Hi Hi ...... It's the weekend and you know what, it's one of those Tokyo exploration day again. I am really not a sightseeing type of gal, open up a BYJ site and I can glue in front of the computer the whole day. But come every Friday hubby will eagerly anticipate what adventures I am planning for the whole family in the weekend! Fortunately I don’t really have to wreck my little brain too much as Tokyo is so huge and every area has its own distinct character and attractions. This time we went to Shiodome, a futuristic bayside district with modern designed buildings and state-of-the-art monrail. I learned about Shiodome in a recent gathering, apparently the following is very popular among foreigners :
Hama-rikyu Gardens (浜離宮恩賜庭園) was built in the Edo Period (17th century) as the family garden of the Tokugawa Shoguns. After the Meiji Restoration, the garden became a Detached Palace for the Imperial family. The gardens have seawater ponds and moats surrounding some tiny islands, graceful bridges and many species of interesting flora and fauna.
I am especially enchanted by this little teahouse - Nakajima no ochaya. This teahouse was first built in 1707 for the Shoguns and Imperial Court nobles to relax and entertain in the serene surroundings of ponds and greens. Today you can enjoy a cup of macha (powdered green tea) and Japanese sweets for 500 yen inside this teahouse.
You are probably still wondering, yyyyeahhhh, it’s a nice garden alright, but what’s so worth blogging about?? Hey hey hey, take a closer look at what’s behind the Gardens and the teahouse, it’s the Conrad! Still doesn’t ring a bell? Hehe, I don’t blame you. Actually I only found out from those Japanese interviews afterwards that HRH was staying at the Conrad Hotel last month while he was in Tokyo!
I wonder how’s his stay at the Conrad as this hotel is situated in a business district and surrounded by highways and rails. There isn’t any open area for fans to wait outside. So you think he had a chance to skinny-dip in this elegant infinity pool upstairs?
Or perhaps enjoying a relaxing massage looking out to the beautiful Tokyo Bay?
No?! Poor dear! Well, at least he could look at his own handsome face all day in this chic bathroom :)
6 comments:
Hi Jaime,
When I read your email and knew you
and your family went to Hama Rikyu, the sea side villa of shogunate family, I wanted to ask you if you went up to Condrad Tokyo for a cup of tea. Remember while HRH was in Tokyo, Kiyomi, Tamaki and I had tea in the lounge of the hotel just to 'feel' him? Reading all those interviews now I guess He was there at that time answering the questions from AERA or some other media. (They think what they want to think, hehe!)
I heard the big reason Yong Joon stayed at Conrad again this time was the garden view from his room.
You can take a river boat from the pier at the garden for Odaiba or Asakusa.
Thank you for the nice pictures of the inside of the hotel.
cloud nine
dear cloudnine,
Hehe, so did you feel him while sipping tea in Conrad? You think he had the urge to go down and sit in that ochaya? I hope he enjoyed the stunning night view of the Tokyo Bay from his suite.
I picked a very hot afternoon to walk in the garden. I saw a beautiful picture of the Garden covered in snow, I'd love to see this romantic scenery in person someday.
Hope you had a nice weekend too.
love ... Jaime
Bae Yong Joon. Are you not King? You should live in the Palace.
From now on, wherever you are, wherever you have stayed and touched the ground is my palace.
Quoted from The Legend
by Josephine
hehe, walking in the park sounds lovely (kindda reminds me of a nice afternoon in the park and at the teahouse with satovic a long time ago...), then i read the part about the very hot afternoon...
okie! must wait till the weather turns cooler! i absolutely hate the hot weather :p
thanks for sharing.
Hi Josephine,
You're right. The Conrad is as grand as a modern Palace fit for our King!
love ... Jaime
Aiyo Princess, do I hear it right? You hate the hot weather?! I learn a trick from the Japanese ladies here, always use a dark parasol over your head. Not only that it protects our skin from the sun's UV rays, it actually feels less hot underneath the parasol. Please try it :)
love ... Jaime
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