5 Days in Tokyo: Finding Peace in Hibiya Park
Dusk nips at our heels as we arrive at the northern entrance to Hibiya Park. Directly across the street from Tokyo’s Imperial Palace, Hibiya Park offers us an escape from the never-ending activity of the city that surrounds it.
We cross the threshold and enter the park. Immediately, we are transported to another world. Moments ago, Tokyo’s rush-hour traffic buzzed all around us. Here in Hibiya Park, all is quiet– the loudest things are the incredibly vibrant colors of flowers in full bloom everywhere we look.
The descending sun bathes the trees of Hibiya Park in golden hues. Otherwise, nothing dares to intrude upon the tranquility of the park.
Like those walking through the park, time seems to move at a much more leisurely pace here. Throughout Hibiya Park, visitors find quiet corners of solitude to spend a moment alone with their thoughts and to reflect as another day comes to an end. Others come together to paint the landscape in the final moments of amber light before the sun dips below the horizon.
Perhaps the most surprising thing is that Hibiya Park is just one of several “pockets of peace” that we’ve encountered during our short time in Tokyo. Whether it’s walking down Otsuka’s main street with locals at dusk, exploring the quiet side streets of Ginza, or savoring the silent calm of Yoyogi Park, Tokyo has defied my expectations as a city that never stops.
People here seem to know there’s value in stopping to smell the roses.
We slowly make our way across Hibiya Park. When we reach the park’s southern exit, the sun has set and we are once again surrounded by the familiar buzz Tokyo’s unrelenting activity.
We leave the tranquility of Hibiya Park behind, but we leave energized and ready to brave the noise and the crowds to find our way to the next pocket of peace, here in Tokyo.
5 Days in Tokyo
- Otsuka — Tucked between Tokyo’s hot spots is a place where golden hour never ends.
- A Different View of Harajuku — We discover that serenity is surprisingly easy to find in Harajuku.
- Lost in Ebisu — A random stop in Tokyo turns out to be more than we bargained for.
- Old Town Akihabara — Pass under the bridge to a different side of Tokyo’s futuristic district.
- Ginza to Tsukiji — A search for fresh fish leads to a surprising discovery about Tokyo’s Ginza district.
- Lunch at Tsukiji Fish Market — This is where you go to get the freshest fish in Tokyo.
- The Solitary Soldier — Sunset at Japan’s Imperial Palace.
- Finding Peace in Hibiya Park — A small pocket of peace amidst Tokyo’s never-ending activity.
- Cats of Hibiya Park — Hanging out with some furry friends.
- Saturday in Ikebukuro — Ikebukuro. Weekend. It’s over.
- Okachimachi Crunchy — Walking down Tokyo’s multifaceted shopping boulevard.
- Hidden Yanaka — Frozen in time.