A little bit of England

I had the good fortune to be taken to a small and very beautiful area of Tokyo which was like a mini Kyotyo!  It was full of streams, verdant greenery with ferns, bamboo and beautiful maple trees that are most definitely on the turn for autumn.  We wandered around this area, Jindaiji, famous now because of a Japanese soap opera which has just finished and that was filmed in the area - and also based on a story about two people from the area who continue to live there - a Japanese equivalent of Emmerdale, if you like.

We enjoyed a rather huge lunch sitting in an old style building full of tatami rooms and sliding doors where we ate the soba noodles that are the speciality of the town and tempura whilst sipping green tea.  It was idyllic.  My companions were able to tell me a lot about the area and it was a real privilege to a part of it all.  I was the only gaijin in the the place for the whole day - I saw no other foreigners.

After lunch we went to the Botanical Gardens nearby and strolled through the most beautiful rose gardens with fountains and glass houses and lovely shady areas.  It was like a little bit of England on a summers day.  The rose perfume filled the air and it was a delight to watch artists recreating the scene in front of them with great accuracy and definition.  Such a talent.  The rose flavoured icecream was delightful and a must to try.