Tokaido Walk (1): Sept. 25, 2010

Five major roads (Edo Five Routes) were built to connect Edo (Tokyo) and other parts of Japan in the Edo era. They are Tokaido, Nakasendo, Koshu Kaido, Oshu Kaido and Nikko Kaido.

Tokaido, which connects Edo and Kyoto through the Pacific coast area, was the most important and busiest  road in the Tokugawa Shogun era.

It was 495 kilometers from Edo (Nihonbashi) to Kyoto (Sanjo Ohashi). Tokaido had 53 stations (excluding Nihonbashi and Sanjo Ohashi) shich had traveler's inns, horse stables and other travel facilities. The stations were called “Shukuba”.

Most parts of Tokaido road have been redeveloped after the Meiji period and are now used as national highways. National Rout 1, which connects Tokyo and Kobe through Kyoto, runs on old Tokaido in many parts (National Rout 15 runs on old Tokaido in Tokyo).

Today, I took the first part of Tokaido walk.

All Edo Five Routs started Nihonbashi, which means Japan Bridge. It is about 1-2 kilometers east from the Imperial palace (former Edo Castle). The area is not far from the sea and was nearer from the seacoast in the Edo era.

There is a monument which shows "the basing point" of Japan’s roads. Many Edo people started their travels here.

However, it was difficult for me to feel historic mood. Many vehicles passed the bridge. A highway ran over the bridge. It was noisy. The river (canal) under the bridge was dirty.

Shops and offices spread around Nihonbashi.The headquarters of the Bank of Japan is in the area.

National Rout 15 runs on old Tokaido today. I walked westwards about 20 minutes and arrived in Ginza, one of Tokyo’s busiest shopping areas. The road was off vehicle.

I walked through Shinbashi, Shiba, Hamamatsucho, Tamachi and arrived in Shinagawa. It was about 7.5 kilometers and took about an hour and half.

There were many offices and apartments along the road. I also found historical buildings such as temples and shrines and monuments. The traffic was heavy in the road.

Shinagawa is the first station of Tokaido. The old Tokaido road remains in the area. It is a narrow street. Small shops and restaurants are along the street. There are many sign boards and flags which stress that "it is historic Shinagawa station of Tokaido".

They had a festival of Shinagawa shukuba (old station) today.

I walked about two hours and arrived at the ruin of an execution ground in Suzugamori. Rebels, murderers, arsonists and many other criminals were executed here. Some of them are historically famous. They include Marubashi Chuya, a rebel and Yaoya Ohichi, a youg woman arsonist. Their stories are played in the Kabuki plays.

The old Tokaido road meets National Rout 15 again at Suzugamori. It is about 12 kilometers from Nihonbashi.


Map: Nihonbashi
Map: Shinagawa
Map: Suzigamori

Sumo @ Setagaya Hachiman Shrine: Sept. 18, 2010

We usually imagine professional sumo wrestling when asked about sumo. It is broadcast nationwide by NHK (Japan’s public TV station) every two months. The professional wrestlers keep traditional hair style (They have topknots on their heads).


However, sumo is more than that.

Sumo is played widely by amateur players. It has strong ties with Japanese history, culture and society.

I visited Setagaya Hachiman Shrine to see votive sumo plays today.

The shrine holds the event every year to show its respect to the god. The event is held during the shrine’s autumn festival.

Total 20 sumo wrestlers from Tokyo University of Agriculture joined the event. Some of them are top-level amateur sumo players in Japan. A player is from Mongolia. Unlike professional sumo wrestlers, their hair was short.

They showed us their practices before the matches. They played shiko (a series of motions to raise a leg and to step it down – a practice to strengthen the player’s thigh), teppo (a practice to strengthen their pushing power) and matawari (a stretch practice).

They had a tournament competed by several groups and a tournament by individual players. They also had knockout competitions.

Some wrestlers played as many as 20 matches in about an hour and half.

The sounds made by the players (especially mada by the crash of two players at the beginning of the match) were heavy and strong. The impression was quite different from that I usually recieve from the sumo matches shown in the TV.

A ritual, in which a shinto priest showed his respect to the gods, was held before the tournament.

The sumo ring is made by soil and rice strews. It has connected with agriculture and harvest. Salt is thrown by the wrestlers before the match to clean the ring.

Hundreds of visitors enjoyed the event. I also enjoyed it.

Map: Setagaya Hachiman Shrine

Belgium Beer Weekend @Roppongi Hills: Sept. 11, 2010

I enjoyed Belgium beer at the Belgium Beer Weekend held at Roppongi Hills (Sept. 10-12, 2010).

