谷根千
YANESEN
Yanesen is a name used to refer to the area consisting of Yanaka (谷中), Nezu (根津), and Sendagi (千駄木). This area is rich with over 110 temples and shrines that flourished during the Edo period. Owing to the difficulty in finding reliable information about these temples, I only cover a few, in some cases with very little detail. Many older structures can be found here, as most of the area managed to avoid burning down in the fires after the 1923 Great Kantō Earthquake and the firebombings of World War II. On the whole Yanesen is a delight, with its quiet streets, small shops, older buildings, shrines, and temples. On one trip I had a conversation with a local resident about the bullet holes, which date back to the Battle of Ueno in 1868, in one of the temple gates—he was surprised I knew what caused them. The area also has a long history of being popular with artists as a place to live, perhaps partly due to the close proximity of the Tokyo Fine Arts School and the Tokyo Music School, which later merged to form Tokyo University of the Arts.
You never know who you will run into here. My Tokyo friend Ono-san once told me about the traditional Japanese painter Allan West, who lives in Tokyo. A few years later Ono-san was showing me around Yanaka when we ran into Mr. West. He gave my friend an autograph using an antique portable ink and brush set called a yatate.
As for shops, I have tended to focus on the older ones, which are likely to still be here years from now. Mixed in with these are newer businesses, which I hope will be around for just as long. So stroll, peek inside stores, pet the neighborhood cats, and see what catches your fancy. For those interested in festivities, early each October the Yanaka Matsuri takes place.
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Kayaba Coffee カヤバ珈琲
This coffee shop is located in a tradesman’s house built in 1916. The dashigeta zukuri style of this building is a rare these days. Kayaba Inosuke opened the cafe in 1938. When he passed away in 2008, a local non-profit organization and the SCAI The Bathhouse gallery worked together to refurbish the interior and reopen Kayaba Coffee in 2009, keeping the original name. The second floor is a tatami room. They serve the kind of inexpensive, simple fare, such as sandwiches and desserts, that one would expect to have found here in earlier decades.
http://taireki.com/en/kayaba.html
Yoshidaya Former Liquor Store / Kyū Yoshidaya Saketen 旧吉田屋酒店
A liquor store originally built in 1910 with additional work in 1935. The upper story was employee housing. When the building was scheduled to be demolished in 1986, a local group lobbied to preserve it. It was then obtained by the Taitō Ward government. It was moved to the present location and became the Shitamachi Museum Annex in 1987.
Daiōji 大雄寺
Also called Chō Shiyōzan Daiō, this Nichiren temple is known for its towering 300-year-old camphor tree. The gate, which is on the east side, is rather small and easy to miss. So if you plan to visit, keep an eye out for it.
Daigyōji 大行寺
This is a Nichiren Buddhist temple that was built in 1588. The design of Nichiren temples is often rather simple, even plain. This one has an attractive gate and some nice details in the carving on the temple building. There is a cherry tree near the main building, which adds to the beauty of the grounds in the spring.
Ichijōji 一乗寺
Established in 1617, Ichijōji is a Nichiren temple also referred to as Daihonzan Ichijōji. This temple is easy to spot from the street, with its black tiled roofs visible over the wall and attractive gate. The grave of the famous Confucian scholar Ota Kinjo (1765–1825) is on the grounds.
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Yanaka Okanoeisen 谷中岡埜栄泉
A sweet shop in business since 1900, located in an old two-story wooden building. Yanaka Okanoeisen is best known for its mame daifuku filled with sweet bean paste (an) and for its ukigusa, a small baked cake with a hint of ginger. All items are handcrafted in the shop. To reduce fire risk during World War II some buildings, such as this one, were dismantled to create firebreaks. The shop had to be rebuilt after the war. The signboard from the original building was stored at a local temple and so survived. They use an interesting wrapping paper printed with a map of Yanaka, an incentive to get a snack if I ever heard one.
https://www.yanaka-okanoeisen.jp
SCAI The Bathhouse スカイザバスハウス
The building is a former bathhouse, which existed for some 200 years after its founding in 1787. When the Kashiwayu bathhouse closed in 1991, the seventh master consulted a local group and the SCAI The Bathhouse gallery was established in 1993. The simple interior of the bathhouse was easily adapted to a gallery for contemporary art by Japanese and international artists. Besides exhibits here, the organization is involved in events and projects in other locations. One such project noted above is Kayaba Coffee.
