Meiji-jingu

We are loving our bikes! I want to keep mine forever! Okay, maybe not forever - I'd pick one with better brakes and a more comfortable seat (is this possible? comfy bike seat?), but I love the basket and I love how quickly we can get to the station. We've been able to check out some new neighborhoods and areas, and there are more more more to see. We cruised up to Yoyogi Park on Thursday afternoon, and visited Meiji-jingu, the Shinto shrine dedicated to the deified spirits of Emperor Meiji and his wife Empress Shoken. Located in Yoyogi Park in a forest that is home to more than 120,000 trees of 365 different species and lots and lots of very noisy little birdies, the grounds and gardens of Tokyo's largest Shinto shrine are beautiful, well-kept and well-visited. Millions and millions of people visit the shrine every year to pay respects to the Emperor essentially responsible for ushering in an era of modernization that turned old into new - known as the Meiji Restoration. The number of changes made during the reign of this much revered leader are innumerable. From the day he took power (February 3rd, 1867) to the day he died (July 30, 1912), he instigated change and development. During his time at the helm, Japan moved from near complete isolation as a feudal and somewhat fragmented country to a modern, industrialized world power. Western advancements and Eastern values were of optimal importance, and it was this attitude, along with a strong state military ("enrich the country, strengthen the military") that guided/forced social and political reform (this, of course, did not go over well with everyone - think The Last Samurai and Tom Cruise and Samurai Katsumoto). Anyways, the grounds were beautiful and peaceful, and we enjoyed a slow afternoon with the changing leaves in the forest - right in the middle of hustle and bustle Tokyo...

Known in his early years as Sachi-no-miya (Prince Sachi) and then as Mutsohito, he is known now, posthumously as Emperor Meiji - the 122nd Emperor of Japan.

Born Ichijo Masako, she was given the name Haruko when she became engaged to the Emperor; Empress Shoken attended lectures, worked for the Japanese Red Cross and advocated women's rights. However, she was not able to produce an heir for the throne - her adopted son was one of 15 children mothered by the Emperor's five ladies-in-waiting. Posthumously she is known as Shoken Kotaigo.





The weekend was goooood and we are getting excited about starting Christmas! We've given ourselves a December 1st decorating date - so we only have a few more days to go until all of the business can begin. I have a small list of goodies to make, and a longer list of things to get: tree, decorations, ingredients. I have ideas of places to go (back to Don Quixote/Donki Hote - that or Ikea), and with a bike... I'm practically already on my way.