Page 84 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Tokyo

82  T OK Y O AREA B Y AREA

A 90-Minute Walk in Yanaka to the main road, turn left, and
continue walking until you see a
One of the best-preserved old quarters of Tokyo that has flight of stone steps descending
survived both the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and the to a narrow shopping street
fire bombings of 1945 relatively unscathed, Yanaka is a rare called the Yanaka Ginza 6,
enclave of the old city. Its famous graveyard, with mossy selling traditional crafts and
foods. Follow the smell of
tombs, Buddha stones, and cherry trees, is the resting place of roasting tea to Chaho
famous literati, actors, and former shoguns. A reclusive retreat Kanekichi-en, an old-fashioned
for artists, writers, and designers, Yanaka’s narrow streets do teashop near the entrance to
not allow for heavy traffic, making it ideal for walking. the street. Return up the stone

O G U B A S H I - D O R I

JR Nishi Nippori
Nippori
FUJIMI- ZAKA
steps, and YANAKA
continue past CEMETERY
Kyoo-ji temple. Turn YANAKA GINZA
4 The picturesque Kyoo-ji temple housing a wooden hall right up a short flight of YANAKA
steps to enter Yanaka
Start this walk by turning left snowflakes and compose Cemetery 7. With its mossy
just after exiting JR Nishi- poetry, it has a rock in the tombstones, leafy walks,
Nippori Station’s south exit. temple garden where the wrought-iron gates, and worn
The quiet road here, sitting shogun Iemitsu rested while stone lanterns, Yanaka Cemetery S A NS A KIZ AK A
on a ridge known as the admiring the view. Today only a is almost Gothic in character. Sendagi
Suwa Plateau, is a good mass of railway tracks and Head to Tenno-ji temple 8, K O T O T O I - D O R I
introduction to the old love hotels can be seen. adjoining the cemetery ground.
world charms of Yanaka. More interesting are the The statue of the Great Buddha
Follow the sloping well-carved stone Buddhas of Yanaka, a bronze figure cast S H I N O B A Z U - D O R I
road until a row of near the temple’s in 1691 is the focal point.
ginkgo trees and entrance, and a bronze Return to the road, bear left
a well-weathered figure of Jizo, protector of and then take the first right, NEZU UENO
Suwa shrine 1 children, carved in 1691 reaching a T-junction at the end. PARK
appear on the left. by a Buddhist priest- It is easy to miss, but on the right Nezu S H I N O B A Z U - D O R I
Foun ded in 1322, artist Kumu-shonin. is the former Gamo residence 9,
the shrine is home Walk past the small now a community space called
to the deity who 1 Lion sculpture outside road known as Korinsha, a fine example of N I C H I - I D A I - T S U T S U J I - D O RI K O T O T O I - D O R I
protects Nippori Suwa shrine Fujimi-zaka or “Fuji- dashigeta-zukuri (projecting
and Yanaka districts. Viewing Slope,” a HONGO
It is just a few steps along narrow road lined with old red-
to Joko-ji temple 2, known as brick walls. Directly opposite a
the “Snow-Viewing Temple.” row of old tene ments, the main
Once a popular spot to watch attraction at Yofuku-ji temple 3
is the Nioman gate. The two
Tips for Walkers guardian statues within the gate
were built at the beginning of
Starting point: Nishi-Nippori the 18th century.
station, south exit. Take a left at the end of the
Length: 1.5 miles (2.5 km). road and Kyoo-ji temple 4 comes
Getting there: Arrive via the JR into view, its zelkova wood gate
Yamanote Line train or Chiyoda pitted with bullet holes from an
Line metro. ancient battle. Return to the
Stopping-off points: A range main road, and continue to the
of original tea blends at Chaho Asakura Choso Museum 5, a
Kanekichi-en, and plenty of
Japanese restaurants. sculpture gallery dedicated to
the work of renowned Japanese 8 Seventeenth-century bronze statue of
sculptor, Fumio Asakura. Return Buddha, Tenno-ji temple

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