The life and times of a twenty-something college grad trying to figure out life while traveling the world and grieving the loss of her mother. Watch the journey unfold.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Tokyo: Rikugien Park & Shinjuku Gyoen Park

Hi, Mama! I had the most wonderful day yesterday. I would say it was my favorite day I've spent in Japan. Momoko and I started out our day by heading to Rikugien Park. It was so beautiful, Mom. We followed the paths, across bridges, winding around and everything was so green and so beautiful. There were flowers, and ponds full of koi fish and turtles. I found a weeping cherry tree, your favorite, which was not in bloom right now. I scattered some of your ashes beneath it because I know how much you loved weeping cherry trees and because the term "weeping" just seemed so fitting. Momoko told me that she would come back next spring when the cherry blossoms are in bloom and take a picture for me. I thought that was very special.

After Rikugien park, we met up with Momoko's sister, Hanako, and headed out to lunch! This was a very special lunch because it was the first time I ever agreed to try sushi. I always refused, but I figured...when in Japan, right? Turns out, it was actually delicious! The restaurant was one of those revolving sushi restaurants, where you grab the little plates off of the conveyer belt. I thought that was just in movies!

Our next stop of the day was to Shinjuku Gyoen Park, which was even more beautiful than Rikugien! It was enormous! There were Japanese gardens, English gardens, and French gardens. In the French gardens there were rose bushes, and I scattered some of your ashes in the rose bushes. They were so vibrantly red, which was also your favorite color, and I know you would have loved them. All of a sudden, Auld Lang Syne came playing over the loudspeakers in the park. It was so perfect. In Japan they play that song when the parks are closing. It couldn't have been more appropriate than to start playing when I scattered your ashes in the rose gardens.

We left the park and headed home to relax for about an hour before heading out once again! We went out to dinner to meet up with some of Momoko's friends! Japanese food is so good. Unfortunately, I got a terrible stomach ache (hopefully not from the sushi at lunch), and we left early because I could barely function from the pain. I felt so bad that I sort of ruined the plans, but I couldn't stay out any longer with my stomach hurting that bad. Luckily I feel much better now!

Today is my last day in Japan, and I have no idea how I will be spending it. I will post tonight what I ended up doing!












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