Parks and Gardens in Tokyo – Shinjuku Park

There are two basic types of Japanese garden. These are “Tsukiyama” and “Karesansui”. In Tsukiyama, small hills and stones represent mountains and the pond represents the sea. In “Karesansui” white sand symbolises the sea, and the stones represent hills.

Shinjuku Gyoen is regarded as being one of the most important gardens in Japan. Established on the site of an old Edo Era mansion house in 1906 (Meiji Era), it incorporates examples of Japanese, French and English landscaping. From the French garden there’s a virtually uninterrupted view of Tokyo Tower. In the Japanese garden you can take part in the tea ceremony.

Toyota Auto Salon Amlux Tokyo

I’m not a big car fan, but even I have fun at Amlux. Japan’s largest automobile showroom when it opened 20-some years ago, this sophisticated facility holds its own with four floors of exhibition space containing more than 70 vehicles. Everything from sports and racing cars to family, accessible-to-disabled, and luxury cars is on view, all open so that potential buyers can climb inside and play with the dials.

There are also race-car simulators and exhibits relating to Toyota’s plans for the future. As opposed to Megaweb on Odaiba , which is mainly for entertainment, this is for serious automobile fans.

Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Garden

This garden is another classic pond centered Japanese garden. The garden dates from the Edo period. During the Great Kanto earthquake in 1923, fires destroyed the entire garden. The garden was restored the following year to commemorate the beginning of the Showa Emporer.

The garden is nestled alongside the Shinkansen line and surrounded by the office towers of Hamamatsu-cho and Shinbashi.

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This fourth-floor museum, which you can tour in about 20 minutes, is a collection of more than 600 instruments.

Displayed on a rotating basis and including traditional Japanese drums as well as a variety of drums from all over the world. With the exception of some of the rare, older pieces (distinguished by a red marking), many of the 200 or so drums always on display can be touched and played, making this a good spot for children.

Moreover, you can find here videos of drumming from Japan and around the world. On the ground floor is a shop specializing in Japanese percussion instruments and items used in Japanese festivals, including decorative Japanese drums, lion heads for the lion dance, Japanese flutes, and masks.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum is all about discovering the natural world around us and appeals to all age groups. I remember seeing the dinosaurs when I was five years old and seeing them now still give me the same tingle down my spine. The Blue Whale is outrageous to see as you really can’t imagine how big a life-size model has to be until you walk underneath it. ‘The Power Within’ where you can experience what an earthquake feels like!

the Nijubashi Bridge

The Nijubashi Bridge at the Imperial Palace is a symbol of Tokyo.

The general public is allowed to cross this bridge on two days of the year: New Year’s Day and the Emperor’s birthday on December 23 to greet the Imperial family appearing on a balcony.