https://www.scaithebathhouse.com/en/
Ueno Sakuragi Atari 上野桜木あたり
This is a group of three old two-story houses from 1938 that have been converted into business spaces. It is an interesting place to relax and enjoy the mix of Western and traditional architecture often found in such buildings from the 1930s. The owners had considered converting the location into a parking lot. Instead they agreed to work with a local nonprofit to preserve the site and provide locations for small businesses and an event space. The events that are sometimes held here are quite varied, so you never quite know what you may find when you visit. The family has a long interest in tea ceremony, so events related to tea often take place.
http://uenosakuragiatari.jp
Kanda Kannōji 神田感応寺
Established in 1596, this is a Nichiren temple. It is home to the grave of Shibue Chūsai, a physician and Confucian scholar who became famous through his 1916 biography written by Mori Ōgai.
Jishōin Aizendō 自性院 愛染堂
This Shingon monastery was established in 1611 in Kanda and moved to Yanaka in 1648. It is known for its statue of Aizen Myōō, which is housed in a separate hall. The statue is said to contain inside of it a smaller statue of Aizen Myōō that the priest Kankai obtained during a pilgrimage to Mount Kōya. People pray here for luck in getting married and for household harmony.
Chōkyūin 長久院
This Shingon Buddhist temple was established in Kanda in 1611. It relocated here in 1658 after the Meireki Fire of 1657 as part of the redesign of the city. The temple is nicknamed Ajisai Dera, “Hydrangea Temple,” due to the many hydrangea plants here. There is also a statue of Enma in the garden that dates from 1726; it is unusual for a statue of Enma to be outdoors. Look closely at the gate and you will see bullet holes from the Battle of Ueno.
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Rinkōji 臨江寺
This Rinzai Zen temple was established in 1630 and moved to this location in 1681. To your left after you enter the gate is a grouping of memorial stores that date from the Edo period. These stones do not mark graves, as commoners were forbidden to have gravestones, so at times memorials like these would be set up. The oldest is from 1673, but most are from the 18th century.
Gyokurinji 玉林寺
This is a Sōtō Zen temple established in 1591. The grounds have plenty of trees including a large Himalayan cedar and a large chinquapin in the back. There is also a statue of Chiyonofuji, the 58th Yokozuna, which was added to the grounds in 2011.
Daimyō Clock Museum / Daimyō Dokei Hakubutsukan 大名時計博物館
This one-room museum housing a private collection of old Japanese clocks opened in 1974. Don’t expect something fancy, but if you are interested in timepieces, this humble museum can be very interesting. Traditionally the Japanese day was divided into twelve hours: six equal hours for daylight and six equal hours for night. This meant that as the day or night got longer or shorter, so did the hours. The mechanical clocks in the museum were made so they could be adjusted slightly to accommodate the changing lengths of the hours. If it is during operating hours but the museum is closed, you may need to call out “gomen kudasai!” to get someone to come out and open it for you.
Enjuji Nichikadō 延寿寺日荷堂
This Nichiren Buddhist temple established in 1656 is related to Saint Nichika, a priest who is legendary for the strength of his legs. In 1772 a statue of him was relocated here from the main temple. People come here to pray for healing from leg troubles. You will see many old ema tablets with pictures of sandals, actual sandals, or writing on them left as offerings by worshipers. The tenth of every month is a special prayer day for such healing.
Konreiji 金嶺寺
The grounds of this temple, built in Kanda in 1611 and relocated here in 1648, are rich in plant life. There is a roofed blackboard near the entrance where wise messages are posted.
Access is at the east side.
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Rengeji 蓮華寺
This Nichiren temple built in 1630 has a striking red gate. For some reason people pray here for healing from worms.
Zuirinji 瑞輪寺
Zuirinji is a Nichiren temple that was established in 1591. You will see the Tokugawa family crest on the building, as well as some impressive wood carvings. The founding priest was Nisshin, who had been the calligraphy teacher of the young Tokugawa Ieyasu. Ōkubo Monto, who pioneered Edo’s sophisticated drinking water system in the 17th century, is buried here. His grave and those of other members of his family are in an enclosure near the rear of the bell tower. At one point Ōkubo gave Ieyasu some sweets that so impressed him Ōkubo’s family were made the confectioners for the shōguns for several generations. For more on the water system I recommend visiting the Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum in Bunkyō Ward, which is listed in the Hongō chapter.
