Last year, I found out that a long-time family friend and her husband had been accepted to teach at an international school in Tokyo. After a few months of them getting adjusted, we decided to meet last Saturday to spend the day at Shinjuku Gardens to see the yearly chrysanthemum beds. After some initial confusion about where to meet (Shinjuku Station is the largest in the world and has over 200 exits) we decided to simply convene at the central rest stop in the gardens.
Shinjuku National Garden is an impressive and beautiful green space in the middle of Tokyo. The admission fee costs only about $2 and gives you access to trails, flora and fauna exhibits, greenhouses, Japanese gardens and ponds. We spent the better part of an afternoon there and barely covered half of the park. Though many go to see the hundreds of varieties of plants and trees, others go to hang out in the green space to nap, picnic or play sports.
While we were there we enjoyed a wild rose exhibit and the famous chrysanthemum beds. Though I was expecting fields of tightly packed yellow mums, the exhibits were carefully arranged flowers all emerging from only one root - this is the Japanese way and tradition that is treasured and admired. "Like the cherry blossom, the chrysanthemum symbolizes the season, but more than that, it is a symbol of the country itself. The monarchy is referred to as the Chrysanthemum Throne and the Imperial crest is a stylized mum blossom. That seal is embossed on Japanese passports. The flower is also a common motif in art, and it is seen in everyday life depicted on the 50 Yen coin"(The Japan Times). Because of the significance of the flower, the park was packed, especially around the flower exhibitions. But because it was a beautiful day and we were with old friends, we didn't mind taking our time and chatting while waiting for the crowds to pass.
After walking around the park we headed to an Indian restaurant and enjoyed sharing dishes of curry, Tandoori chicken and plenty of garlic naan. Our friends had lived and taught in India the previous few years so they were experts in choosing a menu that all would enjoy. After walking around the city a bit more, we bid each other farewell with promises to catch up again in the future. Living far away from home and family is difficult and a day that offers a chance to connect with people who truly know you and where you're from is a valuable and much-needed way to stay sane abroad.
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