He told me that there are 2 main types of fireflies here in Japan, the Genji and Heike. They are thought to be named after 2 warring clans from 1185. I guess it's appropriate that the Genji variety are larger, and brighter, because they won the war. It's folklore that the souls of the samurai that fell in battle inhabit the fireflies. Children are taught to not catch or hurt the bugs out of respect for the samurai souls.
I was also told that firefly larvae need clean river beds or rice paddies with mineral rich water to grow. Because of the increasing water pollution here in Japan, it is becoming increasingly rare to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitats, especially near urban areas. In fact, there's a firefly nursery in Tokyo that has created a greenhouse complete with an artificial stream to breed fireflies, and so people can enjoy them indoors. Knowing that it's rare to see these little critters where were are, I feel privileged to have seen any at all!
The park is so much bigger in the daylight! They had so much of it blocked off for the firefly night, that it probably only took us 15 - 20 minutes to walk through the whole thing. It took me almost 3 hours to take everything in today! The guide recommended an hour for both the inner and outer gardens, but I took my time and a couple breaks (it was really hot!). The original garden was fairly sparse, but since the war they've been planting trees and now it looks like a forest. Most of the buildings are not original. They were moved here throughout the last century. A lot of the original buildings were destroyed during the Great Kanto earthquake of 1923 or World War II.
Lotus flowers
These are a variety of hydrangea and are the prettiest baby blue color
Example of a building's foundation that was destroyed in the Kanto Earthquake
Absolutely an urban oasis
Creeping apricot trees. The branches are supported by crutches.
Where the fireflies come out to play
Japanese farmhouses built in 1735 were not designed for 5'9" women.
Steps? Try a near vertical ladder without rungs. Damn these were steep.
The farmhouse. The steps led up to the attic.
Three story pagoda, built in 735. What?!? Moved from Kyoto in 1914. That's so old I can't even fathom it. Homer (the poet, not the Simpson) was alive in 730.
You know after walking around in the heat for 3 hours, I WAS HUNGRY! Lunch was:d
Corndog! Loved the convenient ketchup/mustard duo.
Then for dinner we hit up some kaiten (conveyor belt) sushi for an appetizer.
Sushi appetizer. These are our favorites so far. Fatty tuna, tuna roll, and fatty salmon. Guess we're just a bunch of fatties! But they're sooo yummy!
Then we headed next door to Ippudo which is indeed a chain restaurant, but consistently serves some of the best ramen in Tokyo. They only have 3 things on the menu, but they do those 3 things extremely well (not including sides and a seasonal special). The gyoza are to die for and the noodles are cooked perfectly in a rich, but not too rich broth. I've now been here twice and still want more!
Spicy pork ramen from Ippudo, one of the best ramen shops in Tokyo
Garlic pork ramen
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