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Tennōji Chūzaisho 天王寺駐在所
This police box located in Yanaka Cemetery is often referred to as a kōban, but it is actually a chūzaisho, a type of police box with a resident police officer and often a spouse. Chūzaisho in cities are rare—they are usually found in rural areas. When I first visited Yanaka cemetery I noticed a woman hanging laundry out on the second story balcony in the rear, which let me know this was not a typical kōban. There is a private entrance on the side street and a carport for a private vehicle. Given that this is not a populous area, having a chūzaisho rather than a kōban next to such a large cemetery makes sense.
Yanaka Five-Storied Pagoda / Yanaka Gojūnotō 谷中五重塔
Tennōji had a famous pagoda that was the model for Kōda Rohan’s famous story “The Five-Storied Pagoda,” which is included in an English translation in the book Pagoda, Skull & Samurai. The pagoda was destroyed in 1957 when an adulterous couple committed double suicide by setting the pagoda on fire around themselves. Today the foundation stones are still visible in the cemetery near the police chūzaisho. Inside the office at the chūzaisho are photos of the pagoda. Plans for the original pagoda were later found and there is a movement to rebuild the structure.
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Yanaka Cemetery / Yanaka Reien 谷中霊園
This is one of the oldest and largest cemeteries in Tokyo. The original name was Yanaka Bochi, “Yanaka Graveyard.” In 1935 it was changed to the more pleasant Yanaka Reien “Yanaka Spirits Garden.” This was the cemetery for Tennōji until 1874 when it was taken over by the government and made a public cemetery. Yanaka Cemetery is a relaxing place to wander through, with many paths to stroll. The grounds are rich with greenery, including large cherry trees, especially along the major avenue. As it is next door to the cemetery for Kaneiji, it seems a little larger than it is, since you can wander from one to the other without knowing where the border is. Such a pair of old and venerated cemeteries of course have the graves of many famous individuals and families. Among these are Enchi Fumikogai, Higuchi Ichiyō, Kikuchi Yōsai, Hasegawa Kazuo, Nikolai Kasatkin, Mori Ōgai, Natsume Sōseki, and Tokugawa Yoshinobu, whose grave is on a fenced-off plot of land. The chūzaisho has a map of famous graves in Japanese. The officers may not be able to speak English but will still try to help you with directions. In any case, the map makes for a nice souvenir.
http://www.tokyo-park.or.jp/reien/park/index073.html
Takahashi Oden
There is a memorial stone in Yanaka Cemetery to Takahashi Oden, a woman who in 1879 was one of the last people to be executed by decapitation in Japan. Inscribed on the stone is “I no longer wish to be part of this hapless world….” The stone was put up in 1881 with funds collected by writers, which makes sense given the number of fictionalized accounts of her story that became serialized in newspapers in the days after her execution.
Anryūin 安立院
Established in 1826, this Nichiren temple is famous for its wooden statue of Amida Nyorai. The statue is only visible if the building is open, and Buddhist temples usually are not, unless it is a feast day or a special occasion. There is a nice garden with a variety of flowers that can help make up for the fact that the statue is not always visible. The name of translates as “Peaceful Dragon Temple.”
The entrance is to the east.
Tennōji 天王寺
The origin of this temple goes back to 1274 when a statue of Nichiren that was carved by Nichiren himself was given to his host Seki Nagateru, who then built the temple to house the statue. Originally the Nichiren temple was named Kannōji, but it was forced to convert to Tendai Buddhism under orders of the government in 1699 as a response to radical sect teachings. As you enter through the modern gate, you will see on the left a Bronze Buddha cast in 1690. The tea house where the famous beauty Kasamori Osen worked was at the entrance to the grounds. Tennōji was one of the three famous locations in Edo that held lotteries. There is a shrine to Bishamon built out of material from the famous five-storied pagoda after it was destroyed in a fire, so this shrine is also on the local Shichifukujin circuit.
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Manekineko Yanakadō 招き猫 谷中堂
Like cats? This is the spot for you. This shop specializes in manekineko figures, those beckoning lucky cats one sees in Japanese businesses. The building is old, and has a manekineko on the sign and in the window. Some of their designs are seasonal. Feline fanciers will be tempted to open their wallets as they also have lots of items related to cats in general.
