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A recent J-drama was modeled after Tomitaro Makino, who pioneered Japanese botany and used the Linnaeus method to classify many plant species in Japan

The drama recently ended and we realized we had visited some places featured in it like the Koishikawa Botanical Garden.

The land where his house once stood in Nerima was turned into a Memorial Garden after his death

I can’t remember where I read or heard about this but there is no admission to visit the garden because he wanted everyone to be able to experience and maybe get to love plants as much as he did.

He believed that no plant was a "weed".

His drawings of plant species were amazing and intricate!

And his study area was also replicated, tons of books! 

He never graduated from elementary school, but read voraciously about all sorts of things.

Some interesting plants in the garden...hyogi (blackberry lily)

sudajii (castanopsis sieboldii)

Since the drama just ended many people, including us, were out and about.

We then went to Minami Nagasaki to check out Tokiwaso, an apartment complex where many manga artists like Tezuka Osamu (Atom Boy), Fujiko F Fujio and Fujiko A Fujio (Doraemon), Ishinomori Shotaro (Kikaida, Robocon) who were just starting out lived.

The original building was located in a different area nearby and was demolished in 1982 due to aging.

In this museum, you can see many replicated rooms as well as their communal kitchen and bathroom.

On the bottom floor, they had an exhibit of Kiyohiko Azuma's manga, "Yotsuba".

Apparently there is also a character in the manga called Danboard (the japanese word for cardboard box)

We weren't familiar with "Yotsuba", but we were glad to be able to check out Tokiwaso.

Down the street from the museum is Matsuba, who has been in business for over 70 years and frequented by many manga artists.

The gyoza was gyoza snob approved.

He said he also enjoyed the ramen.

I ordered the yakisoba with meat.

This was delicious with lots of pork belly, but there was way too much sauce making it quite hard to eat after awhile.

We loved all the vintage buildings along Tokiwaso Street

It was like travelling to a different part of Japan.

Since we had to change trains at Ikebukuro, we decided to check out some things before going home.

But first, ginger soda for me and chocolate banana smoothie for Satoshi at Mermaid Cafe.

This soda was perfect for the heat & humidity!

Objet near Sunshine City by Kataoka Tamako, called "4 seasons of Edo" is a ceramic relief type piece and it was huge.

Gyu-tan ra-yu and Oyster sauce from Miyagi Antenna shop.

We've tried the gyu-tan (beef tongue) ra-yu before and I was interested in trying the oyster sauce since it is made in Japan.

It was nice to be out and about, even if it is still hot and humid.

Makino Memorial Garden

6-34-4 Higashi Oizumi

Nerima, Tokyo

Closed Tuesdays

Hours: 9:00-17:00

Tokiwaso Manga Museum

3-9-22 Minami Nagasaki

Toshima, Tokyo

Closed Mondays

Hours: 10:00-18:00 

Admission: 500 yen 

Miyagi Antenna Shop (Coco Miyagi)

1-2-2 Higashi Ikebukuro

Toshima, Tokyo

Hours: 11:00-20:00