Older, Quieter Japan....

Tokyo
January 7th, 8th, 9th

Along with all the crazy business of Tokyo, there are still quite a few pockets of calm and charm nearby and in the city.
Metro-ed it to Harajuku and within a 5 minute walk were strolling under giant cedar gates guiding us to the entrance of Meiji Jingu Shrine. The walk through Yoyogi Park to the shrine meanders through tall cedars and displays of painted sake barrels.
It's hard to believe you are so close to such a huge city, though there were still heaps of people in the park.

The next day we navigated our way to the base of Mt Fuji.

As you head south of the city, it becomes rural very suddenly, with single houses and vegetable garden plots wherever they can fit. On the final bends of the train line, the volcano comes into view, and it's just beautiful. 

We got off at Kawaguchiko Station, which is the last stop on this line. 

From here we caught the tourist loop line bus to the Kachi Kachi Ropeway which took us up the closest hill behind town for a view of the volcano.

It had been a relatively warm summer to date, so not a lot of snow on its peak. 

Bottom left of this first image is Fuji-Q Highland amusement park, which boasts 5 of the worlds wildest roller coasters. I think that one they went on yesterday just have been wild enough as there were not too many keen takers, in our group, on visiting here.

Our last piece of peaceful Tokyo was visiting the East Gardens of the Imperial Palace. Just the walk to here from our hotel was worthwhile as there is a popular running course around the "block" of the Imperial Palace, and there were hundreds of joggers out mid morning for a run, so many weird running styles and costumes! The East Gardens was a little disappointing as the imperial family were in residence and we could not get access to parts of it. The entire complex is surrounded by a huge moat and there are numerous high stone walls preventing even seeing the actual palace. The gardens may be great at different seasons but winter is probably not one of them.