There is a sister store next door, Café Nekoemon, where you can sit, sip tea or coffee, enjoy a cat-themed pastry, and decorate a small ceramic cat figurine with colored pens. The cafe owner speaks English.
Zenshōan 全生庵
This Rinzai Zen temple was established in 1883. It was founded by Yamaoka Tesshū as a place to pray for those who died in the Battle of Ueno. Yamaoka Tesshū was a famous swordsman and calligrapher who served both the last Tokugawa shōgun and Emperor Meiji. Also buried here are the composer Hirota Ryūtarō (1892–1952) and the famous rakugo performer San’yūtei Enchō (1839–1900), who was known for telling scary stories. During the month of August the temple holds the Yanaka Enchō Matsuri, displaying their collection of some fifty famous ghost scroll-paintings, which were left to them by Enchō. Many of the scrolls were painted by Maruyama Ōkyo (1733–1795), who is said to have been frightened by one of his own paintings that came to “life.” Why show ghost scrolls in August? The hottest time of the year is the traditional time to tell scary stories in Japan, ideally stories scary enough to give you the chills.
Anryūji 安立寺
This temple was established in 1630. The grounds are rich with greenery. In the graveyard you will find the tomb of the famous Japanese painter Kanzan Shimomura, which includes a statue of him.
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Former Oguraya / Kyū Oguraya旧倉屋
A former pawn shop that was founded in the early 18th century and closed in 1945. In 1993 the art gallery Space Oguraya opened here and operated until December 2020. As the gallery was in a traditional building visitors would remove their shoes and put on slippers. The main building itself dates from the Taishō period, some of the other structures on the land date from the Edo Period. The tower next to the main building is an old-style fire-resistant storehouse where the pawn shop’s goods would have been kept.
Chōanji 長安寺
This humble Rinzai Buddhist temple was established in 1669. Meiji period painter Kanō Hōgai (1828–1888), who was traditionally trained but experimented with Western art styles, is buried here near the center of the graveyard. He worked along with Okakura Tenshin to found the Tōkyō Bijutsu Gakkō (Tokyo Fine Arts School) and passed away shortly before the school began operation. This is also the temple for Jurōjin on the Shichifukujin tour.
Tsuijibei 築地塀
On the street next to Kannōnji there is a traditional tile-roofed mud wall made of alternating layers of flat roof tiles and clay. It is about 200 years old. The wall has become something of a symbol of the neighborhood and is often photographed or included in paintings. This type of wall is rare in Tokyo—you are far more likely to see them in Kyoto. There is another wall of a different design across the street, bordering the grounds of Chōanji.
Kanōin 加納院
This Shingon Buddhist temple was established in Kanda in 1611 and relocated here in 1680. The temple and grounds are small. However, the red and black gate is quite impressive. A statue of Kūkai, the founder of Shingon, is the main object of worship here. The temple is also known for its beautiful flower garden.
The entrance is to the south.
Kannōnji 観音寺
If you have trouble finding this temple, look for the large camphor tree or the tsuijibei, the earthen wall mentioned above. Kannōnji has a connection with the famous Forty-Seven Rōnin immortalized in plays, stories, and cinema. A young man studying here named Bunryō was the brother of two of the rōnin. He would later go on to become head priest under the name of Chōzan. The pagoda to the right of the main hall is a memorial to the Forty-Seven Rōnin.
The entrance to the temple is on the east side.
Gamō Residence / Gamōke 蒲生家
This two-story wooden structure built around 1906 is the former residence of the Gamō family. It is an excellent surviving example of the type of ordinary merchant’s home that existed in much of Tokyo in the Meiji period. The projecting eaves are of a type called dashigeta zukuri, which can also be seen on the Yoshidaya Former Liquor Store.
Okakura Tenshin Memorial Park / Okakura Tenshin Kinen Kōen 岡倉天心記念公園
This small park is dedicated to the Meiji era intellectual Okakura Kakuzō (1862–1913), who wrote under the name Okakura Tenshin. He was one of the founders of the Tōkyō Bijutsu Gakkō (Tokyo Fine Arts School). He would later become the first head of the Asian art division of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. He is best known in the West for his popular Book of Tea, which remains in print. This park is located on the site of his former residence and the Nihon Bijutsuin (Japan Art Institute), which he helped found.
