Holidays, Hellidays and the Journeys in between....: Todoroki Valley

If you are planning a trip to Japan, you may find your social media flooded with pictures of the newly opened Todoroki Valley park. They say it's 30 minutes from Tokyo but it was actually only 20 minutes from my base in Shibuya on the train (you do change train so I guess it might vary on the connections).

I went early due to the heat and was there by 9. I spent an hour pottering about all the paths and left via the temple as I had to cut across town to get to the Kabuki Theatre for the 11am tourist session of the show. I was one of the first to arrive, but there were a few people behind me. I imagine it gets quite busy as the day goes on, so if you are there for photos, earlier is better.

The Red Golf Bridge (named from when it was a golf course) is the most popular for photos so if you move away quickly, you might have it all to yourself, like I did.

It is a charming river walk in a leafy ravine. It feels very remote even though it's in the middle of the massive city of Tokyo. There is a formal Japanese Garden and bamboo groves. There are ancient burial sites, from the 7th century (5th-8th century) and cut into the volcanic stone, with hidden access (but there are signs to find them if you go looking). They apparently predate the city.

The tea house wasn't open when I was there, so take your own water if hot.

There is a little waterfall, where the monks used for a daily practice, and there are little Shinto and Buddhist Shrines along the way. There are two smaller temples to visit as well as the larger Todoroki Fudoson Temple, which is a good way to exit back to the station if you don't want to back track.

There is a gorgeous little Japanese Garden (formal garden, I guess is more appropriately named if in Japan).

All in all, it is a pretty place to cool down, being a few degrees lower in the ravine to the rest of the city.

There are public toilets, however, when I was there, there was a massive spider on the door of one, and a funnel web in the other. And yes, Japan has Giant Japanese funnel-web spiders. That's their actual name! For Aussies, that's enough said. So check carefully or avoid is my advice!!