Started our morning off with a breakfast which consisted of scrambled eggs with ketchup all over it, texas toast, bacon and a cup of iced coffee. Time to catch the train from Ikebukuro to catch another train the Yamanote line toward Ueno and then get off at Komagome, Japan.
Off the trains, whew, our walk to find the gardens were not very long. Some things we saw during our walk!
the entrance to the Rikugien Garden. Marlon and Mary got senior rates which were only about $1.50 each and I had to pay double LOL $3.00.
Admired the groundskeeper using a broom to remove the leaves from the gravel walkway. Such dedicated people, preparing the grounds for the fall leaf viewing.
Rikugien is often considered Tokyo's most beautiful Japanese landscape garden alongside Koishikawa Korakuen. Built around 1700 for the 5th Tokugawa Shogun, Rikugien literally means "six poems garden" and reproduces in miniature 88 scenes from famous poems. The garden is a good example of an Edo Period strolling garden and features a large central pond surrounded by man-made hills and forested areas, all connected by a network of trails. I loved how they prop up the older trees to support them as they get older. They also take care of their elders in the same fashion.
Beautiful view!!
Deshionominato, this is one of the edges of the pond, which has a beautiful view.
Look close and you can see the arch in the rock in the pond. Hora i-Jima This typical stone made arch is based on the main theme of Taoist Immortality. This is a legendary island where an immortal wizard is said to live. These islands were made in Japanese gardens to wish eternal youth and immortality.
Takimi-chaya, a mountain stream runs beside the arbor where we sat for a while and listened to the waterfalls and enjoyed the scenery. I enjoyed watching a guy take pictures of a doll propped up to make it look like she was at the gardens also.
Mary enjoying the view and sounds of the gardens. Lots of birds chirping, waterfall sounds, rustling water in the stream.
Our views.
The view of this bridge was breathtaking. Tranquility at its finest.
Captured this pretty butterfly, who loved the gardens also.
Amazing to watch as the gardeners take such excellent care of the trees. Such dedication.
Special tea making lesson going on today. How lucky we were since this is only done 1 time a year on this particular weekend.
Tea House
Various teas
Shelves to place shoes to enter the tea house.
Green Tea plant of Kagoshima, Green tea is leaves of tea and not to be confused with matcha tea which is a powered tea used for the tea ceremony and special occasions.
Our tea sensei teaching us how to make green tea the proper way. There are four important points when making tea, Temperature, amount of tea, amount of water and time.
The water was too hot for the first cup. It will cool 10 degrees each time it is poured into a vessel. She poured into a pitcher, then measured into the teacups, then poured into the teapot for the first cups of tea. It only brewed for 30 seconds.
The proper way of holding your teacup is to rest it in the palm of one hand and hold it with the other.
The perfect cup of green tea made by tea sensei.
Mary really enjoyed this experience and loved the green tea.
Our tea sensei was very knowledgeable.
the entrance to the Rikugien Garden. Marlon and Mary got senior rates which were only about $1.50 each and I had to pay double LOL $3.00.
