It is bit of myth that some area of Shibuya in Tokyo has named after as sacred (literally they use kanji calligraphy of god) although the majority of Japanese are non religious yet they mostly they belong to Shinto Buddhism as they passed away and be cremated and enshrined. It is a profound ambivalence in the ancestral custom and ritual coherence in today’s society.
Same goes to the name of area that still carries out even in such a world top class cultural city as the sacred in a certain extent. Particularly locating Meiji-Jingu shrine in the middle of the area is likely the reason for it.
And today’s street culture meets high-end fashion area, Jingumae is one of them. There are hundreds of different ways to stroll around explore Shibuya Harajuku area and this time, Round Pattern would like to introduce some notable spots where you can pay attention to “urban botanical” to follow the area under the name of Shrine. On the East Side of Shibuya is more of Ebisu side, there’s a public botanical garden center where features education and lifestyle for agriculture and farmers foods. Very nice green and place to enjoy Kiosk moment in the hub of clouded city.
In the Jingumae Shibuya area has the flagship spot called, Miyashita Park. Between the Miyashita Park and longtime running music department store, Tower Records building, there is a beautiful rose graffiti under the train track remains a old school street culture spirit where used to be the sacred community area for everyone especially amongst skateboarder and homeless. It is now fully re-developed in high end global commercial premises.
Few minutes walk from Miyashita Park, there is a lovely petite bourket is available from the Cat street’s hospitality flagship, TRUNK Cat Street. On Some Mondays, this boutique hotel offers a pop up socializing flower market to share extra left over flowers they purchase for weekend wedding receptions for one coin 500 yen each. What a nice Monday treat.
Then following the Jingumae to heading towards 246 heading to Aoyama, the famous trunk of the children olive tree (“Children of Tree” by Taro Okamoto).
The spot has been the Flagship of diversity and rights of liberty for children where is going to be reopening as Tokyo resident’s community plaza where right next to UN university campus, across from the Aoyama Gakuin University. Around the campus of the Aoyama area is spreading widely with nice green is notable, you can stroll the farmers market every weekend to meet rural farmers and their courtesy products. The market often have events such as Sake tasting and flea market with music selectors (DJ). Worth dropping by whenever you’re nearby.
At last, of course, not to forget about a deep green heart of the area, Meiji-Jingu Shrine where is about 10 minutes away from, if seeks to be in a depth of full circle of historical Green heritage from Meiji era. Along with the routes or even without, having a long walk there with green negative eons would bring you to the state of “Totonou” by means.
Location Reference:
Meiji Jingu Shrine | ADDRESS: 1-1, Yoyogi Kamizono-cho, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
TRUNK(HOTEL) Cat Street | ADDRESS:5-31 Jingumae Shibuya-ku Tokyo
Miyashita Park | ADDRESS: 6-20-10 Jingu-Mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Shibuya City Botanical Garden Fureai (Urban Farmers Club) | ADDRESS: 2-25-37 Shibuya Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
