East Gardens of the Imperial Palace

Tour Report on 26-November, 2016, Saturday

East Gardens of the Imperial Palace

Thank you the guests who kindly joined our tour on 26th of November. We had 39 guests from 17 countries, divided by five groups.

Though we had a freezing and snowing on Thursday herein Tokyo, this Saturday was lovely sunny day and a good day for walking tour.  We enjoyed many colored leaves during our tour. At the beginning of the tour, it was warm but we felt a bit chilly at the end. I felt winter has already started.

An advent period has started, and we will have one month more by Christmas day. We hear “Black Friday” these days but it is not a popular word yet in Japan. Japanese Christmas is a couple’s or friend’s event, whereas “a family event” in many other countries. Japanese family “come-together” event is on New Year’s Day. Most of us cerebrate the first day of New Year with family. Usually, all Christmas decoration or ornament takes away on 26-Dec and instead of them, we put “Kadomatsu” (New Year’s decorative pine trees) instead. I think  this practice comes from two reasons: 1. we Japanese are very punctual (!). 2. it comes from Japanese animism’s point of view: we believe “Toshi-gami-sama” (a incoming God) and we should welcome him into our home respectfully. We clean whole one’s house on New Year’s Eve to do so. If you have a chance to stay Japan around Christmas day, please enjoy the special atmosphere and such sudden change on 26th.

christmas-decoration

(Posted by Katsumi)

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We have a regular tour every Saturday and have weekday/Sunday tours irregularly.
Please check the calendar on our website, facebook and tripadvisor.