Typhoon in Tokyo
Who would have thought that a few hours ago it was still chucking it down with rain? The typhoon had passed overnight and we woke up to a sunny hot day, a big contrast to our arrival in Tokyo.
Japanese Breakfast
I had craved Japanese style thick toast for over two weeks now and finally found a café around the corner from our hotel which served a breakfast set with thick toast and fried eggs, I do not know where my obsession about thick toast came from but I just love it. For those who have not tasted it , the toast is about 4cm thick golden on outside and soft in the middle, hard to get right if you do not have the Japanese style of western bread.
Train Spotting
Our first stop for today, before heading to Yanaka to explore the an almost forgotten part of Tokyo, was Nishi Nippori station. We exited the underground station on the north side and were right on Shimogoinden Bridge, which is above one of the busiest train crossings in Japan. Jerome had always had a big passion for train and this was meant to be one of the prime spots in Tokyo for Shinkansen and train spotting.
Watching Shinkansen
He didn’t have to wait for very long and the first Shinkansen passed underneath us. We were soon joined by some other smaller children and a geeky teenager, who had all came for exactly the same reason – high speed train watching. We spent about half an hour watching the trains go by.
Tennoji Temple
Then, mainly due to the heat, moved on to Tennoji temple and Yanaka graveyard, both were an oasis of calm in this busy city. There were trees that provided us with plenty of shade and a place to sip a cooling drink from the vending machines. At Tennoji we saw a large seated Buddha statue, which resembles the big Buddha of Kamakura. We only visited Kennoji temple but there are around 70 other temples in the area that wait to be explored.
Visiting the Cemetery
You may wonder why we chose to visit a cemetery? Yanaka-reien is one of the largest cemeteries in Tokyo, there are over 7000 souls buried here. Some of them famous Japanese people, Tokugawa Yoshinobu, the last Shogun of Japan and novelist Ichiyo Higuchi found their final resting place here. To see and experience a different culture includes all aspects of their life, including death. Yanaka-reien is very different to European cemeteries and should not be missed when visiting the area. Even children will be fascinated by the maze of little paths winding past the stones and the many offerings from oranges to origami on the little alters by the graves.
Asakura Choso Museum
After our stroll past the graves we headed right along a small one-way street lined with little shops and restaurants. Here we stumbled onto the Asakura Choso Museum. Asakura Fumio, a famous Japanese artist lived and worked here most of his life. He extended the original building in 1935 and started teaching his disciples in this modern annex in sculpturing. The house reminded me of the Villa Choussakei in Setoda, as it combined both modern and traditional architecture into one. We started walking through the house in the modern part where we could see his study and many of his sculptures. We then moved on into the traditional part of the house, which was built around a beautiful, tranquil Japanese garden.
Inside the Museum
On the second and third floor we found rooms where Asakura entertained his guests and on the rooftop a small garden with an amazing view of Tokyo, all the way towards the Skytree. We were glad to have accidentally stumbled onto this gem of a museum in Yanaka, Jerome loved the cat statues, which were showcased in the Orchid room. Unfortunately we weren’t allowed to take photos inside the museum.
Shopping in Yanaka Ginza
We then walked on to Yanaka Ginza. Here we found plenty of shops, which still have retained their warm atmosphere away from big chain stores. It seemed to be a popular shopping street with many locals. We stopped to have a Yanaka cattail, basically a doughnut in form of a cattail with different fillings. Jerome ate a banana one and I had chocolate. They were yummy and a funny treat, Jerome went back for more later in the day so they must be good!
Shops and Boutiques
Yanaka Ginza still seemed to be stuck in a few decades ago, which made it very different to the other areas in Tokyo we had visited before. The shops have a personal touch with a focus on crafts and lots of street food. It is a great place for getting lost and exploring, never knowing what else you might stumble onto. Jerome loved the funny old hardware stores with interesting household items, and the old fashioned wooden toys in some of the little boutiques.
Soba Noodles for Lunch
Our stomachs were rumbling and I had marked a Soba restaurant 鷹匠a few blocks further away. The restaurant makes its own Soba noodles, we chose from the two varieties, one is coarser, the other softer buckwheat noodles. We had them cold, Zaru style with tasty dipping sauce and some wasabi. Jerome is often not very keen on Soba or Ramen but he ate them, perhaps the walk made him hungry?
Exploring the Back Alleys
After lunch we made our way slowly back through the back alleys, disturbing cats and looking at the myriad of house styles, to Nishi Nippori station where we got the metro back to Hiroo.
Ueno Zoo
Not far from Yanaka lies Ueno Zoo, which is an option for a detour on the way back into downtown Tokyo if you have time. We always loved seeing the red pandas there. Or perhaps a stroll in Ueno Park with the Swan boats on Ueno park lake is another option to extend the day.
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Where to stay in Tokyo:
One of the first design hotels in Tokyo, it still offers rooms for at a very reasonable price.
The ultimate ryokan stay in Tokyo. It certainly comes at a price but then we all need to splurge every now and then!
The Park Hyatt received fame thanks to “Lost in Translation” and a swim in the rooftop pool offers amazing views of Tokyo unlike any other hotel.
We always loved our stay in one of the suites at Gran Bell, they proved to be a spacious alternative to the chain hotels.
