Showa Park -- and A New Assignment

On Memorial Day, we joined a couple of families in the ward to ride bikes to a nearby park, Showa Kinen Park. These folks had been there before by car or train, but decided to cycle today, so we borrowed a couple of bikes from another ward family and set off. We rode on the streets for just a short distance, then followed a bike path for most of the ride, which took about 20-25 minutes. Unanimous decision: cycling was hands down the best way to see the park -- given traffic, cost of parking, cost of public transportation, and the 14 kilometers of black top bike trails throughout the park where even foot traffic isn't allowed. And getting there by bike was faster than by car or train!

A paradise for families, this sprawling park was opened on the site of the old Tachikawa air base in 1983, to mark the golden jubilee of Emperor Showa. Fifteen minutes' walk from Tachikawa Station, the 1.8 sq km (0.7 sq miles) park boasts a wide range of facilities, including spacious lawns, wooded areas and seasonal flower gardens. Kids will enjoy splashing around in the Rainbow Pool or making mischief in the Children's Forest play area, where they can immerse themselves in clouds of artificial mist. The park also has some lengthy cycling tracks, as well as pedal boats, mini golf and a range of other games and activities.
http://www.timeout.jp/en/tokyo/venue/586/Showa-Kinen-Park

We  heard a lot about the tulips at Showa Park in April but never managed to get to the park to see them. Now the poppies are on display.

There's an incredible collection of bonsai trees --

Azalea, 50 years old

White Pine, 150 years old

Juniper, 250 years old

Trident Maple, 110 years old

Sakhalin Spruce, estimated over 300 years old

And here's a Creeping Juniper, with my arm in the picture for perspective. 

Estimated at 160 years old!

More scenes from the park --

We were waiting to buy food, in line at a concession area, when we felt a bit of a rumbling beneath us and realized we were experiencing our first earthquake. All the cell phones within earshot rang, as that's part of Japan's emergency alert system. 

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 struck the Kanto region of Japan at 2:28 p.m. on Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency said, adding there was no danger of a tsunami. The epicenter of the quake was about 51 kilometers deep in northern Saitama Prefecture.

The quake had a lower 5 intensity in Tsuchiura, Ibaraki Prefecture, a 4 in parts of Saitama, Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Chiba and Kanagawa prefectures. The intensity was 4 in some of Tokyo’s 23 wards and a 3 in the other wards.

Buildings shook briefly in Tokyo and smartphone alerts could be heard going off in offices. There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Tokyo’s subway trains were briefly halted, and Narita Airport’s two runways were also closed for 10 minutes for checks, NHK reported. Haneda airport was unaffected.

http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/m5-6-earthquake-rocks-kanto-region

We're told Japan is overdue a major earthquake, so we're waiting for the big one -- as we were in Utah and Washington.....

While we were at the park, we got a phone call from President Wada. Elder and Sister Powell, the mission office couple, had made the very tough decision that they needed an early release -- they need to go home and get Sister Powell's health problems taken care of. President Wada asked if we would accept a change of assignment, move to Kichijoji, and take the Powells' place in the honbu (mission office).  Of course we agreed, although we're very sad to leave Fussa and the Yokota Military Ward. This change may be temporary, if the Missionary Department is able to fill the office couple assignment, and we're hoping that will be the case. We felt we were getting well acquainted and just starting to be effective in our work here -- but we know we will love the experiences in the office with President and Sister Wada and the young missionaries who serve there. 

The mission is keeping our apartment in Fussa, and we will continue to attend the military (English speaking!) ward, so we'll see our missionaries and new friends most weekends. We've joked that we will now have an apartment in Tokyo and a weekend place in the country -- how many missionaries get that kind of a deal? We'll also be able to conveniently go on base to shop and drive on wide streets and read road signs in English -- totally worth the hour or more long drive!