The event was held in the inner court (arena) of the commercial complex. More than 40 brands of Belgium beer as well as Belgium foods -- famous “frites” fried potatoes, roast chickens and waffles – were sold at container shops which were placed around the arena. People drank the beer with special glasses designed for the event.

There was a stage in the arena. Musicians from Belgium played their music.
The "real" Beer Weekend started in Belgium in 1999 at Brussels’s famous Grand Place. Tokyo’s event is a copy of it. Tokyo is the first place except Brussels to hold such event.

Belgium beer has been more popular in Japan in current years.

Hundreds of people were enjoying Belgium beer, foods and music in the arena. Another hundreds of people were tasting their beer glasses on the grass around the arena.

I had not expected to see such number of people here as the event had not been widely known. There must have been good public relations activities by the organizers. The operations of the event were good.

Personally, I was in Belgium about 20 years ago. I’m glad to see more "Belgium related mattere" in Tokyo.

Map: Roppongi Hills

Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine@ Shimokitazawa: Sept. 5, 2010

There are many autumn festivals in Tokyo.
I visited a festival at Kitazawa Hachiman Shrine near Shimokitazawa, Setagaya ward today.

Hachiman shirines enshrine the Hachiman god, one of Japan’s traditional gods. There are about 8000 Hachiman shrines in Japan. The number is the second largest after Inari shrines among various shrines in Japan.

The festival is held to celebrate the harvest. It is also important as an opportunity of community’s gathering.
There are many stalls of foods, drinks and gifts in the shrine. Various performances including the lion dances, dram plays and songs were played in a open-air stage. The players are local people.

They also took portable shrines (mikoshi) and moved around the area. Some mikoshi were carried by the cheldren.

Visitors including many foreigners looked enjoying the festival.
Shopping streets hold various autumn festivals at this season. They usually have nothing to do with the country’s tradition or religion. They are commercial events. I found a small children’s festival held in Suzuran Street in Kyodo district on the Odakyu Line.

There will be many festivals through November. I am sure that I will visit tens of festivals in coming months.


Map: Kitazawa Hachiman

Small urban organic farm @ Seijo: Sept. 4, 2010

Most lands in Tokyo are covered with houses and buildings, but we find small urban farms around the city.

Most of them are preserved by the farmers to keep tax benefits. Some farmers, however, are trying to develop new businesses and activities.

Small urban farm have become an important topic in environmental protection and the sustainable development throughout the world in recent years.

I visited “Shisidoen” farm about 25 minutes walk from Seijogauen-mae of the Odakyu Line in Setagaya ward. The town is one of the highest-quality residential areas in Tokyo.

The farm is small (about 100 x 100 meters) and surrounded by houses and stores. Public buses run along the farm.

There are roses, blue berry, herbs, tomatoes and many other plants. They cultivate organic plants.　People can enjoy picking the blue berries (admission fee is requires).

They also keep honey bees.

We had massive death of the bees in last several years in Japan (like other countries in the world). Scientists doubt several reasons –- climate change, electromagnetic waves, chemical products, destruction of ecological cycle in the regions.

The farm owner said that he would like to send messages from the small farm.

Map: Shishidoen Farm

Samba Carnival @ Asakusa: August 28, 2010

Many Samba carnivals are held in Japan, half a world away from Brazil.

The biggest and the most famous one is a carnival at Asakusa.

The carnival started in 1981 and it is the 30th carnival this year.

About 4500 dancers, singers and other members from 16 Samba teams played their performances in the streets. About 500 thousands visitors (according to Japanese TV news) enjoyed the shows.

I was one of the 500 thousands.


Map: Asakusa

Yokota Air Base @ Tama (western Tokyo): August 22, 2010

There are several U.S. bases in and around Tokyo. Famous ones include Yokota Air Base (western Tokyo), Atsugi’s US Navel Air Facility (Kanagawa), Yokosuka Navy Base (Kanagawa Prefecture) and Camp Zama.

I visited Yokota Air Force Base today. They held Japanese-American Friendship Festival on 21 and 22 of August and Japanese people could enter the base during the event. It was my first visit into a U.S. base in Japan.

The base is large. There is 3300 meter runway in it. There are schools, hospitals, a radio station and many other facilities in addition to military facilities. The soldiers as well as their families live there. (Total population is reported about 16,000).

There were many stalls (of drinks, foods, T shirts, caps etc.). They had music concerts and basket ball competitions. A playfield was set for children. A mini train-shape vehicle was running and the soldiers were shooting water pistols (to provide small showers to visitors).

There were thousand of visitors in the base. Tens of temporary toilets were set.

Various aircrafts were displayed. They included F22 fighter aircraft (stealth), other fighters, cargo aircrafts, and helicopters.

