Nippori Station. West exit → Nippori Station. East exit
Course walking aroud Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi from JR Nippori Station. Historical architectures from Edo period are seen in a traditional atmosphere downtown. In the townscape feeling the sense of good-old days, stylish cafés and variety shops are dotted. Stroll around the area popular among people of all ages.
Start
Nippori Station. West exit（JR Yamanote Line・Keihintohoku Line・Jo-Ban Line、Keisei Line）
Goal
Nippori Station. East exit（JR Yamanote Line・Keihintohoku Line・Jo-Ban Line、Keisei Line）
Vol.8 Cinematic Stroll in Tokyo with a walking navigator. Free of charge on YouTube
Nippori Station East exit ⇒ Nippori Station West exit
Downtown2：Yanaka,Nezu,Sendagi=YANESEN The course walking around Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi from JR Nippori Station. Historical architectures from Edo period are seen in a traditional atmosphere downtown.
Go out the JR Nippori Station West Exit
Station signboard is in a cute cat character. Go straight up Goten-zaka slope and you will reach the stairs called “Yuyake Dandan”. Go down the staris and you are at the entrance of Yanaka Shopping Street
. After enjoying shopping at the unique shops, turn left at the end of the street. Walk through Yomise Street and go along the street until you get to the wide road named Sansaki-zaka. Turn left and walk for a while and you will find Edo-chiyogami (gaily colored paper) shop on your right, Kikujudo Isetasu
. At Sushi Noike
on the opposite side of the street, let’s taste Anagozushi (conger eel sushi). Enter the alley at the side of “Café Peticoat Lane” and follow the alley. Once Aizome River was flowing here but now the dried up riverbed has become a winding alley and is called Hebimichi or “Snake Winding Road”. Walk for a while and turn right at the corner where restaurant ”Bon Fire” is located to the right. Cross the Nezu-jinja-iriguchi intersection and proceed about 200 meters, you will arrive at Nezu Shrine
. Worship the magnificent main shrine and go through the Senbon-Torii(a thousand torii). From the shrine we will go back the same way we came and go straight. Go up the slope, turn right at the end of the street and go straight viewing Daimyo Clock Museum on your right. This is the Teramachi (temple town ) area. Stroll and appreciating the small temples dotted in the area, you will get to a huge deodar tree over 90 years old in the middle of the street. Take the narrow street at the right side of this huge tree and when you get to the Kototoi Street, turn left. We will have a break at a retro café Kayaba Coffee
at the left corner of the Ueno-Sakuragi intersection. Go left from the café and walk for about 400 meters,the street gets wider. Turn right at Chinese restaurant “Chinchin-tei” and visit the symbol of Yanaka-Teramachi,Kannonnji-Tsukijibei
. Turn back the way we came and after a little walk, we will be in the premises of Yanaka Cemetery
. If you want to visit the graves of celebrities, get a cemetery map at Yanaka Cemetery Office. We will visit graves of Yoshinobu Tokugawa, Taikan Yokoyama and Eiichi Shibusawa. We will go down Goinden-zaka slope and cross the railroad overpass . The goal Nippori Station East Exit
is right in the front.
Guide of Drop-in Spots
Symbols
見どころ・遊び場 highlight. Entertainment
レストラン・食事処 restaurant
カフェ・ドリンクスタンド cafe
買い物スポット shopping spot
宿泊施設 accommodations
見どころ・遊び場 highlight. Entertainment
レストラン・食事処 restaurant
カフェ・ドリンクスタンド cafe
買い物スポット shopping spot
宿泊施設 accommodations
Nippori Station West exit START
From West Exit of Nippori Sta, for JR Yamanote Line，Keihintohoku Line，Joban Line and Keisei Line
At Nippori Station, go out from the north ticket gate and the West Exit is to your left. The characters used for the sign “Nippori Station” is in a cute cat image. Go out of the station and Shimo-Goinden Bridge is right there．This is the popular spot for train lovers where you can watch many trains come and go under the bridge. From here, we will go up Goten-zaka slope toward Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street.
Go out the North ticket gate and the West Exit is to your left.
Charming station name in cat-motif design.
You can watch trains come and go under Shimo-Goinden-zaka Bridge.
Goten-zaka is a gentle upward slope toward Yanaka-Ginza.
