Chiba-Tokyo Art & Culture Explorers

LET'S ENJOY SPLENDID CULTURAL TREASURES OF TOKYO!
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Enjoy a relaxing day with us, strolling in an elegant 17th Century Samurai family Garden, have a picnic lunch, then enjoy a hilarious English Language, "Sit-down comedy" Rakugo Show before viewing Tokyo from an awesome, modern 25th floor Civic Center observatory!
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Whether you're a fan of the arts, love photography, or want to enjoy cultural exchange, our event has something for everyone! Come for an experience that will leave you with lifelong memories, new friends & a deeper appreciation of Japanese culture!
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Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward is full of entertainment areas, such as Tokyo Dome City, but many of the historical & cultural assets date back 4 centuries, since it was beside the moat of famous Edo Castle!
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The Mito-branch of the powerful Tokugawa clan had a large estate here & although much of it was engulfed by the modern city, the most beautiful features of their beautiful private estate-gardens remain for us to enjoy!
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Construction on the gardens began in 1629 by Yorifusa, founder of the Mito Tokugawa family, as gardens for his Edo mansion. Composed of scenic hills, ponds, fields & bridges circled by paths, these lovely features were based on Confucian ideas with advice from Ming-era Chinese Confucian, "Shu Shunsui".
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Chinese influence may be seen in the various sceneries named after famous Chinese locations. Korakuen was designated a special historical & scenic spot in 1952 under the Law for the Protection of Cultural Properties.
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Since gorgeous water-lilies, or "Hasu" are now blooming, let's tour these historic gardens from late morning until noon, enjoy eating mid-day snacks, or obento lunches in the gardens, then stroll through the neighborhood to attend a performance by the excellent "Tokyo Kaishi-Kai English-Rakugo Club" at the Bunkyo Kumin Culture Center. The show will be presented from 1-4pm!
(If we have time after viewing the Gardens, we'll stop by Ushi-Tenjin-Jinja, a small, but important Shinto shrine dedicated to Heian-era scholar, "Sugawara no Michizane", the patron "kami" or deity of all teachers and students!)
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RAKUGO is often referred to as Japanese "sit-down" or even, "kneel-down" comedy. 😂 Rakugo is more than just the telling of jokes. It’s also a collection of expressive stories conveying Japanese culture & preserving knowledge about Japan’s past. The stories are usually about common people & their everyday lives. They illustrate social relationships & lifestyles of the past as viewed from today.
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Rakugo stories are normally told in Japanese, but today, many professional "rakugo-ka" (as Rakugo performers are called) tell their stories in English so that people from other countries can enjoy them too!
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One of the most famous of these rakugo-ka is Kaishi Katsura, who is the master of the Kaishi-kai English Rakugo Club.
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Afterward the performances I will take you to enjoy, expansive views of Tokyo & maybe even Mount Fuji, from the awe-inspiring tower view-deck of the magnificent Bunkyo Civic Center Observation Lounge!
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(文京シビックセンター展望ラウンジ )
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FREE ADMISSION!
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PLEASE NOTE: Koishikawa-Korakuen garden admission: General: 300 yen, 65 years and older: 150 yen (Free for elementary school students and younger, or junior high school students living and attending Tokyo)
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PLEASE WEAR RUBBER-SOLED WALKING SHOES & DON'T FORGET TO BRING a LUNCH OR SNACKS & a beverage!
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There's no set Meetup fee, but we work very hard to plan interesting events & to guide you to the best places, so please give generously!
(Suggested donation: Student or unemployed:￥500-1000, others: from ￥2000 to 5000. It's really your choice!)
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KIDS are WELCOME & free to join with a parent!
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THIS WILL BE FUN, SO LET'S ALL GO!
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Your Meetup organizer, Kerry Drew
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Sunday, June 7th, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm let's visit the famous Horikiri Iris Gardens (Horikirishobuen) & see the finest collection of Iris flowers (both Shobu & Ayame) to be found in all of Tokyo!
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During the Edo period (1603-1868) the Horikiri garden became a major attraction. Among other iris gardens in Edo, it was shown in many ukiyo-e paintings by famous artists of the Edo period, such as Utagawa Hiroshige, because of the garden's magnificent scenery!
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A member of the famous Matsudaira family (which produced the great Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu) devoted his life to developing unique & beautiful new varieties of this remarkable flower & we owe a debt of thanks to this dedicated person!
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Even today, it's one of the most popular botanical attractions in Tokyo.
Every June, 6,000 bulbs of 200 varieties of gorgeous irises welcome the visitors. The flower is associated with words such as ”good news,” ”trust,” & ”grace.”
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(There are actually TWO iris gardens, the second one is by the riverside with an amazing view of east Tokyo & the Skytree, so this will be a relaxing & fun photo walk!)
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"The Japanese iris (Hana-Shobu) dates back to the Tokugawa Period (1603-1867), when many varieties of iris were raised in Edo. You can still see Edo irises today, as well as Izu iris & Higo iris which come in many colors: purple, red-purple, lavender, yellow, pink & white. Some varieties show marginal variegation, others have variegated leaves, semi-double or double flowers. They are perennials, classified as "emmersed" plants which grow out of the water."
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Let's enjoy the finest Iris Garden in Tokyo & also, visit the legendary "Shichifuku-jin", or Seven Lucky Gods, then enjoy talking & having late-lunch or snacks nearby on the Arakawa riverside!
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On our way, walking through the old town along a wonderful winding foot-path, we'll see many other beautiful flowers such as "Aoi", (hollyhocks) "Ajisai", (hydrangeas) & many more!
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Wonderfully clever 2-3 meter tall stone carvings of the 7-lucky gods stand in a line (near a rather curious Shinto shrine) on our route & this adds to the fun!
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Let's enjoy these wonderful monuments & make a wish there!
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Of course, on our tour, we'll practice common sense, so we can be sociable under the sun, in the park & lovely fresh-air green, grassy space by the riverside!
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* For fans of modern architecture & infrastructure, there are some amazing gigantic modern "brutalist", or maybe Art Deco water-gates of copper, steel & concrete dams, plus huge highway pylons beside the river which make wonderful subjects for photos, with the Skytree, boats & river scenery!
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Bring snacks & drinks for yourself & a picnic sheet if you like. We'll stop at a convenience store if needed, after meeting at the station.
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PLEASE NOTE: We have no set event fee, but your donations of from￥1000 -￥4000 per person are appreciated! We work hard to plan interesting events & guide you safely to the best places, so please give generously!
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KIDS are WELCOME & free to join with a parent!
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We look forward to seeing you & hope you will invite your friends to join in this unique experience of traditional Japanese culture!
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Do wear comfortable shoes & bring a hat in case it's very sunny, as we'll be walking for a while.

