Biking the Highlights of Tokyo

In a sleep deprived state around 3am today we decided that a bike tour of Tokyo would be a fitting way to celebrate Gilles’ birthday. What we didn’t check was the weather forecast! We spent a rainy day biking like ninja’s in and around the famous landmarks such as the Meiji Jingu Shrine, where we witnessed a traditional Japanese wedding. Once we completed the purification ritual involving hand washing and rinsing our mouth , we said a Shinto prayer. We also saw the double tree where you pray if you’re looking for a partner and the single tree where pray if you want to stay single or become single. There was a huge wall of wishful votives where you chose a saying for what you want to come true in your life. The most popular wish displayed was to pass school exams. We then passed the site of the 2021 Olympic Stadium, visited the Aoyoma Cemetery where there are 12,000 graves and 140,000 famous Japanese and Westerners buried, plus one famous dog named “Hachiko”, from the movie A Dog’s Tale. Cremation is mandatory in Japan and most plots are family plots, We rode on visiting the Imperial Palace, the House of Parliament, and the Guest House for international visitors. (20 km loop). Notwithstanding the elements, it was a very informative and enjoyable day.Read more