The Tokyo Traveler » Edo

Centuries of Traditional Craftsmanship

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:00:14 +0000

Toto Norenkai is an association of shops and businesses that have been in operation in Tokyo, formerly know as Edo, for over 100 years and three generations. In Japanese the single word “Toto” captures the essence of both old Edo and modern-day Tokyo, and “noren” refers to the traditional curtain-like sign that is hung over the doorway to announce the name of the shop and that it is open for business, while “kai” means “club” or “association”.

Established in 1951, as a way to preserve the traditions of old Edo while promoting their business to an evolving clientele that was moving away from the ‘old’ towards the ‘new’ after WWII, Toto Norenkai now has 53 members. From restaurants to kimono and fan makers, from traditional confectioners to to makers of fine Japanese Lacquer Ware, many great business are part of Toto Norenkai.

Nakasei Tempura Restaurant is a member, they have been making Edo-style tempura since 1870 featuring nothing but fish and shellfish caught in Tokyo Bay and deep-fried in aromatic sesame oil. (Near the Asakusa Station and marked by the green arrow on this map)

Kuroeya has been dealing in fine-quality lacquer ware since its founding in 1689. (B11 Exit from the Nihonbashi Station marked by the green arrow on this map)

Chikusen has been in business since 1842 and specializes in Edo Komon, a formal Kimono, and Yukata. (B3 Exit from the Nihonbashi Station marked by the green arrow on this map)

Miyamoto Unosuke has been manufacturing taiko drums since 1861 and has an interesting and interactive display in their Askakusa Museum (Near the Asakusa Station and marked by the green arrow on this map)

Take some time to visit some of the other businesses that are part of Toto Norenkai when you visit Tokyo and help support the preservation of the traditional arts and crafts that are unique to Japan.

Image Credit: Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

An Authentic Edo Village

Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:00:03 +0000

Are you fascinated with how people live? Do you want to get a better understanding of how the village of Edo started out and grew to become the sprawling, multi-faceted metropolis that is Tokyo today? Then you should visit the Fukugawa Edo Museum. The Fukagawa Edo Museum presents a fascinating reproduction of downtown Edo in the mid-19th century. The warehouses and stores have been painstakingly recreated along with a typical street of row houses where you can see the humble abode of a fisherman, a typical kitchen from the era and the living room that must have belonged to one of the wealthier inhabitants of the town. Leave your shoes at the door to wander through the various rooms and you will leave with an appreciation for all the modern conveniences that we take for granted each day.

Even the sounds of life in an Edo village have been recreated. The residents woke to the crowing roosters and spent their days listening to the vendors noisily hawking their wares. The Fukugawa Edo Museum is not large, in fact the time between sunrise and sunset in this small town is 20 minutes. So why not stay for a few days to look around?

Details:
Hours: 9:30-5:00 (Closed on the 2nd & 4th Mondays of each month)
Admission：Adults 300 Yen, Children 50 Yen (up to the 3rd grade of junior high school)
Access： A three minute walk from either the Kiyosumi Shirakawa or Eidan (Exit A3) Stations (map)
Other: An brochure is available in English that will help you better understand the exhibits.

Image Credit: Flickr, Loveberry, street & kitchen

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Kagurazaka – Tour the Alleyways of Old Edo

Fri, 30 May 2008 11:00:42 +0000

The Kagurazaka district is located in the center of Tokyo, in the middle of JR Yamanote Line. The area is famous for its lively main street, Kagurazaka-Dori (Dori means “street.”) and it’s winding cobblestone alleyways. The name Kagurazaka is a combination of kagura (a shrine-dance to music) and saka (hill) and evokes the sites and topography of this beautiful part of Tokyo. The layout of the area is much the same as it was when the town was built in the 17th century despite the fact that most of the area was burned down as the result of an air raid on Tokyo ~~in 1920~~ during WWII.

