Sharing memories of Shinjuku Gyoen on a day when confirmation came that Hong Kongers aren't completely safe even when in Japan (Photo-essay)

On my recent visit to Japan, I met with Japanese friends who lived for a time in Hong Kong.  One of them told me he doubted he would ever return; because news like the arrest of a Hong Konger arrested for social media posts she made in Japan (where she had been studying) as well as Hong Kong had got him spooked.  After the news today that Yuen Ching-ting was sentenced to two months in prison for Facebook and Instagram posts with messages such as “I am a Hongkonger; I advocate for Hong Kong independence,” and “as long as the Chinese Communist Party exists, how can there be a home?”, I'm sure his resolve to stay away from Hong Kong has strengthened. 

 

And so, as he stated, it would seem that our best bet to meet up again involves my visiting Japan again.  Something which I definitely hope to do again before too long.  Because, frankly, this recent Japan trip was like a breath of fresh air; not just because the air was indeed fresh and weather wonderful for much of my trip but because I very much enjoyed the feeling of not being in a police state for a time. 

 

With this in mind, I'm determined to post about my Japan trip over the next few weeks... to keep the good mood that being in Japan engendered and the memories of the trip help to keep alive.  With this in mind,  here's sharing the following photos of a visit to Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden; a locale that I had actually intended to spend time in on the last day of my previous visit to Tokyo back in 2019; only for rain to lay waste to my plans!  Maybe the visit being delayed for some 4 and a half years made me appreciate the place more.  In any case, yes, I really did love this former imperial garden that has a French Formal Garden and English Traditional Garden as well as Japanese Traditional Garden components!

 

Shinjuku Gyoen is a veritable oasis in the concrete jungle

 

Of course Puppet Ponyo went with me to Japan again! :)

 

Nature, including the cultivated kind, really can be so very beautiful

 

I was not the only one walking around 

taking pictures with a camera in the park :)

 

Can you sense how relaxed people were (in this photo

in particular and the garden in general)?

 

Humans weren't the only critters out for a stroll in Shinjuku Gyoen ;b

 

In Shinjuku Gyoen, I learnt that there are roses named

after a now defunct American newspaper!

 

All in all, I spent some 2 and half hours in this gorgeous garden

-- and consider that time well spent indeed :)