Garden tour

Today we toured two gardens, Rikugien Garden and the Imperial East Garden. We actually got very tired from the walking. You'd think that after all the walking that we've done that it would be getting easier!

Rikugien Garden is a real find. It's a bit off the beaten track, but was gorgeous.

The garden has a lake in the center, with paths that curve around it. There are nice walks through some woods, up and down hills, and past some old tea houses.

It was very pleasant, and not very crowded at all. After stopping for a lunch at a local, small spot that we wandered into off the street, we went to the Imperial Palace. You generally can't go into the palace, except for a couple of days per year when it is open to the public. So, we took pictures from the outside before going to the East Garden.

The main part of the East Garden was somewhat boring. Nice trees and lawns, but not very interesting. At the end, we found the most beautiful section, and had a lovely walk through it.

We both prefer the gardens that have winding paths through the woods, bridges, waterfalls, and flowers. After enjoying this for a while, we went back to the hotel to rest. We plan to have dinner at a place specializing in okonomiyaki.