Thanks! Your organizer, Kerry D. 😎

P.S. Any questions?

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SEE: 10,000 gorgeous Hydrangeas and many Irises at 本土寺 Hondoji, or "Ajisai-dera" Temple in historic Matsudo!
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"Even in summer's tedium, my heart is moved; The moon mirrored in the dewdrops on four hydrangea petals." ~ Fujiwara no Shunzei (1114-1204 )
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Want to see Ajisai, (Hydrangeas) purple, white & gold Shobu (Irises), plus wonderful antique temples, shrines & elegant monuments in a beautiful, natural setting?
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You don't need to visit Kamakura to enjoy the most remarkable flowers blooming this time of year! (In fact, Matsudo's 13th Century Hondo-ji Temple is nicer in many ways than tourist-choked Hasedera in Kamakura!)
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"One of the best hydrangea gardens anywhere is hidden in a small town near Matsudo City in Chiba Prefecture. Within walking distance from JR Kita-kogane station (JR 北小金駅), Hondoji Temple (本土寺) come to life on June each year with its superb view of hydrangea forest, a suitably mysterious moss garden & a five-tier pagoda, that is said to house one of only a few pieces of Buddha's bone in Japan!"
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"Enjoy the flowers & smaller shrines in the complex. The complex has other places of interest, including a Jizō shrine, an Inari shrine & a Benzaiten temple, but its crowning glory is still the hydrangea forest & the iris pond. In June, they cover almost all the precincts of the temple, creating a really awesome sight." ~ Trip Advisor
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We'll visit the beautiful, highly photogenic temple and gardens, and possibly several ancient Shinto shrines in a lovely forested area which preserves the remains of Kogane castle, all part of this wonderful historic area of Chiba!
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We'll also tell you of the legend of Kishibojin, an ancient demon-queen whose heart was transformed, and she became the Goddess who protects children! (This Goddess is honored at every Nichiren-sect temple)
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https://www.matsudo-kankou.jp/oyaguchirekishikouen/
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This historic temple has many charms, besides the gardens, such as a superb 5 story pagoda, magnificent temple buildings, monuments, statues, stones & ponds which would make any true Japanese culture & art lover, or photographer swoon!
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Admission to temple and gardens is￥500. Less for disabled / over 65.
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NOTE: We work hard to create nice Meetups & make everyone feel welcome, so your contributions of anything from: ￥1000 to ￥5000 are much appreciated!
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(Tours from AirBnB, Viator & others cost from ￥7,000 to ￥14,000 per person, so this is actually a GREAT deal!)
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A comfortable walk along the sacred road leading from the station brings us past many wonderful open-air shops selling an amazing variety of traditional sweets, pickles, crackers, rare & unique flowers, plus handcrafted items of many kinds.
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There's a inexpensive, open-air soba shop along the temple road where we've had delicious lunches on past visits, so perfect for a Meetup meal, or you may bring your own bento lunch & eat there too!
(Yes, there is a convenience store by the station)
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It's an easy ride from central Tokyo or anyplace on the Chiyoda or Joban Lines. Just 30 minutes on the Joban Line from JR Ueno station & 50 minutes from Kasumigaseki by Metro Chiyoda Line, these trains all go directly to Kita-Kogane station where we'll meet!
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(People coming from Chiba can travel by any train or bus going to Matsudo Station & there, easily transfer!)
It's a wonderful place to experience, so why don't we all go?
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👉🏻 Being late, or a "no-show" hurts your fellow members & organizers, so please be considerate. Walking shoes (no high heels, please) a hat, umbrella & insect repellent are sometimes very helpful!
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YES, KIDS ARE WELCOME & COME FOR FREE WITH A PARENT!
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Your comments & suggestions for meetups are always welcome!
Thanks!
Your organizer, Kerry D. 👦🏻

P.S. LET'S KEEP OUR GROUP GROWING by INVITING YOUR FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS & FAMILY MEMBERS TO JOIN THIS MEETUP GROUP!

#festivals #shintoshrines #omatsuri #eventsintokyo #buddhisttemples #japanesefestivals #japanesegardens #traditionaljapan #tokyofestivals #tokyo #japaneseculture #funinjapan #japanesehistory #parksandgardens #japaneseart #chiba #chibatourism #Japanesefood #Japanesetemples #chiba