Report on 29 May 2018, Weekday Morning tour to The East Garden of the Imperial Palace

Many thanks to 18 guests who joined the tour from USA, Canada, Australia, Columbia, Vietnam, Portugal, and Germany. We divided into 4 groups.

It was hot and humid morning as May is known to be beginning of summer season. In the East Garden, irises blossomed beautifully. Our guests enjoyed viewing the irises. The pond contains collection of various species of irises. That is treasure of the garden.

Now is early summer in Tokyo, but in southernmost prefecture of Japan, Okinawa is already in mid-summer. I traveled to Okinawa, a few days before this tour. There beautiful flowers such as hibiscus bloomed. But not just flowers but corals were beautiful to look at.

I joined boat tours to view corals in Oura Bay and adjoining Henoko coast. There I could view the world’s largest blue coral which has existed and continued to grow for 3000 years, and 300 year old stony corals.

The tour was more like environmental study than sight-seeing because these are near ongoing landfill construction site for runways. It is concerned that the runways would change water current and eventually threaten lives of these corals. If corals die, tropical fish that inhabit in corals would disappear, so whole ecosystem would be adversely affected.

There is a civil movement in Okinawa to cancel the construction project. The tour was actually funded by citizens’ donation. Majority of Okinawa locals and the governor of Okinawa are opposed to construction of runways.

The flowers and corals are greatest creatures on earth. Different colors and forms delight us. That is the bio-diversity we have to appreciate and save.

Speaking of diversity, our tour welcomes most diverse collection of people in the world. That is why we are so happy to guide. Because we are so different and beautiful, it is so wonderful to communicate among one another.

Diversity includes gender, nationality, race, ethnicity, language, culture, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity. As for last two kinds, Tokyo held rainbow pride event and parade in early May.

Tokyo Governor Ms. Koike announced support for LGBT in the opening of the event. Our tour has already welcomed LGBT guests many times. We are friendly to anyone. That is our pride!

Why not join us to enjoy and appreciate this diversity!

(Masa)