Summer break is officially over, and before classes start again my school organised an outing to a park near Tokyo bay. We were very lucky with the weather, as a typhoon hit Tokyo just the night before, but we were blessed with sun for our trip.
Sun reflecting of a skyscraper, taken in the Hamarikyu gardens, Tokyo
While the purpose of the trip was to see the 紅葉 or autumn leaves, it was still a wee bit too early and the leaves had yet to start changing colour. However, the park was still very beautiful and was well worth visiting.
It was a great example of one of my favourite things about Tokyo, the juxtaposition of old and new. The Hamarikyu gardens used to be private gardens and duck hunting grounds for a feudal lord, the Tokugawa shogunate also had a considerable amount of influence over the gardens, before they were handed over to the city of Tokyo, and this past can still be seen the gardens today. Which contrasts starkly with the towering skyscrapers of modern day Tokyo. To the point that it seems like the two have been photoshopped together.
View along the waterside path at the Hamarikyu gardens, with Tokyo’s skyscrapers in the background
夏休みが終わって、授業が始まる前に、学校と一緒に浜離宮恩賜庭園という公園に行ってきました。ラッキーなことに、台風が前の日に来て、天気がすごくよかったです。紅葉を見に行ったけど、まだ少し早くて、木の葉の色はまだ変わりませんでした。それでも、行ってよかったと思います。浜離宮恩賜庭園は長い歴史があって、自然の美しさを紹介して、現在の高い建物とコントラストして面白かったです。