Canadian World Traveller Spring 2020 Issue

24
Topping your Last Visit to Tokyo
Article and photography by Steve Gillick
In the spirit of adventure, it’s always a
pleasurable challenge to return to a
favourite destination with the goal of
indulging in brand new experiences.
Tokyo is perfectly suited to this quest for ‘the
new’. In fact, only a few days after the opening
of the new Shibuya Scramble Square, we
stood on the Sky Stage, 230 meters (755 feet)
above the famous multi-directional pedestrian
crossing (the Shibuya Scramble), under a big,
beautiful blue sky. This open-air observation
deck affords magnificent 360 degree
panoramic views of the City of Tokyo. A philosophical
thought, etched in glass, emphasizes
unity and commonality for all those who stand
on the ‘stage’:
Shibuya at your feet - Tokyo all around you –
both connected to the world beyond. At the
center of everything you stand, one with the
sky.
One floor down in the Sky Gallery, visitors
sidle up to the windows, as close as they can,
to look straight down to street level. Interactive
art exhibits reinforce the theme of one sky
uniting visitors from around the world. For
those who have visited Tokyo’s other observation
decks (Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Skytree, and
more), the Sky Stage is really the topping!
For a different kind of interaction with nature,
the Nezu Museum is soothing to the soul.
Featuring the fine art collection of the philanthropist
Kaichiro Nezu, the building was
designed by architect Kengo Kuma to complement
and emphasize the natural beauty of the
area. Visitors enter along a bamboo and
stone pathway and then after appreciating the
art inside the Museum, they stroll through the
beautiful treed, green garden of walkways,
ponds, statues and lanterns. It’s a total escape
from the sights and sounds of the busy city
and it works!
In Gotokuji, just outside the city of Tokyo (but
still part of Tokyo Prefecture), travelers pounce
on the idea of visiting the Cat Temple. Just
beyond the three-storied pagoda, they visit a
shrine where a small statue of Kannon, the
Goddess of Mercy, is surrounded by thousands
of ‘Maneki-Neko’; figurines of white
cats with red ears and collars, who raise a
paw to beckon or ‘wave-in’ good luck. A 16th
century legend recalls that a powerful feudal
lord, caught in a violent storm, was invited by
a cat to take shelter in the temple. Now visitors
purchase cat figurines and place them at
the shrine in hopes of having their wishes fulfilled.
And for those looking to admire pagodas
there are five-storied pagodas in Asakusa
and Ueno Park as well as the beautiful
Ikegamihonmonji Pagoda about 30 minutes
outside the city of Tokyo. Peaceful experiences
continue a few train stops away at Senzokuike
Park with a walk around the lake, sightings of
the rare Hummingbird Moth, and birding
opportunities that include Great Blue Herons,
Black-crowned Night Herons, flocks of feral,
lime-green, Rose-ringed Parakeets, and the
Kawasemi or ‘river cicada’, also known as the
Common Kingfisher.
And these were only some of the highlights of
a return visit to Tokyo that included first-time
visits to the Okutama nature area and the
amazing volcanic scenery on Miyakejima,
one of the Izu Islands. With so many activities
in Tokyo Prefecture, it’s actually very easy to
‘top’ your last visit with new, innovative, exciting
and rewarding adventures.
www.gotokyo.org
Canadian World Traveller Spring 2020