Kanda River Walk 2022 (4) Iidabashi-Sumida River, May 5, 2022

I had the 4^th and final day of my Kanda River Walk in 2022. The course was from Iidabashi to Yanagibashi, where Kanda River flows into Sumida River.

The JR Chuo Line meets Kanda River at Iidabashi. The river and railroad go eastward together.

Similar scene was found at Suidobashi. (See the 2nd photo)

 

I moved to the Ochanomizu district. There are university hospitals as well as other academic institutes in the area.

A construction work was under way in the river. 

The subway crosses Kandagawa at Ochanomizu.

 

There remains a closed old station (old Mansei Station) at Mansei Bridge, which locate between Ochanomizu and Akihabara.

 

There are many electronics stores in the Akihabara area.

 

I had another 1km walk and arrived at Yanagibashi. Kanda River flows into Sumida River here.

 

There are many boats floating in the river. People enjoy cruising and dining with the boats. People also hire the boats for fishing.

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It was 24km from Inokashira Park to Sumida River.

I found many changes since 2010, when I had a walk of the same course last time. The changes include: redevelopments of areas such as Shinjuku’s Yodobashi area, more local community activities including carp streamers displays, reconstruction of facilities in the riverside walks, flights of airplanes over central Tokyo area, which was not allowed 12 years ago, and many others.

It is interesting to see such changes.

 

 

Kanda River Walk 2022 (3): May 4, 2022

I had the 3^rd day of my Kanda River Walk in the Golden Week holidays in 2022. Today’s walk was from Yodobashi, about 12km from the origin of the river, to Iidabashi, about 19km from the origin.

 

Yodobashi is quite near from the business area in Shinjuku.

 

The river flows between the buildings.

We can see Shinjuku’s skyscrapers over the river in the area.

 

The river goes through Higashi Nakano and Kami-Ochiai districts before arriving Takadanobaba area.

This photo was taken from the water reclamation center in Ochiai, where sewage water is cleaned. The river provides green spaces in the artificial towns.

 

There are many offices, shops and schools in Takadanobaba area.

There are paints of Astro Boy and other comic characters on the walls in the area. These characters are created by Osamu Tezuka, Japan’s great manga artist. He once lived in the area. The paints were drawn to commemorate him. (See the top photo)

Tens of carp streamers were tied across Kanda River in the area. (See the 2nd photo)

 

Street cars (the Toden Arakawa Line) run on the street which goes along Kanda River in the Waseda area.

 

I passed the Edogawa park area, where parks as well as nature rich Chinzanso Hotel locate. In the Edo period, the water from Kanda River was collected at this place and redistributed to many towns in Edo (Tokyo’s former name).

 

Huge highways were built along the river after the 1960s in the downtown areas.

 

This is a scene taken from a place near Iidabashi station.

Some parts of the river are covered with roads.

 

 

Sengen Shrine in Shizuoka: May 3, 2022

I visited Shizuoka City during my Golden week holidays.

I could not see Mt. Fuji from the city as it was light cloudy. Still, the weather was not so bad.

I visited the Sengen Shrine in the center of the city.

The shrine has a long history. There are tens of small shrines in the site.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, the ruler of Japan in the early 17^th century, had a ritual to be an adult in the 16^th century. He was in Shizuoka at the time as a hostage.

 I saw people making prays at one of main shrines. The building stands at the foot of a hill.

 

There is a kofun or ancient tomb on the hill near the shrine. It was built in the 6^th century.

 

Shopping street spread around the shrine.

The Miyagasaki Street is one of such streets. The street is busy when they have a histrical festival in spring. Today, there wer few people there.

 

 

 

Kanda River Walk 2022 (2): Maｙ2, 2022

I enjoyed the 2nd day of my Kanda River walk in 2022. 

Today’s walk was from Eifuku Bridge (about 7km from the source of the river) to Yodobashi (about 12 km).

Electricity transmission towers stand around Eifuku Bridge. 

There are several schools along the river in this area.

I found many elder people joying local community activities, such as traffic control to guard school kids from accidents, as volunteers.

 

There is a reservoir at the cross of the river and the Ring Route 7. The facility was built to prevent flood disaster.

 

The river enters Nakano City from Suginami City.

 

There is a stock yard of subway trains around Nakano Fujimi-cho. (See also the 2nd photo)

Zanpukuji River, a tributary, flows into Kanda river in this area. i

Carp streamers were displayed in Hongo Fureai Park in this area.

 

I arrived at Nakano Shinbashi. 

The scene of skyscrapers appeared over the river. Shinjuku district is not far from here.(See the top photo)

Planes flew over the towers of Tokyo Metropolitan Government. I saw (and heard) the flight in every 5 minutes at the busiest time of the flights.

 

There are construction works of skyscrapers under way at Yodobashi bridge. It is about 10 minutes-walk distance from Shinjuku Station.