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 forests of Japanese Poplar and Metasequoai trees and is well worth a visit.

Take a walk through Katsushika, download the PDF Guide to Katsushika sights from the city’s website or read through ATT.Japan’s article on Katsushika and Kita Senju to plan you visit.

Image Credit: Flickr, The life of a travelling salesman &  Wikipedia, Shimabata Taishakuten

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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 to Itabashi City in Tokyo as does the Tokyo Tourism Info – Itabashi-ku area guide.

Image Credit:  Flickr, Itabashi Historical Museum (郷土資料館) (2/2) #8737

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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 by fire in 1657 and again in 1872, the area has been a commercial hub of Tokyo since it’s founding more that 400 years ago.

Nine subway lines run under and through Chou city.  A total of 29 stations allow convenient access to the areas sights and events.

The Sights

Make some time to stroll through the Ginza district where high fashion meets neon lights and modern architecture in the midst of the ancient capital city of Japan.

Visit Tsukiji Fish Market which plays a vital role in the distribution of perishable foods to Tokyo citizens and is famous for it’s early morning tuna auctions. While you are in the area, be sure to dine at Sushizanmai, where the sushi is can’t get much fresher!

Book a rickshaw tour of the Nihonbashi area to learn more about one of Tokyo’s oldest neighborhoods and the starting point for the five major routes heading out of Tokyo during the Edo period.

Tsukiji Hongwanji Temple is an impressive Buddhist temple.  Built in 1931, with Indian architectural elements the temple houses beautiful Buddhist altars and artifacts. Visit the restaurants of Tsukishima to taste okonomiyaki and monjayaki, two very traditional Japanese foods that are served in over fifty area restaurants along Nishinaka Dori (Tsukishima area map).

Cruise the Sumida River and pass under eight of the bridges that are located in Chuo city and included in the city’s “Top 18 Chuo City Views”.  Alternatively, you could stroll along the Sumida River Terrace and take in the Kachidoki Bridge, one of Japan’s only bascule bridges.

Located in an annex beside the Bank of Japan headquarters building in Nihonbashi, the Currency Museum is a great place to learn about the history of Japanese currency.

The Chuo City Tourism Association is a great resource for area maps and additional information on things to do and see in the city.

Events

Take in the view from the recently built Harumi Passenger Ship terminal or attend the Tokyo Port Festival each May.

The Tokyo Bay Grand Fireworks Festival is scheduled for the second Saturday each August.

Attend the Tokyo Nihonbashi Parade on the last Sunday each October.

Take in a classical Kabuki performance at the Kabuki theater in Ginza.

Visit the Chuo City Event Guide to find more great events in Chou Ward.

Fun Facts & Trivia

More than half of the area that makes up Chuo Ward today was reclaimed from the sandy delta that once stood at the foot of the Sumida river.  In fact the translation of Tsukiji, the name of one of the districts in Chuo City, is “built up land” and is a direct reference to the fact the this area was reclaimed from the ocean.

The city tree is the willow and the flower is the azalea.

Image Credit: Flickr, Honqwanji, Ginza at night, Tokyo Bay Great Fireworks Festival 第21回 & Personal Collection, Sushi

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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 been home to many famous Japanese artists, writers and politicians throughout it’s history it and was once the outermost boundary of urban Edo.

Events

In February and March take in the Ume (Japanese apricot blossom) Matsuri at Yushima Tenjine (Shrine).  The shrine’s grand festival is held in May and the Kiku Matsuri (chrysanthemum festival) is held in November.

Catch a baseball game at Tokyo Dome (April – October) or visit the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum any time of the year.

Visit the annual Azalea (satsuki) Festival at Rikugien Gardens from late May to early June.

Dine by the light of fireflies in June or pursue the gardens of Chinzan-so year round.

The Sights

Yushima Tenjine (Shrine) enshrines the spirits of  Michizane Sugawara (845-901), a politician and a scholar during the Heian era and who was deified upon his death as Tenjin, the God of scholarship and literature.  Many students visit this shrine before school entrance examinations and pray to Tenjin for success.

The Akamon (red gate) of The University of Tokyo – Hongo Campus was built in 1828 to welcome a new bride to the then residence of Lord Kaga.  It is now a symbol of the University and will provide access to Sanshiro Ike Pond.

Yayoi Art Museum features a collection from Kasho Takabatake who is famous for his shojo-ga, illustrations of frail women with large eyes that became iconic during the 19th century.

Koishikawa Korakuen Garden is beautiful garden with both Chinese and Japanese accents.  Construction of the garden began in 1629 and it has been designated as a “Special Place of Scenic Beauty” by Japan.

Visit Nezu-jinja Shrine which is said to have been established over 1900 years ago and is home to many Important Cultural Assets of Japan.