Many of the visitors (both Japanese and Americans) looked to be fanatics.They were taking coutless number of pictures.

Planes flow over the visitors. F18s’ flights were so fast. Japanese Self Defense Force also joined the flight (They also use the base with U.S. Air Force).

The attitude of the soldier and other staff of the base seemed to be very friendly. The U.S. government’s policy to keep good relations with Japanese people was well reflected.

It is also worthy to note that the base’s commander banned to screen “The Cove”, an controversial movie on whale catching, in the base.

Map: Yokota Air Base

Teien Art Museum @ Meguro: August 21, 2010

I visited Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum near Meguro station. The museum was originally a house of Prince Asaka (one of royal family members). It has turned into a museum operated by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government since the 1980s.

The gardens (both Japanese and western styles) are beautiful. The trees and the lawns are well cared.

The cicadas were making big sounds when I visited there.

They also have interesting sculptures and objects.

The western style house has converted into a museum building. An exhibition of a Japanese painter Yoshio Arimoto was held today. It is comfortable to watch good pictures at a museum in the green.

Many of nature-rich areas (museums, parks etc.) in central Tokyo have been developed on the lands and houses originally owned by the upper-class families (before the WW2).

The Teien Art Museum is an example.

Map :Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum

Shanghai (off off Tokyo): August 4-6, 2010

Skyscrapers, skyscrapers, skyscrapers ----  I always saw skyscrapers when walking in Shanghai.

There are more than 4000 skyscrapers in Shanghai and the number has been the biggest in the world since 2004 (surpassing New York).


The scene of Pudong skyscrapers from Waitan through Huangpu river is a symbol of Shanghai today. The buildings include The Oriental Pearl TV Tower (characterized with spheres) and The Shanghai World Financial Center (SWFC), the tallest in the city

The SWFC opened in 2008 and is 492 meter high. It has observatories in the 94th, 97the and 100th floors. Many tourists including a group from Taiwan were enjoying the scene from 472 meter high when I visited the 100th floor.

Shanghai Aquarium has a 150 meter long tunnel which goes under water tanks. It is prpbably the longest such tunnel in Asia.

Nanjingxilu Street, which goes west from Waitan, is the busiest commercial street in the city. Most parts of the street are off vehicle.

Tourist trains ran and old local residents enjoyed dancing (not tai chi) when I visited there.

Roads are well arranged in Beijing. They run from north to south or east to west. Buildings stand keeping certain distances.

It is messy in Shanghai. The roads go round and old traditional houses remain at the foot of skyscrapers.

There were so many people. Thousands of people walk quickly in the subway stations. It was very hard to catch a taxi in the evening.

Constructions are under way here and there.

I did not visit Shanghai Expo (as it was expected to be too crowded). I saw the posters, billboards and the Expo characters everywhere in the city. The highays were decorated with plants and illuminated in blue.


Shanghai Map

Beijing (off off Tokyo): August 2-4, 2010

I walked around Beijing and Shanghai in the first week of August.

It was my first time to visit Beijing in about 10 years and Shanghai in about five years.

I was impressed with the rapid development of the country and the dynamic energy from the Chinese people.


All people I met in Beijing said that the city has completely changed in the last five years. What triggered the changes was, of course,  the Beijing Olympic Games.

Wangfujing, the city’s busiest commercial area (only two blocs east from Gugong and the Tiananmen Square) was crowded with shoppers as ten years ago. But the appearance of the area was quite different.

It has been modernized and cleaner. New shopping centers and department stores have been developed. Gucci and other famous brand companies have stores there.

There are also traditional Chinese shops and restaurants in the area. I enjoyed Peking Duck dinner at Quanjude.

Qianmen’s shopping street (south from the Tinanmen Square) was also redeveloped before the Beijing Olympic Games. Traditional Chinese stores, brand shops and many other shops were there. The street was off-vehicle

Some old towns are preserved.

Many old houses – most of them are traditional Siheyuan -- remain in the northern part of Gugong. Eash house has a garden inside and they grow trees (mainly jujube trees).

Many tricycles were waiting tourists in some parts of the area when I visited there. Most of the drivers are from rural areas. They are reported to be low paid and are spending hard days. The rich-poor gap problem was there. But I also saw some drivers talking by their mobile phones while driving their tricycles.

IT companies and IT shops gather in Zhongguancun, northwest part of Beijing. Is is about 45 minites by subway from the central Beijing.

Beijing University and Tsinghua University are in the area. The Founder Group, the Lenovo Group, and the Stone Grouu have grown from the area.

Electronic shops were crowded with people. Traders sell watermelons outside.

The city's scene from the Park Hyatt Hotel's bar in the 63th floor was excellent.

Beijing Map