Autumn at Kyu-Furukawa Garden
Kyu-Furukawa Garden is a park in Kita City, Tokyo. The park includes an old western-style building designed by architect Josiah Conder, a rose garden, and a traditional Japanese-style garden.
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Christmas Illuminations in Tokyo
For Christmas, Tokyo gets transformed into a sparkling winter wonderland as millions of colourful lights are displayed in trees, on and around buildings, and even on landmarks such as Tokyo Tower. This page lists many locations where such illuminations can be seen this season (most will be taken down on the 25th).
Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome
Yumenoshima Tropical Greenhouse Dome is located on a corner of Yumenoshima Park, in Koto Ward, Tokyo, and features a giant domed greenhouse. This dome holds about 1,000 varieties of tropical and subtropical plants, with colorful fruits and flowers throughout the year. It is heated using waste heat from trash burning at the nearby incineration plant. Boats floating at a yacht harbor can also be seen from the north side of the dome.
Lake Tama
Lake Tama is an artificial lake in Higashiyamato City, in western Tokyo, right at the border with Saitama Prefecture. It was formed by damming up a river running through the Sayama valley, a project started in 1916 and completed in 1927. The lake now serves as a water reservoir for the residents of Tokyo.
The lake is surrounded by parks and forests and there is a popular cycling course extending from Nishitokyo City to Lake Tama. North of the lake towards Lake Sayama lies the Seibu Dome, home of the Saitama Seibu Lions baseball team. Also worthy of a visit are the buddhist Yamaguchi Kannon Konjoin (山口観音 金乗院) and Sayama Fudoson (狭山不動尊) temples.
Hike to Mount Iwatakeishi & Mount Bounoore
A few weeks ago, I went back to Mitake to continue the trail to Mount Bounoore (aka Mount Bounomine) I had planned to do then but abandoned due to the fog.
Autumn at the Rikugien Garden
Rikugien Garden (六義園) is a park in Bunkyo City, Tokyo. The garden consists of a pond, trees, and a hill. It was completed in 1702 and is a typical example of gardens from the Edo period. In November and early December, it becomes a popular spot for enjoying the autumn foliage (koyo). After dark, the garden stays open late and the trees are lit with special nighttime illuminations.
Hike to Mount To, Mount Tanzawa & Mount Sannoto
Last week, I went back to the Tanzawa mountains in Kanagawa Prefecture. This time, I hiked up Mount To (塔ノ岳; 1491m ; aka Tonodake), Mount Tanzawa (丹沢山; 1567m) and Mount Sannoto (三ノ塔; 1205m). Those mountains are quite popular: They are easily accessible with public transportation and the trail is very well-developed (stairs and huts at every summit). When the weather is good, it can offer great views on Mount Fuji. I was unlucky though: The forecast was “Sunny” but there was a lot of fog instead.
Hike to Mount Kumotori
At 2,017m, Mount Kumotori (雲取山) is the highest mountain in Tokyo. The peak actually stands at the boundaries of Tokyo, Yamanashi Prefecture and Saitama Prefecture. I went there on a day-hike a few weeks ago. I basically followed the plan outlined here (with map).
Chiba Port Tower
The Chiba Port Tower is a tower located in Chiba Port Park, Chiba. It is 125m tall and has 4 stories. It was built in 1986.