Yakuzen Curry Jinenjo Yanaka 薬膳カレーじねんじょ 谷中店
A small neighborhood restaurant specializing in Japanese curry made with medicinal herbs. Seating is Western. The decor is simple with lots of wood.
Asakura Museum of Sculpture / Asakura Chōso Museum 朝倉彫塑館
This complex was the home, workshop, and private art school of Asakura Fumio, until his death in 1964. The modern concrete portion of the building that houses his studio was completed in 1935. The traditional portion of the building existed before the studio was added, and had been Asakura’s residence since 1908. The exhibition space in the former studio has many of Asakura’s works on display. One feature of the studio was a lift that allowed him to raise or lower a statue he was working on, rather than rely on scaffolding. A section of the museum is devoted to sculptures of cats, a favorite topic for this artist, who kept several. A noted and prolific sculptor, Asakura not only designed the studio but also the garden. The garden is named Goten no Suitei, “Water Garden of Five Precepts,” and a series of five large stones symbolizing Confucian virtues are a central motif. The blooming plants were chosen carefully so that a series of colors would follow the year. Actually there are two gardens; the other is on the roof and was originally used to grow vegetables as part of the hands-on training of Asakura’s students. The building was designated a National Tangible Cultural Property in 2001, and the garden was designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty in 2008.
http://www.taitocity.net/zaidan/asakura/
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Shimogoinden Bashi 下御隠殿橋
This bridge goes over the tracks just north of Nippori Station. The side opposite the station has a good view of the train traffic, and closer to the east side of the bridge there is a small viewing deck. Here you can see over twenty types of trains on the fourteen tracks below. Around 2,500 trains pass under the bridge each day. For this reason the bridge is sometimes referred to as a train museum, and you often see people taking photos here.
Kyōōji 経王寺
This is a small Nichiren temple dating from 1655. It has an especially attractive main building. This is another temple where you will see bullet holes from the Battle of Ueno on the gate doors.
Enmeiin 延命院
This Nichiren sect temple was founded to pray that the birth of Tokugawa Ietsuna would be an easy one. The temple is not hard to locate—just look for the gigantic pasania tree on the grounds. The tree is estimated to be over 600 years old, older than any of the temples in the area. The gate here also has bullet holes from the 1868 Battle of Ueno.
Yōfukuji 養福寺
Yōfukuji is a Shingon-sect Buddhist temple. As you approach the Niōmon you will notice that it is unusually large. The two Niō statues in the gate were carved sometime around 1704–1711 by Unkei, who was famous for his Niō statues. While the main hall of the temple was destroyed during the war, the gate survived. To the right of the main hall is a statue of Kūkai, who brought Shingon to Japan.
Entrance from the west on the main street to the north of map.
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Fuji Viewing Slope / Fujimizaka 富士見坂
This was long a famous spot to enjoy an unobstructed view of Mount Fuji on clear days. Alas, this is no longer the case: A high-rise apartment building was constructed blocking much of the view, and other buildings are in the works that will obliterate it entirely. There is posted information about the neighborhood’s struggle to preserve the view. This includes photographs of what it looked like in the past.
Jōkōji 浄光寺
This Shingon sect Buddhist temple gained the nickname of “Snow Viewing Temple” because it was a popular place to watch snow drifting on the breeze. It is also known for the Sandai Shōgun Okoshikake no Ishi, “Rock where the Third Shōgun Sat,” since Tokugawa Iemitsu sat here to enjoy the view during a day of hunting. It’s an interesting little bit of preserved history in Tokyo. A more artistic item is the 9.8-foot (3-meter) bronze standing Jizō statue, one of two remaining from Kūmu Shōnin’s famous series of six.
Shushōin 修性院
This Nichiren Buddhist temple founded in 1573 is on the local Shichifukujin tour, as Hotei is also enshrined here. The statue of Hotei in the basement is one of my favorites, embodying great humor. The wall along the street has a series of ceramic-tile murals of Hotei and children.
Suwa Jinja 諏方神社
Suwa Jinja was founded in 1322 by the Toshima clan. The kami enshrined here is Takeminakata no Kami, who is worshiped as the protector of Yanaka and Nippori. The shrine is surrounded by ginkgo trees, making it a stunning sight in the fall when the leaves turn gold. If you like trains, this is a good spot to take photographs, as it overlooks Nishi Nippori Station and several different lines run through here. In the Edo period this was a popular spot and many poems were written about the view at that time.
