Shops in Yanaka, Tokyo

Isetatsu: Traditional Japanese paper and stationary
Address :2-18-9 Yanaka,Taito-ku,Tokyo Phone :03 3823 1453
English site: http://www.norenkai.net/english/shop/isetatsu/index.html



Midoriya: Fine bamboo crafts
At Yanaka Ginza Phone: 03-3828-7522



Hamamatsuya: Traditional footware, geta and sandals
At Yanaka Ginza Phone: 03－3828－1301
You can get your semi-custom fitted geta here. Pick your favorite colors and patterns of hanao. Then, they will fit geta for you in 30 min.





Mujinzo: Nice Japanese traditional crafts and sandals
At Yanaka Ginza Phone: 03-3828-6203

Amazake Yokocho Street, Ningyocho, Tokyo

Old neighborhood with lots of sweets shops, bento shops, and traditional music instruments. Being located near Meiji-za, you see some old businesses supporting the traditional art performances, such as box makers, shamisen shops, kimono shops.

Short stroll on the Amazake Yokocho Street takes you to old Japan. There's not much "special" things to see, but it is such a nice little area to escape from the busy areas.



English links

About Ningyocho- English website.
http://www.chuo-kanko.or.jp/english/ningyou/profile.html


English Map: http://www.chuo-kanko.or.jp/english/ningyou/area_map.html

Interview with Traditional craftsmen: Iwai Tsuzura, Amazake Yokocho, Ningyocho, Tokyo
one of the only two shops in Tokyo still making Tsuzura, basket made of bamboo and lacquer.
http://www.tokyochuo.net/issue/traditional/2004/06/english.html

Yanaka Giza, Yanaka, Tokyo

About Yanaka on Digi Promotion in English:
http://www.digi-promotion.com/tokyo-neighborhoods/yanaka/


Yanaka Ginza


Cat and Temple Town, Yanaka

Tsukiji Jogai Shijo

Tsukji shows two faces to the world. First is jonai, the giant, enclosed wholesale fish and vegetable market area–this is what most people think of as Tsukiji. But, there is also jogai, this includes all of the shops and restaurants running down the streets adjoining the regular wholesale market.

Tsukiji jogai market has specialty shops such as konbu, nori, katsuo, tamago, vegetables, fish, knives, kaiseki ingredients, poultry, meat, chinmi, pickles, and restaurants. You can find some street food there, too.

Japanese PDF map of Tsukiji jogai
http://www.tsukiji.or.jp/ZYOGAI/map01.pdf

How to get there: Tokyo Metro Tsukiji Station Exit 1or Oedo Line Tsukiji Shijo
Address: Tsukiji 4-10-16, Chuo-ku, Tokyo
Hours: 5 a.m.-1 p.m.
Closed: Closed Sundays and national holidays, as well as two Wednesdays a month (varies)

Official Japanese website.
http://www.tsukiji.or.jp/

Kappabashi, Tokyo

Kappabashi is a must see area if you like cooking. You will find over 170 shops, mostly wholesale shops with kitchen items and restaurant supplies.

Good place to look for knives, plates, ceramics, bowls, plastic food, and many more kitchen items.

Knife shops I like:
TDI

Kamata



How to get there: If you walk from Senso-ji, Asakusa, it is about 10 minutes walk. Othersiwe, Tawara-cho station on Ginza line
Address:
Hours: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Closed: Sundays and Holidays

English links

Kappabashi Dogu Street
Official English website.
http://www.kappabashi.or.jp/en/index.html

About Kappabashi and good map of the street at Bento.com
http://www.bento.com/phgal-kappabashi.html

Edoyu, Ryogoku, Tokyo

While you are exploring Ryogoku, you can go for a quick or long bath at Edoyu. It's a bit more than regular sento or bath house and you do not have to bring anything with you.

They have a few different types of bath, sauna, treatments, ganbanyoku, restaurants and the relaxation area.

