Bike trails were popular in Yoyogi Park. The main trails had people getting some speed up but some areas were cordoned off for kids to use. This person was compromising and taking their kids for a ride in the park. The bike seemed perfect for the job.
I was taking it easy as I walked through Yoyogi Park. The intense heat and humidity meant I was trying to minimize my effort. That was not the case for everyone, though. I was amazed at how many people were out running in the park. Given the conditions, they must have been really feeling it as they ran but this didn’t seem to be a deterrent. Kudos to them all. My stroll was a bit much for me but I only had a narrow window to be there so I had no choice!
Cities are bustling places but old cities tend to have an advantage over newer ones and that is decent park spaces. When modern cities develop, all the land is valuable and there is a problem with preserving space. Older cities dealt with the preservation of space a long time ago and Tokyo is no exception. I got off the train at Shibuya and was walking up to Shinjuku. I went past some of the buildings from the ’64 Olympics and in to Yoyogi Park. On a Sunday morning, it was a really pleasant place to be.
In common with most of my trip, even first thing in the morning it was very hot and humid. Being close to the ponds and fountains provided a bit of relief although only a bit. Walking through the trees at least kept me out of the sun and that was a welcome break from the warmth. There were trails around the park that were getting plenty of use, some of the open spaces were being used for exercises by groups and individuals and some people were just sleeping.
I had hoped to walk all the way through the park up to Shinjuku but the area where the National Olympic Youth Center and the Meiji Jingu Shrine were meant the top area was blocked off the way I went so I had to divert out on to the street to continue my trek.