Anyone wanting to stay in Shibuya should stay at this upmarket high-rise hotel
Sophisticated rooms with floor to ceiling windows in a prime location above Tokyo station, very close to Ginza and the Imperial Palace.
Housed in an industrial style building, set on the Sumida River bank, the hotel offers a contemporary style, spacious family rooms and dorm rooms at great value.
Thanks for sharing! I love Tokyo. It has so much to offer. i went there past spring and will definitely go again.
Thanks for reading the article.
Yes it definitely does. There’s always new places to be discovered, we cannot get enough of it too.
Vanessa
I like your shots!
Thanks Jessica, makes me happy to hear from you.
Vanessa
🙂
japan is on our bucket list… thanks for sharing the beautiful photos of tokyo 🙂
I’m happy to hear you liked the photos. You should definitely consider a trip to Japan, it’s a beautiful country, there is so much to see and do.
Vanessa
You’re welcome Vanessa 🙂 we will surely visit Japan one day 🙂 happy travels
We were in the vicinity of Yanaka for the Sakura! It is beautiful indeed.
Thank you for sharing your experiences in Japan. I find your style of writing most enjoyable and you photography adds to the story. Also thanks for visiting my blog. Best wishes. Brick
Thanks Brick. I am pleased you like my posts and photos.
Vanessa
I love the Japanese toast. You have taken some great photos.
Yes Japanese toast is the best…and I am glad you like my photos.
Thanks,
Vanessa
Gorgeous photos! I am a frequent traveler to Japan, so I really enjoyed seeing the beautiful sights of Tokyo. It looks like you had a great time! Jessy
Hi Jessy,
I’m glad you liked my photos.
We love Japan and can’t wait to go back again. Where do you like to go in Japan?
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa, I love Kyoto. I lived there for a year. How about you? Jessy
Hi Jessy,
wow you lived there. I always dreamed of spending more time there than just holidays. Kyoto is beautiful, haven’t been for a while but the city is always worth a trip. Not sure I can say I have one specifiv favourite place in Japan, there are so many that I have fond memories of. Kanazawa was amazing and I would love to go back to visit again, as was Miyakojima and Ishigaki-jima. Shikoku is another favourite as it is still quite unspoilt in parts and would love to cycle the 88 temple pilgrimage. Are you planning on going back to Japan sometime?
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa, Oh Kanazawa! That was the first place I ever visited in Japan, so it has a special place in my heart. It sounds like you have been lots of places in Japan. That’s awesome. I’m hoping to go back next year, maybe during spring break in March. It might be early for cherry blossoms, but I am just hoping to escape the summer. I always end up visiting Japan in the summer during break from graduate school. And the summer in Japan is so incredibly hot. How about you? Any upcoming trips to Japan or Asia planned? Jessy
Hi Jessy,
Hanami is one of the best times to go, I guess you have seen it before when you lived in Kyoto. We usually go in the summer as well as we have more time because of school holidays. It is very hot and humid but we quite like it as we never seem to have a proper summer here. We really loved Japan in the autumn too.
At the moment we have no plans yet to go to Asia next year, but then it’s still a while to go and you never know where we might end up. Our next holiday over New Year is to Marrakesh.
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa, Yes the autumn in Japan is beautiful. The changing leaves remind me of the East Coast of the U.S., where I grew up. And wow Marrakesh! Very cool. Have a fantastic trip, Jessy
Hi Jessy,
we went to Great Barrington and Northampton end of October last year and it was stunning to see the fall foliage there.
Enjoy your trip to Barcelona,
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa, Oh! October is the best time to visit that part of Massachusetts. Since moving to California for graduate school, it has been 5 years, since I got to enjoy the New England fall weather. I am really missing it. Hope you get a chance to visit again. Cheers (from Spain), Jessy
Hi Jessy,
hope you had a great christmas. How was Barcelona? Did you like it there?
Vanessa
Hi Vanessa, Thanks for asking! I had an amazing time in Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia cathedral designed by Gaudi blew me away. The scale is unbelievable. Actually though… I know it is considered a lesser sight, but I think I enjoyed the Casa Mila more. My inner art history nerd was totally geeking out. I studied the Casa Mila many times throughout my 8 years of art history in school. It was so cool to touch the building. Did you have a nice Christmas? Jessy
This is one of our favorite spots in Tokyo. The hanami in the cemetery is to die for. (Sorry, couldn’t help myself). One of the best yakitori places ive had are also located here
I can understand why it is one of your favourite spots in Tokyo. I will definitely go back to Yanaka as I felt I didn’t explore it enough. What other places do you really like?
Vanessa
I generally stay towards the west side. Gakugeidaigaku, daikanyama, ebisu, shimokita, etc. i’m just launching this new blog and will be posting a tokyo special soon. Would be good to share places!
Sounds amazing, good luck and I would love to share places with you. Keep me posted 😊
Oh yes, isn’t Yanaka a marvellous place? It has become a bit more crowded in recent years, but it still has its charme. Could you verify the following: I thought the grave of Natsume Soseki was on the graveyard in Zoshigaya (at least they have one there – as well?). Among other memorials, the Yanaka Reien is also the place for the grave of the last Tokugawa shogun.
Hi Thomas,
thanks a lot for your comment. Yes you’re right, I did some more research and Natsume Soseki is not buried in Yanaka. I will change this accordingly.
Vanessa