Cost: 2,300 yen
Items included in the fee: towels, clothes to wear inside the facility, shampoo, soap
Hours: 11 am - 9 am
Open every day
Address：1-5-8 Kamezawa, Sumida, Tokyo
Phone：03-3621-2611
One minute from Oedo line subway, Ryogoku Station A3,4.
URL in Japanese: http://www.edoyu.com/ryougoku/index.html

Restaurants in Ryogoku, Tokyo

List of restaurants in Ryogoku I have been to.

1. Casico
This place is closed now and you will find Century 21 now. (May 2009)



2. Hosokawa
Famous and serious soba joint. Very, very quiet and they have age limit. Children under 6 are not allowed in the restaurant.
Address: 1-6-5 Kamezawa, Sumida, Tokyo
Phone:: 03-3626-1125
Hours: noon - 3 pm, 5 pm - 9 pm
closed on Mondays


3. Chanko Kirishima
One of many Chanko Restaurants in Ryogoku. This place is very busy during lunch, but if you order regular Chanko Nabe for 3,000 yen or so, you can get seated right away.
Address: 2-13-7 Ryogoku, Sumida, Tokyo
Phone:: 03-3632-8710
Hours: 11：30～23：00
Chanko Kirishima Web in French:
http://fujimori.club.fr/Chanko-Ryogoku-fr.html


Photo: Sumo Croquette at Chanko Kirishima

4. Sakura Saryo, 7th Fl at Edo-Tokyo Museum
Nice View. Serves soba, udon and Tokyo regional food such as fukagawameshi.
Location: 7th fl, Edo-Tokyo Museum
Hours: 11：00～18：00




View Ryogoku, Tokyo in a larger map

Sumo Museum & Kokugikan, Ryogoku, Tokyo

Sumo Information in general provided by Nihon Sumo Kyokai.
http://sumo.goo.ne.jp/eng/index.html

Even if you are not a big Sumo fan or if there's no tournament at Kokugikan, Sumo Museum is a good spot to stop after Edo-Tokyo Museum or before you head to chanko nabe lunch or dinner. It is free to get in and a good spot to learn history of Sumo. They also sell silly Sumo souvenirs such as magnets, towels and T-shirts.

About Sumo Museum

Location: first floor of The Ryogoku Kokugikan
Open: 10am - 4:30 pm
Closed: Saturdays, Sundays, National Holidays
Admission: free

Imperial Palace, Tokyo

Should travelers to Tokyo visit Imperial Palace?
I liked the tour of Imperial Palace. If you are traveling on your own and if you are making a special trip to view Nijubashi, I would advise to save it to last and go there if you have time. The bridge and the East Garden are the only two area you can see and enjoy without the tour.

Imperial Palace:
Tours are offered for free on weekdays at 10 am and 1:30 pm. You need to make a reservation in advance to join the tour.

To see what the tour will cover, please click on the map at the following URL and find information of each viewing points covered during the tour.
http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/guide/institution_kokyo.html

Multilingual recorded guide systems are available during the tour. The guide, who is also an on site security guard, will let you know which number to listen to at each spot.

The tour takes a bit over one hour. During the summer, make sure to buy lots of bottles of water before the tour. You are requested to stay with the group at all times.

About Imperial Palace
Please visit The Imperial Household Agency Web site to see how to book a tour in advance.
http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/english/about/koukyo.html

Schedule of the available tour can be found here.
http://sankan.kunaicho.go.jp/sankan/servlet/recept/initCourse

East Gardens:

About East Gardens

Nice park to take a break and picnic if the weather is nice.

Closed on Mondays, Fridays, the Emperor's Birthday on December 23 and from December 28 to January 3 of the following year.

Hours: 9 am - 4:30 pm

Edo-Tokyo Museum, Ryogoku, Tokyo

Edo-Tokyo Museum, Ryogoku, Tokyo

I highly recommend to visit Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku to anyone visiting Tokyo. I also recommend to allow a few hours at the museum if you like history.

