Nov 9 Shinjuku Gyoen and our return home
We packed up our luggage and left it with the receptionist at the Nishitetsu Inn Shinjuku with a pang of regret, wising that this were not our last day in Japan. Paul and I had not discussed it directly, but somewhere in our trip our conversations had turned from, “If we come back…” to, “When we come back….” It felt like we had only touched the tip of the iceberg and there was so much more to see and do.
Shinjuku Gyoen in Autumn (photo: Atibordee Kongprepan/flickr)
Today we were flying out from Narita, but had a few precious hours which we decided to spend at Shinjuku Gyoen. We picked up some pastries at a convenience store to eat in the park; the weather was so nice we did not want to be inside. There were surprisingly few people there, maybe because we arrived right after it opened.
Shinjuku Gyoen fall foliage (photo: nakashi/flickr)
Whatever the reason, we enjoyed spending some time without feeling pressed in on all sides by walls of humanity, which was the impression we got riding the subways and trains. Instead, we explored the little ponds and bridges, marveled at the expanse of grassy lawn, and noted the different influences on the garden. It was laid out in the Meiji Era, and blended French and English elements in the wholesale adoption of foreign ideas that seemed to be the defining feature of the period.
Shinjuku Gyoen Greenhouse (photo: Rob Young/flickr)
We loved the rich colors of the Japanese maples and other plants in autumn hues. There were banks of chrysanthemums in more sizes, styles, and colors than I have ever seen before, and again Paul had his notebook in hand, jotting down ideas. I will be curious to see the influence of this trip on his landscape work in the future.
Shinjuku Gyoen autumn foliage (photo: Guilhem Vellut/flickr)
The greenhouses were a real treat, even for someone like me who is not as passionate about botany, but who just likes pretty plants. There were hundreds of species of tropical plants, well displayed in the beautiful glass buildings. The greenhouses were very modern with many technical details that caught Paul’s interest while I just gazed at beautiful plants that thrived in an environment very different from our home.
Heliconia blossoms in the greenhouse at the Shinjuku Gyoen gardens (photo: aidaneus/flickr)
Unfortunately, Shinjuku Gyoen was much bigger and had more things to look at than we had anticipated, so we were not able to see it all. We were possessed by a mad desire to stay and ignore our flight home, but reason won out and we reluctantly left.
The Dome at Tokyo Station (photo: Stephen Kelly Photography)
Back to the Nishitetsu Inn Shinjuku, where we collected our luggage and headed out for the airport, taking the train to Tokyo Station and from there the Narita Express. Going through emigration and customs at Narita airport all seemed so cold and businesslike after the rich colors and scents of the garden, and by the time we had made it to the plane, our vacation was already starting to feel like a dream.
Narita Airport Pretty Wall Decorations (photo: derivativeofcourse/flickr)
On the plane, Paul paged through his notebook, reminiscing over things we had seen and done. Yet the conversation turned, and before we knew it, we were planning the things we will do on our next trip to Japan.