Karyukai, or Geisha culture, was born in Kagurazaka and many Ryotei (Geisha houses) still operate in the area. In 1910 there were as many as 600 Geishas entertaining business men, famous writers and politicians in the area. Step off Kagurazaka-Dori and spend some time wandering the alleys and you will get a feel for what it must have been like in old Edo.

In contrast, a stroll up Kagurazaka-Dori will take you past trendy clothing shops, traditional tea merchants, lacquer ware stores and you will find sushi restaurants competing for business with French pastry shops. It’s quite the mix of old and new.

But don’t miss the alleyways! Continue reading to find out how…

On a recent visit to the area, while admiring the beautiful lacquer ware in one of the shops, the owner gave me a Walking Guide for Kagurazawa. This amazing map will direct your stroll through the alleys, past ancient temples and shrines, the current Geisha office and identifies a number of restaurants and stores in the area. The map is produced by Michi Travel but is not available online.

The front of my well used brochure is pictured on the left and I would recommend that you pop into one of the stores at the base of Kagurazaka-Dori and request a copy. Then take some time to wind your way through the cobblestone alleys of this fascinating area. Kagurazaka is conveniently located and accessible from the JR IIdabashi station on the Yamanote Line. As you exit the station, turn to your right and a one minute walk will place you at the base of Kagurazaka-dori. Tokyo Metro Iidabashi and Ushigome-Kagurazaka stations also provide access to the area.

The Shinjuku City Tourism Association offers a great guide to Kagurazaka with some photos and history of the various points of interest and don’t forget to pick up your Walking Guide for Kagurazawa from one of the area vendors.

Sources: The Ikamachi Club, KAGURAZAKA Explore the past in cosmopolitan ways
Photos: Personal Collection

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler

Yabusame – Japanese Archery

Thu, 24 Apr 2008 11:00:14 +0000

On a overcast day in Tokyo it felt as if I had been transported back to the days of Edo. Under a peaceful canopy of greenery and cherry blossoms, magnificent horses and their riders (ite), dressed in traditional hunting attire (a-ge-shozoku), thundered down a narrow 240 meter track (baba), taking aim at three targets with their bow (shigedo) and arrow (ebira) along the way. I was watching a demonstration of Jabusame (Japanese archery on horseback), a martial art dating back about 900 years.

Royal guards or local samurai displayed their skills in exhibitions of Jabusame as a form of entertainment for the nobility as early as 809. After the decline of the nobility the practice of Jabusame continued as a martial art that was considered exercise for young samurai, not only in horsemanship and archery but also in concentration, discipline and refinement.

The practice of Jabusame is considered spiritual by many and the demonstration started with a procession of officials from the Dempoin Temple in Asakusa. Drummers, beating the yose-no-taiko (attacking signal), led the procession down the Nakamise, with the five story pagoda as a backdrop, to the Asakusa shrine where the procession paused and, with a solemn bow, petitioned the Gods for good fortune in battle.

The procession continued on to Sumida koen (park) and down the length of the baba with the mounted ite following in all of their finery. The stage was set for a fine display of Jabusame which starts when the Bugyo (head official) raises his fan to confirm that all the targets (shikinomato) are in place and the track is safe.

The ite then set their horse to a full gallop and guide their mounts with their knees as they take aim at the three shikinomato spaced 80 meters apart along the baba.

With a shout of “In-Yo!”, meaning to align the spirit and soul with the universe, they release the ebira towards the shikinomato.

If their aim is true, the ite will be able to celebrate, with a smile of satisfaction, the shattering of the shikinomato and the resulting shower of confetti, as the crowd cheers on loudly.

Check out this video of Jasubame and you will see how you could, if just for a moment, believe that you were back in old Edo.

Photo Credit: Personal Collection, Sources (History): Ogasawara – ryu website, Encyclopedia of Shinto Yabusame page, The Takeda School of Horseback Archery

Post from: The Tokyo Traveler