November 30, 2008

Mejiro

The next stop round on the Yamanote Line from Takadanobaba is Mejiro, a relatively quite stop on the line, and one of only two stops on the line that doesn't connect with any other railway or subway line.
Mejiro Dori is the main thoroughfare that runs in front of the station.
If you go to the right side, you hit the leafy avenue with the Gakushuin University main campus, as well as some other schools or colleges.

Heading back towards the station and continuing long Mejiro Dori, you come to an area with some shops, cafes and restaurants. A short walk north off the main street through a quiet residential area brings you to Mejiro Garden, a traditional Japanese garden that is free to enter.
It's a perfect spot to relax in silence for a while, just taking in the view, which at this time of year is very colourful.


Enjoying the view.


Back on Mejiro Dori I had a look at some of the shops, including Mono-Sick-Studio, better then stereo sick, I guess.
Painting on a utilities service box.
Popular looking Italian restaurant ...
... and just upstairs is a reggae and darts bar, going by the name of Denver. Not sure what the connection is, but maybe it's an OK place to go.
Quaint no parking sign.
Artificial flower display outside a 100 yen shop.
Mejiro Dori also boasts its own Japanese sword and armour shop ~ not something you see on every high street.
Walking south from Mejiro Dori past some expensive-looking housing, you eventually come to Otomeyama Park, a fairly wild, but peaceful park with plenty of trees and greenery that is pretty much left to nature. It's probably not what you could call a beautiful park, but it is almost like an oasis of untamed green in a big city.
On the whole Mejiro was pleasant to wander around, and is probably a nice place to live, though there isn't much to encourage the casual visitor to make many return visits. More of a residential area than a lively hub of activity.

2 comments:

  1. Fantastic pics and text.

    Thanks for sharing your journeys with us. I've never been to Japan but your blog is piquing my interest in that country.

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  2. Thanks for the feedback. Glad you're enjoying the blog.

    ReplyDelete