display near the entrance.

I wouldn't recommend this national park as a major tourist draw, but if you have seen a lot of places around Tokyo and are looking for something new, or if you live in Tokyo, it really is a breath of fresh air.

You know, every time I go to Tokyo, I'm struck anew by how big it is, how much there is too it, how much there is to see. I passed three different museums on my stroll, none of which I'd heard of before, as well as finding that very well-stocked Book-Off, a new garden and a national park.

The most famous of the museums I passed was the Teien Art Museum, right by the park. It was closed for refurbishing though.

I kept walking for some minutes more and eventually passed Meguro station. I passed the river, lined with cherry trees - at this time of year, all green, but when they are in full bloom, it's one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen.

My final stop for the day was the Meguro Parasitological Museum, which I'll mention in another post.