Happo-en, Shirokanedai

T was off again today (Golden Week Rules!) so we explored the 'hood by bike, ending up at Happo-en, a carefully-groomed garden attached to an event hall and wedding salon. I have been here by myself on quieter days, but today the place was buzzing with dozens of young couples accompanied by official-looking persons in blue blazers and shiny metal name pins, either touring the grounds or sitting at tables paging through photos of past nuptials celebrated on said grounds, which are, by the way, absolutely lovely. The bonsai trees are astounding; there's also a pond full of koi, a few strategically-placed stone lanterns, a tea house, a few shrines, etc. Here I am on a stone bridge overlooking a bubbling brook.