The Tokyo Traveler

Katsushika-ku is home to over 400 thousand people in a little less than 35 square kilometers.  The ward was the setting for a famous Japanese movie “Otoko wa Tsuraiyo”, in English “It Is Hard To Be A Man”, and a statue of the lead character, Tora-san can bee seen near the Shimabata Station.
Also near Shimabata Station is Taishakuten Temple where you can browse a 200 meter long strip of shops selling dumplings, candy and traditional toys on your way the temple.

Mizumoto Park (PDF) is home to over 600 cherry trees, the largest concentration of Japanese Irises in Tokyo and …read more

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Itabashi-ku is home to over 500 thousand people in a little more than 32 square kilometers.  In English, Itabashi means “plank bridge” which recalls an early, innovative bridge, that spanned one of the rivers flowing through the ward in the Heian Period (794-1185).
The area is home to a number of sights and attractions including the Itabashi Art Museum and the Itabashi Historical Museum (pictured below).

The Itabashi City website offers information for foreigners and visitors including seasonal events and traditional arts & crafts from the area. The sightseeing guide around ITABASHI ART MUSEUM provides some great options when planning a visit …read more

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Chuo Ward is home to over 100 thousand residents in a 10.1 square kilometer area of central Tokyo.  It is the second smallest ward in Tokyo and the second least populated ward.  Like neighboring Chiyoda Ward, Chuo ward offers visitors and residents a lot of things to do and see despite its small area.
A Brief History
Chuo City, as it stands today, was founded as a ward of Tokyo in 1947 but it’s history dates back to the 1600’s when a powerful Shogun began planning to establish Tokyo, then Edo, as the capital of Japan.   Despite being ravaged …read more

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Bunkyo Ward is located in the center of Tokyo and is home to many of the city’s colleges and universities along with over 190 thousand residents in a 11.3 square kilometer area.  It sits alongside Arakawa Ward and is the fourth smallest ward in terms of area and fifth in terms of population.  Despite it’s small size there is a lot for the visitor to do and see in Bunkyo Ward.
A Brief History
Bunkyo-ku, translated as “culture ward”, was established in 1947 and is a combination of Hongo Ward, which dates back to the Edo period, and Koishikawa. The ward has …read more

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Today is the first article in the 23 part Wednesday’s Ward series where I will be provide a little bit of history and some of the things to do and see in each of  the wards, or neighborhoods, of Tokyo.  This week’s ward is Adachi, which is located on the northernmost boundary of Tokyo and is home to over 650,000 people.  Adachi-ku, or Adachi City, is the third largest ward in Tokyo and occupies a 53.2 square kilometer area that is bordered by Chiba and Saitama Prefectures to the north and Kita, Katsushika and Arakawa Wards to the south.
A Brief …read more

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When I first started writing The Tokyo Traveler in March of this year I shared a little bit about Tokyo and told you that the city includes 23 special wards (ku in Japanese), 26 cities (shi), 5 towns (cho) and 8 villages (son) along with some other interesting facts.  The 23 special wards covers an area of about 621 square kilometers and are home to seventy percent of city’s over twelve million residents.  Many of the cities landmark tourist destinations are located in this area and it is also the cultural, commercial and business center of the city.
With that in …read more

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