We had planned to go to the seaside to try to get a bit of a breeze, but as it was so cool we decided instead to go to Rikugien, the garden that I discovered a few weeks back and had been dying to take Nick to. As it was still the Obon festival period, a lot of shops and cafes were closed, so we had to go to this funny little place for something to eat. It had old-fashioned glass brewing flasks on the counter for making coffee that looked like something from a science class, and was yellow with decades of smoking. Thankfully we had the few tables to ourselves while we ate, but didn't linger as a newly-arrived couple sparked up just as we finished.
Though it was drizzly, somehow the quality of the light really accentuated the many hues of green in the garden and highlighted the floating layers of trained pine branches.
The rain became very heavy and we had to take shelter for a while, watching the drops pattering prettily on the green-grey water. Crossing the stone slab bridge we paused to see the turmoil of dozens of turtles below, threaded by orange carp.
Rikugien has moved into first position in my favourite parks and gardens around Tokyo, and I can't wait to see it in autumn and winter. It is easy to forget that you are in a major city as you wander the many paths under the trees.
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