Japan’s pink sakura cherry blossoms are famous worldwide for their passing seasonal beauty. What many international people may now know is that the white, pink and crimson ume plum blossoms that flower in February and March are almost as spectacular. I recently took a trip with a colleague to Hamarikyu Gardens, the former Shogunate and later Imperial duck hunting garden along Tokyo bay, for some ume watching, and have photos to share with readers below.
About Curzon
Lord George Nathaniel Curzon (1859 - 1925) entered the British House of Commons as a Conservative MP in 1886, where he served as undersecretary of India and Foreign Affairs. He was appointed Viceroy of India at the turn of the 20th century where he delineated the North West Frontier Province,
ordered a military expedition to Tibet, and unsuccessfully tried to partition the province of Bengal during his six-year tenure. Curzon served as Leader of the House of Lords in Prime Minister Lloyd George's War Cabinet and became Foreign Secretary in January 1919, where his most famous act was
the drawing of the Curzon Line between a new Polish state and Russia. His publications include
Russia in Central Asia (1889) and
Persia and the Persian Question (1892).
In real life, "Curzon" is a US citizen from the East Coast who has been a financial analyst, freelance translator, and university professor; he is currently on assignment in Tokyo.
I was just reading Japanese Wiki and found out Hamarikyu was used as government guest house and this was where Meiji Emperor had met Ulysees S.Grant,whom had been on a grand tour after retiring from the White House,in 1879.Prussian Crown Prince Friedrich(then of German Kaiser Friedrich the 3rd )had also stayed there in 1879.
Beautiful pictures. Thanks.
Does Hamariku Garden also have a rapeseed patch that turns into a sea of yellow in the spring?
I was fortunate enough to make it to Japan for one Cherry Blossom Festival. The whole city of Tokyo looked like it had put on a beautiful white and pink ball gown for the celebration. All the crowds didn’t put a damper on enjoying the beautiful blossoms under clear skies.
Sonagi: It does have a field of Cosmos that turns into a sea of orange in the fall.
Aceface: But in what facility did he stay? I hope it wasn’t the sad-looking two room teahouse.
All the following are from (mostly)wikipedia:
There used to be a stone built western style architecture named En-Ryo-Kan延遼館,which was used as naval academy of Tokugawa Shogunate(run by Katsu Kaisyu) and then used as state guesthouse by Meiji government.En-Ryo-Kan was demolished in 1889 when the new state guesthouse called 鹿鳴館Deer-Crying Hall was built.
Tokyoites, please help refresh my memory. When I was last in Tokyo in late March a few years ago, I did the rounds of the parks and gardens, including a rather small one that was off the beaten path, located not too far from the Tsukiji Market. It was near the water, had a large rapeseed patch in bloom along with some enormous magnolia trees that weren’t ready to blossom. There was also a plant nursery and a little canal that cut through the park. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Nevermind. It is Hamarikyu. A map at the Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association shows all the things I remember, including the rapeseed patch. When not in bloom, the rapeseed plant is unremarkable and easily overlooked.
Wow, I’m multiple shades of envious at the moment.
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