Japan Day 32: Yoyogi Park and Lectures

I had a free morning, so I walked through Yoyogi Park from the Olympics Center to Harajuku. The walk was pretty manageable, and it fortunately didn't rain (although it was looking a bit gloomy)! I was surprised by the number of crows that were in the park. They made really loud sounds, which were almost like human cries. The park itself was very serene; on my way back, I saw many families and student groups having barbecues. One person was even camping outside!

At Harajuku, I bought some souvenirs, and I also tried the Coffee Jelly Frappuccino at Starbucks! The drink was pretty good, though expensive.

In the afternoon, I went back to Showa for lectures on the history of Tokyo and Japanese women. I learned a lot about how the city began as a small port town and how it has since developed. The president of Showa spoke to us again, and she gave a presentation on women in Japanese society. There was a great discussion going on about how, though the gender gap is closing, Japan still has a long way to go before true equality can be reached.