Yoyogi Park is one of Tokyo's biggest parks where one can find musicians, dancers, singers, BMX trick bikers, jugglers, soccerball tricksters, magicians, and other types of street entertainers, all of whom seemed to be practicing their craft for the joy of it (no tip buckets). We were also shocked at the number of people enjoying the park, even for a Sunday. From one spot, we could see people practicing or participating in soccer, hula hoops, cheers, hacky sack, frisbee keepaway, martial arts, kite flying, jogging, picnics ... and that was just a single acre of the 133 acre park as viewed from the picnic bench where we rested. The movie clip I recorded (see below) moves quickly but includes people doing all the activities listed above.
Video of all the people at Yoyogi Park
Video of cheer practice at Yoyogi Park
Video of talented youth performing soccer ball tricks at Yoyogi Park
We couldn't see the Emporer's Palace but we could walk the grounds outside the main wall.
The outer East Garden is always open to the public. The large entrance and heavy doors studded with metal are replicas of the Edo era palace gates that were built to withstand the assault of an army.
The East Garden was quiet, enchanting, and full of a variety of plants, flowers, ponds, fish, sculptures, and a lot of other things we didn't have time to see.
The red colored trees were Mimi's favorite. Some were brighter than what you see in the picture.
It was a cloudy day but we were close enough to Mt. Fuji that I caught a couple of decent pics. Also included is a cloud-draped set of mountains near Fuji.
Fuji Kachoen has an owl and parrot collection (along with emus, ducks, black and white swans, and hawks) and an indoor greenhouse for begonias and fuchsias. I apologize that the photos do not accurately capture the color and beauty of the place. Yes, all of the owls you see are alive and well.
Otodome-no-taki and Shiraito waterfalls near Mt. Fuji.