Seiunji 青雲寺
This Rinzai Zen sect Buddhist temple has the nickname of Hanami Dera, “blossom viewing temple,” due to the cherry trees and azaleas on the grounds. Ebisu in enshrined here, so it is one of the Shichifukujin tour temples for the area. The kanji for this temple’s name can also be pronounced as Shōunji, so you will at times see the temple referred to by that name.
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Yūyake Dandan 夕やけだんだん
This stairway going down to Yanaka Ginza from near Nippori Station was named by a public poll. The name translates as “Sunset Stairs” and this is considered a great place to see the sun go down. No matter what time of day you are there, I recommend stepping off to one side at the top of the stairs and admiring the street view.
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Ariya 蟻や
A small family-run restaurant located on Yanaka Ginza near the base of the Yūyake Dandan. They offer simple tasty meals at a good price. You can get items like yakitori and set meals. Seating is Western, and English is spoken here.
Midoriya 翠屋
Midoriya has specialized in bamboo crafts since 1908. They sell pretty much anything you can imagine made from bamboo, including flower baskets, boxes, insect cages, and even modern items such as coasters. If you wander toward the back of the store, you may get to see Buseki Suiko, an acclaimed master craftsman and one of the owners, working on a project. Some of the works by this shop are in museum collections such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the MOA Museum of Art in Shizuoka.
Gotō no ame 後藤の飴
This old-fashioned Japanese candy store has been in business since 1922. The variety is large and some items are seasonal. One of the interesting items made and sold here is a small red candy ball made from tomato. These candies can make a good gift to bring back home. On the side street, the second floor of the building sports a series of black and white images symbolic of Yanaka.
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Tamaru 多満留
A tiny shop selling materials related to rakugo and to Yanesen. Why rakugo? Well, Yanesen has long been one of the centers for the traditional performance art. Minobe Mitsuko, the eldest daughter of famous rakugo performer and actor Kokontei Shinshō V, decided to open this shop after his death in 2001. It sells a variety of items relating to Kokontei Shinshō, such as rakugo CDs, figures, and ceramics with his image. Do you need to pick up postcards to send back home? This place has an interesting selection, many of which are handcrafted or only available here.
Niku no Suzuki 肉のすずき
Originally a butcher shop established in 1933, the third generation owner added cooked food to their products. They are known for serving a variety of croquettes, especially their popular menchi katsu, a meat and vegetable croquette. The store has been featured on TV shows and written up in magazines, and sports a selection of photographs of famous celebrities eating their croquettes.
Yanaka Ginza 谷中ぎんざ
The major neighborhood shopping street of Yanaka has about seventy businesses in its vicinity. Yanaka Ginza is mainly composed of older buildings, many of which predate World War II, some going back much further. At first glance the shops look rather ordinary, and many are. However, a closer look and a little historical knowledge goes a long way. Take your time, glance into the shops, see what you can find, grab a bite to eat, and stroll through the neighborhood. Check out the shops on the side streets. Yanaka as a whole is known for a love of cats, and cat motifs are common on Yanaka Ginza. Keep an eye out for the business signs, many of which are hand carved. Some of the carved shop signs on Yanaka Ginza were made by Fukuzen Sakai Kanban in Asakusa.
▲ Torii at Nezu Jinja are low enough that tall people may have to duck to walk through.
▲ A man sweeping the stairs at Komagome Inari Jinja on an autumn afternoon.
▲ Art adorns the railing overlooking the tracks on Shimogoinden Bashi.
▲ Strolling Yanaka Ginza, you may spot Kokontei Shinshō V depicted on Tamaru’s sign.
Echigoya 越後屋
An old liquor store in a two-story wooden building. On the eaves there is a statue of a white cat looking down on the street. At times there is informal seating outside on inverted crates for consuming alcohol on site. Many will buy a croquette from the nearby Niku no Satō and sit to enjoy it with a beer.
https://www.sake-echigoya.com
Yanesen Tourist information and Culture Center ツーリストインフォメーション YANESEN
This small office has fliers in several languages and other information about the area. I recommend dropping in and getting a flier as you stroll through the neighborhood to supplement what I have in this book. They also offer workshops and presentations related to Yanesen.
