It was a cloudy afternoon of the 24th of September. 24 students attendedthe tour plan.
We formed up them into 5 groups and 7 guides from our guide group
attended respectively.
At 1:30pm, we had a meeting about the orientation of Edo-Tokyo history and the specialty of the location of their campus at Sophia University for about 30 minutes.
Then, we departed from the Kioi Exit of the University and started our tour from
the Kioi Slope, then moved on to Soto-bori (outer moat bank),
State Guest House in Yotsuya, Kuichigai-mitsuke, and Hotel New Ohtani, which was the site of the former Ii family’s mansion. We enjoyed various interesting corners of the beautiful back garden of New Otani Hotel.
Unfortunately, while walking through the beautiful garden, we had a light shower which forced us to stay within the lounge of the Hotel for about 15 minitues.
Our folks call it as the wedding of the fox when “the rain falls while the sun shines”.
Then, we continued to walk from Benkei-bridge, visiting the former site of
Hotel Grand Prince, commemorating the former Prince Li family’s mansion,
remains of Akasaka-Mitsuke Gomon, headquarter office of LDP, some views
of Supreme Court of Justice, National Library of Parliaments, Parliamentary
Museum and its front yards, clock tower, water level benchmark repository,
National Building of Parliament(Congress), site of the tragedy of Sakuradamon-Gate
(site of Ii s assassination), old main building of Ministry of Justice and after
passing through the Sakradamon-Gate, we reached our final goal of Nijubashi-bridge,
the symbol of the Imperial Palace. We walked through the heart land of the City of Tokyo.
We took the pictures of our party and departed. It was 5:15pm.
We sincerely wish that all of the students enjoyed this walking tour and hope that
you would continue to enjoy your life in Japan!
(Y.O)