June 5th Back to Nature

So I needed a break from the city for a little while - I am a country girl at heart so sometimes it gets to be a bit much.  (a Wisconsin license plate for sale in this retro Tokyo book store we visited)

Yesterday morning I got up and headed to nearby Inokashira park. It's very large and has trails for walking, biking, a zoo, a couple of lakes with paddle and row boats, some shrines and the occasional stopping place for a coffee or meal. (did I mention it's quite large?)
As I wandered the paths I enjoyed people watching, there were artists painting pictures, and folks practicing their guitars and LOTS of folks walking dogs. Dogs are something different here in Japan, you will see lots of dogs here but they will be pure breds being spoiled by their owners. Many times I'll see a person coming towards me with a baby carriage but instead of a baby inside, there will be a DOG! I've seen owners carrying their dogs over their shoulders like a baby (guess the little boxer got too tired from his walk?!). I don't know if Mutts don't exist here or what the deal is, but I sure haven't seen any. I never see any loose dogs running around either. Here's a group of dog walkers visiting with each other. Another thing is I think they all go to the same dog obedience school... the dogs I've seen are very well socialized and well behaved.

 

I saw this little boy zoom by me on his little bike. He was pretty small to be bike riding when I noticed the ingenious pre-bike he was riding. It has no peddles, he just scoots along Flintstones style! Seems a much easier step to regular bike riding!

 

Walking past a lake I came across a couple of turtles sunning themselves! You can just see the baby turtle on the right

 

Then I watched the Koi , they were very large!

 

This one looked right at me!

 

I continued on my walk and saw this Shrine across the lake.

                                                      This is it up close, the couple in front of it had just rung the bell to alert the "god" of their presence or to wake him up. (depends on who you ask as to why the bell is rung, these were two possibilities given in an anthropological study on Japan I've been reading) I'm just glad my God always knows where I am and is always awake!

 
Around the temple there was a kind of moat and it had these bamboo rafts floating in it...don't know why.

 

The park was also full of groups of schoolchildren on outings for the day! They are so cute with their matching uniforms and hats!

 

I was feeling a bit peckish so I stopped at this cute little cafe in the park! Of course if this was a Fairy Tale there would be a witch inside that eats children.

 

Whew! It was safe..no witches just Cappuccino and crepes!

 

 

Then it was time to head back to the city!