Yanaka Ginza
You can see the shopping scenes of the old days of Japan
You will find the sign "Yanaka Ginza" at the top of the stairs of “Yuyake Dandan”. About 170 meters Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street starts here. The street is lined with old-style private shops for fish, fruit and vegetables, meat, delicatessen, liquor and clothing. There are also lots of other shops like fancy sweets shops, cafés and variety stores that it counts up to about 60 shops in total. Since many cats used to gather in this area, Yanaka is known as the “town of cats”. You will find cats everywhere, such as Shopping Street’s official cat character goods and statues, sweets shop offering cat-motif items, etc.
Famous spot for viewing the beautiful sunset.
Shopping Street is right down “Yuyake Dandan”.
Go through the arch and enter the shopping street.
Enjoy the nostalgic shopping scene.
Many unique and interesting signboards.
Wood carving cats are popular photo spots.
Cute expressions on cats make you relaxed.
Get roasted chestnuts at the very popular chestnut specialty shop “Waguri-ya”.
Edo-Chiyogami(gaily colored paper) Shop established in Edo Period
Long-established specialty shop and publisher for Edo-chiyogami since 1864. Beautiful and colorful patterns are hand-printed from wood blocks on Washi paper. Isetasu produces many original designs of Edo-chiyogami on different themes such as traditional costumes, four seasons and Kabuki.They also have Japanese stationeries such as letter papers and Pochi-bukuro (petit envelope to put money for children as the New Year’s gift), toys, papier-mache for good luck and Furoshiki (wrapping cloth). You will enjoy an array of items with rakish and beautiful Edo designs.
Main shop of Kikujudo-Isetasu in Yanaka is in the middle of Sansaki-zaka slope.
You can feel the long history of the shop from Noren (the shop entrance curtain).
An array of small colorful good luck items.
Various kinds of Edo-chiyogami. ￥2500~for wood block prints.
Red dog shaped paper-maché is an amulet to ward off bad luck Small ￥3500.
Humorous expressions are adorable ￥43,000.
Isetatsu
Address
2-18-9 Yanaka Taito-ku
Tel
03-3823-1453
Hours
10:00-18:00
Access
3 min walk from Tokyo Metoro Chiyoda Line Sendagi Sta.
Exquisite Anago-sushi (Conger Eel Sushi) melts in your mouth!
Opened in 1965, Kozo Noike, the owner of the sushi shop, brushed up his skill as the sushi chef at the sushi restaurant in Nihonbashi. Later, he opened his shop here in Yanaka. Their speciality, Edo-style conger eel sushi is a gem. Cooking Nianago (broiled eel) needs a lot of work and time. It’s so fluffy and soft that you will never forget. This shop has been loved many people and many celebrities also are repeaters. They also have take-out box for souvenir.
Across from Kikujudo-Isetastu, in the middle of Sansaki-zaka slope.
Counter and table seats on the 1st floor and tatami room on the 2nd floor.
Famous Anago-sushi. Many people come to taste it. Fluffy and soft texture don’t change for take-outs.
Mr. Kouzou Noike is the founder and owner of this restaurant.
Healing moments with beautiful Architecture and Scenery.
Nezu Shrine is one of the major ten shrines in Tokyo. It is said that Nezu Shrine was first founded in Sendagi by Yamato-Takeru-no-Mikoto about 1900 years ago. Later, it was relocated to the current site and the shrine was rebuilt by Tsunayoshi Tokugawa in 1706. Now the main shrine, the hall of offerings, the hall of worship, Karamon (main gate), Sukibei (latticed wall) and Romon (two-story gate) are designated Important Cultural Properties of Japan. There is a large Azalea Garden where vivid azaleas create spectacular scenes during the blooming season. There are other attractive spots such as Senbon-torii (1000 red torii-gates) continued to Otome-Inari shrine, Maiden (court music pavillion) and Bungo no Ishi (Stone of the Literary Greats) which Soseki Natsume and Ogai Mori who lived in the neighborhood came to sit on the stone for inspiration for their novels.
Go straight from Nezujinja-iriguchi intersection.
Go under the big torii gate at Omotesando entrance for worship.
Time goes by slowly in a lushly green precinct.
Romon, designated an Important Cultural Property in Japan. Shrine is beyond the gate.
Maiden is a stage used at the events like Azalea Festival.
Senbon-torii （a thousand torii）that many red toriis line up.
Going through Senbon-Torii, you’ll get to Otome-Inari Shrine.
Get Goshuin ￥500 at the awarding office next to the shrine.
