Japan - Day 4 (Part 3)

Japan – Day 4 (Part 3)

Friday, 25 May 2024

After this exciting outing, I went to my last chosen destination for the day which was the Tokyo Imperial Palace. Built on the site of the former Edo Castle, the palace became the permanent home of the Imperial Family in 1869. There is a free tour to parts of the Imperial Palace (some parts are closed to the public as the royals are actually living there) but I didn’t manage to secure a spot as it was already full and of course, there was a CROWD. So I decided to just stroll around the outer parts of the palace. The surrounding area is also very beautiful, with manicured lawns and pretty topiary trees. It is also a popular place for joggers (I saw many on this bright Saturday morning) and why not, since the scenery is simply beautiful; it would inspire any jogger.

For over 250 years, Japan was ruled by the Tokugawa shogunate (the government established by the military class) during what was known as the Edo Period (Edo being the old name for Tokyo). The current Imperial Palace sits on the former site of Edo Castle. However, in 1868, the shogunate was overthrown, and Japan’s capital was moved from Kyoto to Tokyo, with the Imperial residence moving with it. The palace was destroyed during WW2 but rebuilt in a similar style afterwards. The large stone walls surrounding the palace are largely in its original form, and no doubt had an ancient feel to it, complete with a moat no less!

The important landmarks include the Main Gate which serves as the main, formal entrance to the Imperial Palace grounds; the iconic Nijubashi Double Bridge; and the Sakuradamon Gate completed in around 1620, which is the largest remaining gate of Edo Castle. The Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923 loosened some rocks but it has since been fortified, and so it remains for the most part as per the original.

Then there are also gardens. The Wadakura Fountain Park was built in 1961 to commemorate the wedding of Heisei Emperor Emeritus (1989-2019). The Kitanomaru Garden was once part of Edo Castle and later, a headquarters for the Imperial Guard until the end of WW2. It is now the location of the Science Museum and Nippon Budokan, a 1964 Olympic venue that also hosted the Beatles in 1966. The Tayasumon Gate found within this park was built in 1636, during the Edo period. The East Gardens of the Imperial Palace was developed concurrently with the construction of the Imperial Palace complex, and has been open to the public since 1968. The Imperial Palace Outer Garden (Kokyo Gaien) used to be the residences of the members of the shogun’s council of elders. After the Meiji Restoration, it was temporarily used for government offices and barracks of the Meiji government, and from 1877-1887 was developed into an open space, and has remained so to this day.

And then I was done for the day, at 11 am! Considering that I had been out from 5.30 am, I think this was quite an accomplishment. I managed to finish everything fast because (i) I avoided crowds by going super early; and (ii) I took a taxi for my own convenience.

Then I bought some lunch from Family Mart (karaage chicken with rice, a sandwich for dinner, and 2 cans of beer and headed back to the hotel. I tried to take a nap but was plagued by unsettling dreams which included, of all persons, Michael Jackson (?!) so I gave up after a while and sat down to write my activities in Japan which so far I had no time to do.

Then in the evening I headed out to the conference venue as they were having a cultural show on how to wear a kimono which I thought would be quite interesting. Here I registered for the conference for the first time (it actually started on 23 May) and then attended the event which was quite nice to see. I learned that wearing a kimono, especially for ladies, is not at all easy and takes a lot of work. The lady who gave the demonstration told us the sad reality of today which is that the kimono is fast growing out of fashion in Japan. And so too, I guess many other traditions of many other cultures around the world, all consumed by fast-paced development and modernity so that there is no time to savour the traditions of the past.

Then back to the hotel for dinner (sandwich) and beers, and then strangely I felt sleepy at 9.30 pm and so I went to bed. I think I deserve some sleep after 3 days of full activities in Japan.