They recently acquired a few pieces to complete the set of Tokaido Gojyusantsugi or The Fifty-three Stations of the Tōkaidō by Utagawa Hiroshige (aka Ando Hiroshige) at the museum. Special exhibition to view all 53 Hiroshige's master pieces is on the 5th floor and ends on 5/10/2009.

In addition to the permanent exhibit on the 5th and 6th floor, they always have special exhibit on the first floor. Current exhibit is featuring one of the greatest anime artist in Japan, Osamu Tezuka. (until 6/21/2009)

While you are there, please make sure to stop at the museum shops on the first floor. They have lovely tenugui and other traditional items there.

Volunteer guide services are available between 9 am - 3 pm in eight languages and can be coordinated in advance.

Closed on Mondays.
Hours: 9:30 am to 5:30 pm (7:30 pm on Saturdays)
Admission fees:
Adults 600yen

Please visit Edo-Tokyo Museum English Website for hours and admission fees.

Day Trip to Nikko from Tokyo

Approximate Total Time:

4 hours round trip travel time on the Tobu railways from Asakusa, Tokyo

4 hours – 4 and 1/2 hours at Nikko

Walking Distance:

Total walking distance is around 4-5 km which includes walking up to Tōshō-gū from the station, then, covering temple grounds on foot. I returned to Nikko Station by bus.

Model Walking Route:

On this model route, the main shrines and temples of Nikko are covered. Some areas can be skipped if pressed for time. Admission ticket for Tōshō-gū and Sleeping Cat is 1,300 yen. If you have more than two hours in Nikko, get a combination ticket for 1,000 yen to cover Tōshō-gū (excluding Sleeping Cat), Futarasan-jinja, Rinnō-ji and Taiyūin. To see Sleeping Cat in addition costs 520 additional and may not be worth the extra fee.

Late October through November is the peak season for this area and weekends are always crowded. You may want to adjust walking time accordingly and make sure you have a returning train reservation.

Nikko Station

↓

Shin-kyō Bridge

↓Notes: If you get to Nikko around noon, there are some restaurants offering yuba or soybean curd lunch,
↓soba, and okonomiyaki along the way between the station and the Shin-kyō bridge.
↓For Wednesdays and Thursdays, some restaurants are closed.

Rinnō-ji (30 min)

↓Notes: Tour of Sanbutsu-dō is offered regularly and three Buddha statues are very impressive.
↓Without the tour, you can go through inside the temple in less than 30 min.
↓No photography is allowed inside.

Treasure House & garden (30 min) 300 yen admission even if you have 1,000 yen combination ticket

↓ Notes: Very nice quiet garden. Exhibition at the treasure house is very small, but good size to digest.

☆Tōshō-gū (60 min – 90 min at least)

↓Notes:Impressive, must see place to see early Edo period architecture with famous wood carvings.
↓Sleeping Cat and entrance admission to the Okusha or the tomb of Ieyasu Tokugawa is
↓additional 520 yen if you ↓have 1,000 yen combination ticket. It’s a bit of a hike up to the tomb

☆Treasure House (20 min) 500 yen admission even if you have 1,000 yen combination ticket

↓ Notes: Nice, small exhibition of mementos of Tokugawa Ieyasu, such as his swords, armor, and official ↓appointment letter.

Futarasan-jinja (20 min)

↓ Notes: Very peaceful.

☆Taiyūin -byo (40 min or more)

↓ Notes: 3^rd Tokugawa Shogun, Iemitsu’s mausoleum. It is very quiet in here and quite interesting to see
↓different type of architecture from Tosho-gu. You will see colorful statues of various deities by the gates
↓throughout. I would not miss this spot.

Nikko Station by bus or taxi

Cost:

For this model walking course, total admission is around 2,300 yen.

Round trip from Asakusa to Nikko is 5,480 yen per person using Tobu Limited Express, which is the best choice if you travel without the Japan Railpass.

