Wednesday, January 27, 2010

A Walk around Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu Shrine (Part 1) / 代々木公園と明治神宮の散歩 (パート1)

Currently as I have Saturdays free while Mikako is working, I've been finding the time to some solo neighborhood walks. This past weekend I walked around Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu Shrine. I had two reasons for doing so. The first was because I went and had lunch in Shibuya at a Sechuan style Chinese restaurant and a walk after eating is good for my health - Yoyogi Park being the closest park as well. Also, at Meiji Jingu Shrine and Harajuku's Omotesando - an event was to take place - Aomori Prefecture's Nebuta Festival in Tokyo! There was also an Aomori yatai mura (food booths featuring the local cuisine of Aomori Prefecture) that I wanted to check out.

現在土曜日は僕のフリータイムになってます。美香子はバイト。一人なので、最近は一人散歩で良く出掛けてます。この間は代々木公園と明治神宮を探索しました。理由は二つあった。一つは昼食は渋谷にある本場四川ダイニヌグの店で食べた。健康の為に食べたあとはなるべく散歩をする。代々木公園が一番近い公園で、行ってきました。もう一つの理由は今日明治神宮にイベントが開催してるからです。それはなんとあの青森県のねぶた祭りが東京上陸。明治神宮の中に青森産の屋台村もあること。もちろんそれが一番の目当て。


So let me take you along on my walk.

それじゃ僕と一緒に散歩に出かけましょ。


Walking leisurely around Shibuya with my trusty camera in hand, I decided to observe my surroundings as well.

デジカメを持ちながら、ゆっきりと澁谷を散歩し、周りの面白そうなものの写真を撮りまくった。


What's this? Its an art piece called "Fragment of the Horizon" by Shinji Kikuchi.

これは何だ? 菊池伸治作品の「地平線の断片」。


Store sign for a Chinese restaurant called "Wang's Kitchen".

中華料理店「ワンズキッチェン」の看板。


Symbol Monument for the Salt and Tobacco Museum (yes, there really is such a museum).

たばこと塩の博物館のシンボルモニュメント (本当にそうゆう博物館がありますよ)。


Entrance to the Tobacco and Salt Museum.



たばこと塩の博物館の入口。








As I headed towards Yoyogi Park, I came across a demo in progress.

代々木公園に向かう途中に何かのデモ隊を見かけた。


Walking inside Yoyogi Park.

代々木公園内に到着。


First I checked out the most popular area of the park - the Great Fountain.

最初は公園で一番人気で噴水がある場所に行った。


A monument commemorating Japan's first flight (or so the sign says). In a previous post, I had come across the Birthplace of Aviation in Japan which is located in Tokorozawa.

日本初飛行の地の記念碑。サインはそう書いてありました。以前のネタで日本の航空発祥の地は所沢にあった。



















Not sure who they are but they probably have something to do with Japan's first flight.

誰だか分かりませんが、多分日本の初飛行に関係する方々。


I decided to walk around the less popular part of the park. As you can see, there were not many people around.

今回人があんまり集まりないほうに散歩してみました。写真を見ると、人がほとんどいない。




I think I stumbled across one of the reasons this side of the park isn't that popular. Deep inside the park is a tent village of homeless people. Something the Japanese government doesn't want to advertise to the world. Yes, even Japan has a homeless problem.

なぜ公園内にこち側に人が少ない理由を発見。公園の奥にホムレスのテント村があった。日本政府はあんまり認めたくないことが日本でもホムレスが存在することです。

It feels like I'm taking a walk through the woods.

森の中で散歩してるみたい。



To be continued...

つづく。。。

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