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Daienji 大円寺
The dates of the establishment of this Sōtō sect temple are unsure, but it is mentioned in documents from the late 17th century. Located to the right as you enter the grounds are memorial stones for the 18th-century ukiyo-e artist Suzuki Harunobu and for Kasamori Osen, a local beauty often depicted in his prints. The stones are on either side of a Kannon statue. Note that the cemetery is off limits to the public. The temple grounds are very attractive, and the temple’s wooden eaves have beautifully detailed carvings. There is also a very unusual Jizō here, the Hōroku Jizō or “Earthenware Jizō.” People with head ailments leave offerings of hōroku, a type of platter. Inside the hall there are some beautiful statues. The temple burned during the war but the seated Buddha was saved, as it had been buried for protection. The temple is unusual as Inari was enshrined here in the Edo period, making it both a Buddhist temple and a Shintō shrine. Traditionally people have prayed here for healing from smallpox and skin diseases. Daienji is one of the temples on the 33 Kannon Pilgrimage of Tokyo.
On October 14 and 15 the temple holds the Kiku Matsuri, a chrysanthemum festival. The flowers are displayed, some in the form of figures, and potted chrysanthemums are sold.
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Isetatsu いせ辰
Isetatsu was founded in 1864 in Iwamotochō, an area south of Akihabara, and relocated here in 1942. There are actually two locations on the same street: the main shop in Yanaka and the other in Sendagi, close to Sendagi Station. The shops specialize in hand printed chiyogami paper made using hand carved woodblocks. Often the patterns were originally designed for fabric and then adapted to paper. The process is similar to that for woodblock prints in that it involves a painter who produces the design, a carver who cuts the block, and a printer who applies it to the paper. All of this means no modern printing techniques are used; everything is done as it was when the shop was founded. As you look around, open drawers and you will find many interesting items within. They also handle a variety of traditional paper products such as prints, fans, papier-mâché items, and more. They also sell a few printed cloth items such as tenugui.
https://shinisetsuhan.net/collections/isetatsu
http://www.norenkai.net/en/portfolio-item/isetatsu/
Hirai Hakimono Ten 平井履物店
This maker and seller of traditional Japanese footwear has been in business since 1926. Everything is made using traditional natural materials such as wood, woven plant fibers, silk, cotton, lacquer, and leather. They mainly do wholesale but operate this one retail shop. Some traditional Japanese footwear is seasonal, so the stock on display may vary.
Sansakizaka 三崎坂
The kanji 坂 in Sansakizaka means “slope.” In Tokyo, ordinary streets rarely have names, but slopes may, adding to the complexity of location identification in this city. This slope is also called Misakizaka, as the kanji 三 can be pronounced either as san or as mi. The slope has an interesting nickname, Kubifurizaka, “Head Moving Slope,” as traditional etiquette calls for respectfully bowing as one passes a temple or shrine, and there are several on the street. There is also a literary connection here: San’yūtei Enchō’s famous rakugo version of the old ghost story Botan Dōrō is set on this slope. At the top of the hill is Yanaka cemetery.
Kikumi Senbei 菊見煎餅
This shop has specialized in senbei (rice crackers) since 1875. The senbei here have an unusual square shape. Their four main types of square senbei are shōyu senbei, a common type brushed with soy sauce; spicy tōgarashi senbei; cha senbei, which has a sweet coating containing green tea; and their white sweet ama senbei. The shop is located in an older building with a wood-framed-glass counter display that has globes filled with small crackers on it. The store sign is round, on a tile section of roof.
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Dangozaka 団子坂
This slope running east to west near Sendagi Station has a name that is said to come from a dango shop that was once at the bottom of the hill. Originally there was a steeper angle to the slope, but it was leveled to make the grade easier. Dangozaka was also known as Shiomizaka, “Tide Viewing Slope,” as at one time you could see Tokyo Bay from here. This was also once the location of a famous chrysanthemum festival. There one would pay to view dolls with papier-mâché heads and bodies fashioned from the flowers, as well as recreations of famous scenes from history or plays. Today you can still buy traditional snacks such as dango here. The famous writer Mori Ōgai spent most of his last thirty years in this area.
