22 November 2023
Dayjuku
Ueno to Shinjuku
Shinjuku is not as interesting in the day time. There is no neon. However the nearby garden is very interesting in the day time, even if I have been there before. Therefore today I walked from Ueno to Shinjuku.
I have done this or similar before, but this time my route stayed further north than the previous times I have done this. My route went right past the Tokyo dome and adjoining theme park, before going along the moat, past the old man fishing world, before taking a turn south and heading to the Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.
After that, I headed into Shinjuku proper, for the first time on this trip, on previous days I had been through the station and changed trains, but not actually through the Godzilla lined streets. What I learned is that it is quiet during the day, and without the neon, it looks a lot like everywhere else.
To start off, I found a nearby shrine, somehow elevated above the roads, with a garden with a river elevated above the shrine. I will call it, the elevated shrine.
Here is the shrine in the early morning light. They are doing the flower judging routine, more on that later too. Note the little bridge going to the shrine on the right.
A nearby dragon guarded by tiny Buddha had me on edge.
I have been here before. Roller coasters in the literal middle of the city. No one has been decapitated here in recent history to my knowledge.
There are a few different rides here, but all I think about is 'no longer compatible with life' during the press conference when the people were killed at Dreamworld in Australia. Note the rollercoaster coming through the hole.
A nearby subway station demonstrates that someone made strange budget related decisions.
I always enjoy an overpass, and look at the weather! How old do I sound?
The moat along here has old man fishing world. Note that there are toilets over the water.
Next I headed into Shinjuku Goen and headed straight for the tropical green house. These orchids belong to the public and are being judged. I gave my ratings.
For 200 yen you can sit in one of those lily pads.
The garden is a sea of camera colour science challenging yellow lawn.
Formal garden area. After I took my photo I went and stood in the middle to ruin everyone's photos.
This is taken from the Taiwan pavilion. I have been to Taiwan.
Some nice light and reflections.
I am over sharing garden pics, but later I will compare to the last time I went, which I recall had excellent weather too.
OK, last garden pic. I sat and had a picnic on my own.
Time to head towards the massive metro area of Shinjuku. I really should have put on sunscreen today.
Hmm, really not that colourful during the day.
Also not particularly busy, this qualifies as not busy by Shinjuku standards.
And here is the Godzilla street, looks rather ordinary without neon.
And now I need to WALK BACK some previous allegations. When I passed through Shinjuku station earlier on this trip I accused them of having done nothing to fix up the construction since whenever I was last here. That is true for transferring inside the station, but before the gates, I believe this tunnel area is completely new since my last visit, and actually finished. Amazing.