The first day of painting today, Tuesday, October 31 — aka Halloween, which is celebrated, if that’s the appropriate word, big time in Japan.  How does one have a happy Halloween?  A mystery.

Not that this weighty question was on the minds of our intrepid group of 10 artists and a few hangers-on as we braved the Tokyo Metro from Akasakamitsuke to Shinjuku Gyōenmae.

Ev organised a demo near the pavilion and the group then spread out in the Japanese garden section of this very beautiful park, that used to be the exclusive preserve of the Imperial Family.

It was a full day of painting with a break for a snack lunch.  On the way back to the hotel some of us detoured to Tōkyū Hands for some shopping.  More painting tomorrow — in Asakusa.

Here are a couple of pics from the gardens, and one I snapped of two dudes in business suits taking an afternoon nap, sprawled starfish style on the grass!