Amezaiku Yoshihara Sendagi あめ細工吉原 千駄木
Since 2008 this store has sold a traditional handcrafted candy called amezaiku, which comes in various forms. Today there are only about thirty people in Japan who produce this traditional product, usually at festivals. In the past these sweets were sold on the street, in parks, or at temples and shrines. Wandering peddlers would often craft them in front of their customers, as is done here. Due to modern hygiene standards, they are now made in shops like this one. The staff also are available for demonstrations and can be hired to create custom-shaped candies. Amezaiku sometimes show up in movies: For example, when we first see the character Yaji early in the movie Yajikita Dōchū Teresuko (“Three for the Road”), he is making an amezaiku rabbit for a little girl.
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Mori Ōgai Memorial Museum / Bunkyō Kuritsu Mori Ōgai Kinenkan 文京区立森鷗外記念館
Mori Rintaro (1862–1922) is best known by his pen name Mori Ōgai. He was an acclaimed writer and translator, and was Surgeon General of the Japanese Army until 1917 when he took over the duties of Secretary General of the Imperial Museum and Head of the Imperial Library. Ōgai spent the second half of his life on this site, where his residence was located. In 1950 the empty lot was made into a memorial park by the Bunkyō Ward government, and in time the museum was constructed here to open in 2012. The museum has three floors including a basement level. There are two exhibition rooms, a lecture room, a library, a garden with a lovely gingko tree, a cafe, and a museum shop.
Isego 伊勢五
A sakeya (liquor store) that is proud of their knowledgeable staff. They hold regular meetings to educate their employees about their products. Operating since 1706, they have a broad selection of craft sake, shōchū, Japanese wine, Japanese whisky, and more. The front of the store is stone with narrow windows—light damages sake, so small windows are a good thing. The interior is spacious, with bottles displayed on wood shelving. There are two stores, this one and another in the artsy neighborhood of Naka-Meguro. Some of the staff speak English.
http://www.isego.net/english/
Sudō Park / Sudō Kōen 須藤公園
Originally a garden in part of a daimyō residence, the land was later purchased by businessman Sudō Kichizaemon and the family donated the park to the city in 1933. The park is hilly, with plenty of trees, and has a large pond with an island that includes a small temple to Benten accessible by a red bridge.
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Snake Road / Hebimichi へび道
The name of this street translates as “Snake Road.” It was originally the path of a local stream that meandered very much like a snake on the move. In 1921 the stream was culverted and still flows under the street, which is lined with private homes and small businesses. This is a pleasant walk past small shops and cafes in what is mainly a residential neighborhood. Natsume Sōseki mentions the original stream in his 1908 novel Sanshirō.
Chōjiya 丁子屋
An old shop specializing in dyed goods that has been in operation since 1895. The street here was once filled with such shops; Chōjiya is the last one. This is a good place to pick up a variety of hand dyed goods such as tenugui, folding fan cases, cell phone cases, and book covers.
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Nezu Jinja 根津神社
According to tradition this shrine was founded in the 1st century by Yamato Takeru in what is now Sendagi, a little to the north of the present location. Nezu Jinja enshrines Susanoo no Mikoto, Oyamakui no Mikoto, and Homudawake no Mikoto. The buildings that stand today are from 1706, with repairs from the 1960s for some damage done in World War II. Much of the main shrine is in red and black lacquer done in the Momoyama style. The main gate at the south is a two-story rōmon with two guardians armed with bows and swords.
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If you follow the path that leads to the left as you approach the main entrance to the shrine, you will find Otome Inari shrine. There is also a pond on the grounds below Otome Inari. You can approach this shrine from the right or the left by walking along a tunnel formed by rows of torii. Do be careful if you are tall or you might bump your head—and more than once. If you look up and to the left, you will see a house higher up on the hill. This is the former location of a house Mori Ōgai lived in for a time; later Natsume Sōseki lived at that location for three years while he taught at Tokyo University.
Between mid-April and early May the Tsutsuji Matsuri (Azalea Festival) is held, which draws many to view the thousands of azalea bushes on the grounds.
In September the shrine holds its annual Tenka Matsuri.
Komagome Inari Jinja 駒込稲荷神社
A stone stairway leads to Komagome Inari Jinja surrounded by trees on a small hill. I had first approached the shrine after spending part of the day wandering through a very modern neighborhood and walking along a busy street. The quiet and green grounds were a relaxing break and transition point for the rest of the day’s stroll. Devotees of Japan’s iconic mountain will be pleased to discover there is a fujizuka here.