The Otama Trail is in Okutama City, in Nishitama District, the westernmost area of Tokyo. It is a gentle path that follows the Tama River from Kori to Okutama through well-built trails, mountain roads and suspension bridges. I followed it for a short section, from Hatonosu to Shiromaru Dam. Autumn colors were not fully there yet but the sights were still great.
After my visit to the Tokyo Port Wild Bird Park, I finished the day by walking to Jonanjima Seaside Park: It is a park bordering Tokyo Bay, directly across the water from Haneda Airport. Its position makes it a good spot for watching the planes landing at the airport: They are flying overhead every few minutes. There is also a beach (swimming forbidden though…) and a camping site.
After returning from Mount Tsukuba, I took some time to stroll around Tsukuba before getting back to Tokyo. The city is known for the so-called Tsukuba Science City and its large number of world-class research institutes, including the University of Tsukuba, the High-Energy Accelerator Lab (KEK), the Japanese Space Agency (JAXA) and the Geographic Information Authority. It was also host to the Expo'85 World’s Fair and still retains some landmarks built for the occasion.
The Tokyo Imperial Palace is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in Chiyoda City and close to Tokyo Station. The actual residence cannot be visited but the site houses the Imperial Palace East Gardens and other interesting spots.
Ryogoku is a neighbourhood of Sumida City in Tokyo. It is considered the center of the professional sumo world, with the Kokugikan sumo arena and numerous sumo stables located in the area. Other places of interest include the Edo-Tokyo museum (photo above) and Yokoamicho Park.