Food:

For lunch, there are some restaurants on the way to the shrines and temples complex.

References:

Snapshots of each location can be found at this English site run by the city:

http://www.city.nikko.lg.jp/kankou/shaji/english/main.htm

The tourist information center has very detailed on-line English guide

http://www.nikko-jp.org/english/index.html

Other:

Toilets: All locations have western style toilets.

☆=recommended

Toshogu, Nikko

Rinno-ji, Nikko

Taiyuin, Nikko

Test

Model Walking Route: Kita-Kamakura

I followed a model walking course and strolled around Kita-Kamakura on one weekday in September. Very quiet and nice area to learn Zen Buddhism and history of Kamakura era.


Approximate Total Time:
5 hours without stopping for lunch

Walking Distance:

I believe around 9 km if you walk from Kita-Kamakura to JR Kamakura stopping at temples along the way.

Model Walking Route:

Before planning a trip to temples, check opening hours. Some close at 4:00 pm and that’s not just when they stop allowing people in, but is when you have to leave the temple.

Kita-Kamakura Station
↓

☆Engaku-ji (60 min) 300 yen
↓Notes: Many sections are off limits. Nice view from Benzaiten


☆Tōkei-ji (30 min) 100 yen
↓Notes: nice wild garden, quiet, mossy rock walls, museum is open on
↓the weekend or by appointment only (300 yen additional admission)
↓Nice little street with shops and a restaurant, Umemiya, between
↓Tōkei-ji and Jōchi-ji


Jōchi-ji (30 min) 200 yen
↓Notes: This temple is not well marked. Ask for the English leaflet
↓for explanations first.Otherwise, the staff will not exchange
↓an English one for a Japanese one.I thought the statue of Hotei was
↓interesting. If pressed for time, OK to skip this .

Myōgetsu-in 300 yen
↓ Notes: Arrived there at 3:55 pm and they said you
↓have to be out by 4:00pm

☆Kenchō-ji (30-60 min) 300 yen
↓ Notes: About 10-15 min walk from Myōgetsu-in.
↓Kyorai-an is located on the way to Kenchō-ji from Kita-Kamakura.
↓This famous restaurant serves beef stew at a traditional Japanese house
↓up on the hill.Too important one to miss.

☆Tsuruoka Hachiman-gū
↓

JR Kamakura Station

Cost:
For this model walking course, total temple admission is around 1,200 yen.

Food:
For lunch, Kita-Kmakura offers excellent choice for shojin ryori, kaiseki, other japanese food such as soba, sushi, ochazuke. Anywhere along the main road between JR Kitakamakura to Kenchō-ji, you will find nice restaurants.


References:
Snapshots of each location can be found at this English site run by the city: http://guide.city.kamakura.kanagawa.jp/eng/stroll/course/index.htm

Detailed information on the temples listed in this post can be found at:
http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~qm9t-kndu/engakuji.htm


Other:

Shop: Nozomi is a very nice antique shop by JR Kita-Kamakura Station.

Toilets: Most places had western style toilets, but one of the rest rooms at Kencho-ji only had Japanese style.

If you do not want to walk 9 km, rental bicycle is available for 2,600 yen for one day (8:30 am – 6:00 pm) at JR Kamakura Station (West side).（Tel：0467-24-2319）


☆=recommended

Jōchi-ji, Kita-Kamakura

Please see the Kita-Kamakura Model Walking Route for details.

Tōkei-ji, Kita-Kamakura

Please see the Kita-Kamakura Model Walking Route for details.

Kenchō-ji, Kita-Kamakura

Please see the Kita-Kamakura Model Walking Route for details. Kenchjo-ji offers zen sessions on Fridays and Saturdays.

Tsuruoka Hachiman-gū, Kamakura

Please see the Kita-Kamakura Model Walking Route for details.

Engaku-ji, Kita Kamakura

Please see the Kita-Kamakura Model Walking Route for details.