Nezu Shrine
Address
1-28-9 Nezu Bunkyo-ku
Tel
03-3822-0753(9:00〜17:00)
Access
5 min walk from Nezu & Sendagi Sta. for Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line and Todaimae Sta. for Tokyo Metro Nanboku Line
Closed
6:00-18:00 Apr&May&Sep 5:30-18:00 Jun&Jul&Aug 5:00-18:00 Oct 5:30-17:30 Nov&Dec 6:00-17:00 ※January1：0:00-17:00
Kayaba Coffee, a symbol of Yanaka, is a coffee shop opened in 1938. Being missed by its fans, it was closed in 2006 but was reopened in 2008. Kayaba’s aesthetic building is a townhouse built in 1916. It was renovated at the time of reopening, however, they kept beams, exterior, chairs, counter, plates which were being used in Showa period. The recommended menu item is the egg sandwich that fried egg is put between slices of bread, which has been the long-time popular item and still is after the reopening. Their specialty coffee uses beans from different areas and brings out the full flavor of the beans, they are lightly roasted. Enjoy the light and elegant taste of Kayaba coffee.
Quaint old-fashioned house built in Taisho period.
Modern designed signboard since Showa period.
There are table seats on the 1st floor and tatami room on the 2nd floor.
Egg sandwich (with soup and salad) ￥1000．Coffee ￥500. Sour bread is used for egg sandwich.
Kayaba Cofee
Address
6-1-29 Yanaka Taito-ku
Tel
03-5832-9896
Closed
Monday
Hours
8:00-18:00(L.O.17:30) Sat.,Sun. and Holiday 8:00-19:00(L.O.18:30)
Access
10 min walk from Nezu Sta.Tokyo Metoro Chiyoda Line, 10 min walk from JR Nippori Sta.
Amazing mud wall, Retaining the Atmosphere of the Temple town of Edo period
Tsuijibei is a mud wall made by mixture of “Nerituchi (kneaded soil)”, oil and straw mixed clayey soil and roof tiles in layers. During the Edo period, many residences, temples and shrines had this type of wall, however, it is rarely seen nowadays. It was built in the latter half of Edo period but was partially destroyed by the Great Kanto Earthquake in 1923. Now only 40 meters remains at the south side. In 2000, Tsuijibei was registered Tangible Culture Property in Japan. Stand by the wall, and it makes you feel like you are travelling into the Edo period.
You might feel calm when waliking along the wall.
You can observe rare traditional architectural style closely.
The only 400m long wall projects the atmosphere like the Edo period.
Registered Tangible Cultural Property as the precious national asset.
Kannonji Tsuijibei
Address
5-8-28 Yanaka Taito-ku
Tel
03-3821-4053
Access
6 min walk from Sendagi Sta. for Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line, 6 min walk from JR Nippori Sta.
Many Famous People rest in the Huge Graveyard. Enjoy cherry blossoms in Spring
Huge graveyard, approximately 10 hectares, was created in 1874. There are many graves of celebrities, such as politicians, actors, writers and painters. So it is better we drop by at the Yanaka Cemetery Office to get a map of celebrity graves before we start. It is also famous for the cherry blossoms and you can enjoy a beautiful cherry blossom tunnel at the central pathway, so called “Sakura-Dori (Cherry Blossom Street)”, in spring. TOKYO SKYTREE is seen from the hill at the north side and there is a ruin of Tennoji Gojunoto (five-story pagoda), which appears in the novel “Gojunoto” by Rohan Koda. We must keep the manner not to speak loud or step into the graveyard freely during our visit to the cemetery.
Get Yanaka Cemetery map at Cemetery office.
Follow the sign with area number to the destination.
Arriving at the grave of Yoshinobu Tokugawa, Japan’ s last shogun.
Grave of Yoshinobu Tokugawa is enshrined in the shinto style different from the successive shoguns of Tokugawa era.
Grave of Taikan Yokoyma, great painter of modern Japanese Painting.
There are many bamboo fences which is rarely seen nowadays.
Ruin of the five-story pagoda burnt down in 1957.
Pray quietly in front of Eiichi Shibusawa’s grave.
Use East Exit of Nippori Sta. for JR Yamanote Line,Keihintohoku Line,JoBan Line and Keisei Line
East Exit side is busy area with taxi stands, bus terminals and eating and drinking places. “Ota Dokan Kiba-zo (Equestrian Statue of Ota Dokan)”, a bronze statue of Dokan Ota, the warlord of Muromachi period, stands in the square in front of Nippori Station. Its vibrant and lively figure draws people’s attention.
From Yanaka Park via Goinden-zaka slope, we will get on our way back.
Crossing the bridge over the railroad to get to the other side.
Arrived at the goal, Nippori Station East Exit.
8-meter statue of Dokan Ota stands in front of the station.