Download the Bunkyo City Tourist Asscoation’s “A Town of Culture:  Bunkyo Walking Tour Guide” (Large PDF) to read more about the sights, festivals and famous people connected to Bunkyo Ward as well as how you can rent a bike to make navigating this hilly ward of Tokyo a little bit easier.

Tokyo Toursim Info also presents three area walks.  A full day walk itinerary that includes Tokyo Dome and Koishikawa Korakuen, or half day walks that include the Koishikawa Botanical Garden or a stroll through old Japanese streets in Yanaka and Nezu.

Fun Facts & Trivia

From 1984 until 2004, the portrait of famous Bunkyo-ku resident and author Soseki Natsumi appeared on the Japanese 1000 Yen note.

Famous Japanese Haiku poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) is said to have lived and worked in Bunkyo-ku.  In addition to writing his famous poems, he also worked on the construction of the Kanda water system from 1677-1680 – not very glamorous work!

Image Credit:  Flickr, Tokyo Dome, Personal Collection, Rikugieun Pond & Flickr, Nezu Shrine

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A Brief History

Adachi-ku was originally part of Kosuge Prefecture and was a marshy agricultural center with many rice fields in the Edo area (1600-1868).  It was also a convenient place to stop if you were traveling to Nikko during the same era.  In 1932, Tokyo’s boundaries were expanded and Adachi became a ward of Tokyo but it was not officially recognized as such until the late 1940’s.

The train lines that serve Adachi-ku are the Hibaya and Chiyoda Lines which began operations in 1962 and 1969 respectively.  In 2005, the Tsukuba Express, offering service to Ibaraki prefecture, began serving the area.  The main train station in Adachi-ku is Kita-senju.

The city emblems are the cherry tree and the tulip which bloom in the parks and gardens of the city each spring and summer. Events

The Adachi Fireworks Festival is held on the 4th Thursday of July each year along the banks of the Arakawa River between Senju Shinbashi and Nishi Araibashi bridges.  The event started in 1924 and has been presented annually since 1979.

In early October, the Adachi Citizens Festival is held along the banks of the Arakawa River and in other locations throughout the city.

The Issa Matsuri Festival at Entenji Temple is held each November to commemorate Issa Kobayashi, a famous Haiku poet who lived from 1763-1827.

The Festival of Light is held each December along the avenue of trees between the Motofuchie Park and the East exit of Takenotsuka Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line.  In the park you will find eight, 20 meter tall, Christmas trees illuminated with 10,000 twinkling lights that is the largest display of its kind in Japan.

The Sights

Nishiarai-Daishi Temple is a Buddhist temple that is one of the “Three Great Daishi of Kanto” and is a popular temple for New Years visits as it is believed to bring visitors longevity.

Belmont park was developed in 1984 and is a symbol of the sister relationship that the city has with Belmont, Australia with native plants and Black Swans that are the state bird of Western Australia.  The western style brick house in the park is open on weekends and holidays and displays Australian Handicrafts and household items.  The park is also home to the Adachi International Festival held each fall that

Toneri Park (PDF) has a number of athletic fields, a large pond and a splash pool that is popular in the summer (map).

Fun Facts & Trivia

Did you know that a large number of the Cherry Trees in Washington, D.C. came from Adachi Ward?  In December of 1910, over 3,000 scions were taken from cherry trees on the banks of the Arakawa River in Adachi and grafted onto trees from Hyogo Prefecture, in southern Japan, before being shipped to Washington.

For mor information on the Adachi ward, visit the Tokyo Tourism Information Adachi-ku page or the City of Adachi website in English which will provide additional details about the area and the events held there.

Image Credit:  Wikipedia, Adachi-ku & Flickr, 20060727DSC_0128

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With that in mind, staring next Wednesday, I will tell you a little bit about each of the 23 special wards of the city.  The series will be called “Wednesday’s Ward” and will be a weekly feature for the following 23 Wednesdays here at The Tokyo Traveler.

Stay tuned to learn about cultural events, tourist destinations, regional food specialties and other interesting facts about each of the wards.  Some wards are a beehive of activity and others are more quiet residential areas but we will cover them all in alphabetical order as listed below this map, which will provide some geographic perspective on our journey though Tokyo.

23 Special Wards of Tokyo
(in Alphabetic Order)

• Adachi
• Arakawa
• Bunkyo
• Chiyoda
• Chuo
• Edogawa
• Itabashi
• Katsushika
• Kita
• Koto
• Meguro
• Minato
• Nakano
• Nerima
• Ota
• Setagaya
• Shibuya
• Shinagawa
• Shinjuku
• Suginami
• Sumida
• Taito
• Toshima

Join me next Wednesday as we begin our journey through the 23 special wards of Tokyo with Adachi-ku.  It will be a lot of fun and a great way to learn more about the huge metropolis of Tokyo.

Image Credit:  Wikimedia, Tokyo Special Wards Map

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