Japan with Cleo #1/10 - Asakusa, Tokyo's Old & New
(This post is Part 1 of 10 on Japan with Cleo, 28 April - 14 May 2017. Edited on 26 August 2017.)
Late April, Cleo accompanied me on a flight to Osaka (IG photo). On a personal level, it was the start of a long anticipated BFF Japan trip for myself, Hubby and DT. We were super excited about this BFF Japan trip, as it was the fulfillment of a pact that was made more than a decade ago.
We all managed to get some long time off. Spent almost a week in Tokyo, where we explored Asakusa (Part 1), had some Seiko time at the Seiko Museum and Ginza (Part 2), went to Akihabara and Nakano like what all geeks do (Part 3), did a food tour around Tsukiji Market (Part 4), snacked our way around Enoshima (Part 7), and had some 3-gatsu no Lion moments in Shinkawa, Tsukuda and Tsukishima (Part 8). In-between, we took the shinkansen up north to catch the sakura in Hirosaki (Part 5) and Hakodate (Part 6), spent a few relaxing hot spring days in the Fuji Five Lakes area (DT's first time) (Parts 9.1, 9.2, 9.3), and finished up with a short time in Osaka (Part 10) and Kobe (Part 11).
On-board, I had the row all to myself. During the flight, I watched (and enjoyed) Miss Sloane, something I've geeked about elsewhere, so no rehashing here. The boys sat together, and the seat next to mine was empty, so I let Cleo have that seat all to herself. During the flight, a flight attendant passing my seat noticed her, stopped, and asked: "Oh! Is that a Blythe?" And we struck up a conversation about Blythe dolls. Turns out she is a great fan, though she is not a collector.
While in Tokyo, we were based in Asakusa (浅草), a lively district that is a part of old Tokyo.
We stayed in Asakusa, right next door to Sensoji, Asakusa's best known and most visited landmark (more below). Our stay at Asakusa was good. Although, getting a taxi to/from the hotel was difficult because of the narrow streets. From our room window, we had a great view of Asakusa's landmarks - Sensoji's main hall and five-storied pagoda, the little old streets crisscrossing Asakusa, the Tokyo SkyTree, and the Asahi Breweries HQ and Beer Hall (more below).
In Japan's past, Asakusa was the centre of Tokyo's shitamachi (下町), the traditional name for Tokyo's lower city area, which was associated with commoners in pre-WWII Japan. Asakusa is a fascinating area, with its distinctive shitamachi features and remnants of old Tokyo. Fans of Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (昭和元禄落語心中) will know that Asakusa is the location the manga and anime are largely based. Rakugo Shinjuu is an anime series about a young man who leaves his former yakuza life after serving prison, and apprentices under a master of rakugo (落語), the traditional Japanese art of storytelling. Not surprising as Asakusa was once the capital of shitamachi culture, and rakugo was a popular entertainment form for commoners during the Edo era and after. Until WWII, Asakusa was Tokyo's top entertainment district. During the Edo period, it was home to many theatres (mostly kabuki, rakugo) and a thriving red light district. In subsequent eras (Meiji, Taisho, Showa), other modern entertainment forms also sprung up in Asakusa.
Asakusa has both historical sights and traditional culinary delights. It's a great district to visit for tempura. The area flourished in the Edo Period as a tempura location due to the availability of seafood products from the nearby Tokyo Bay. So, Asakusa is full of well-known tempura restaurants, e.g. Tentake, Akashi, Masaru, Fukuoka, Nakasei, Tenfuji, Daikokuya, Kasuga, Seiko, Tokusen Asakusa, and Kanenoya.... Due to time constraints on one particular day, however, we went to Tenya Tendon (天丼てんや), a popular tempura chain in Japan. We ate at the branch located on Kaminarimon-dori, at the end of Sushiyadori shotengai (below). Quite good and affordable. Honestly the food standards in Tokyo never fail to amaze!
Asakusa is also an unagi district. It has a number of established unagi-ya with long histories, like Irogawa, Hatsuogawa and Maekawa.
We had unajuu at a 200-year-old unagi-ya called Yakko (やっ古), near Tawaramachi Station.
Generally, I'm not a major fan of unagi, unlike Hubby (who loves it). But I have to admit that upon my first bite, I was almost converted into one. The unagi was soft and melted in the mouth, the exterior was slightly crispy and sticky with the fragrant, sweet-and-savoury tare. Delicious!
So, Tenya Tendon wasn't the only chain restaurant we visited in Asakusa. We also had sushi at the Asakusa Kaminarimon branch of Sushi Zanmai (すしざんまい).
The chain is well known for its founder Mr Kiyoshi Kimura. In January this year, Kimura-san made the 2nd highest winning bid at Tsukiji's first tuna auction. Apparently, he's made the winning bid at Tsukiji's first tuna auction every year for the past 6 years. It's supposed to be considered good luck.
The sushi there is decent. Of course, we're not talking about to-die-for-star-quality Edomae sushi. I love that Tokyo offers such good quality food on an everyday basis in an everyday place.
So, interestingly, while I was familiar with most of the items on the platter, my eyes were drawn to one particular neta — a spongy-looking ingredient called komochi-konbu (子持ち昆布).
Basically, it's herring roe on kelp, and is considered a seasonal delicacy in Japan. Komochi-konbu is produced when herring spawn on kelp, resulting in a piece of kelp thickly covered with thousands or millions of tiny herring roe. The roe-covered kelp is then brined. It is soaked in dashi, soy sauce and mirin.
Flavour-wise, it's mildly salty but otherwise somewhat bland, and has a unique texture that is somewhere between spongy and crunchy. I'm not entirely sure I like it — but I don't dislike it either.... Guess the jury is still out on this one.
Our most memorable Asakusa food experience was having steak at Steakhouse Nobu (ステーキハウス のぶ), aka Asakusa Nobu, a quaint hole-in-the-wall steak place that is very popular with locals. There are only 11 to 12 counter seats backed almost right up against a brick wall, and every diner gets a view of the chef at the teppanyaki. Judging from the old photos on the wall, it looks like Asakusa Nobu has been around for at least 30 years.
Nobu's specialties are the omurice and the Hamburg steak. But we all opted for the sirloin steak special. I was initially intending to satisfy my omurice craving instead. But I didn't regret choosing the steak at all.
The steak was served on a bed of quickly sauteed and crisp beansprouts, which soaked up the lovely steak juices, with a bowl of steaming fluffy rice on the side. The steak was tender and juicy, delicious in a comforting way. Rather like home-cooking at its best — a simple, delicious dish that fills you up with warmth. Guess that means a return visit to Nobu, on the next Tokyo trip, to have a taste of the omurice then!
Asakusa's main historical feature is Sensoji (浅草寺). This Buddhist temple was founded in the 7th century, and is Asakusa's major tourist attraction. So, DT, Hubs and I've all been to Asakusa before - but never together. Hubs and I have been to Sensoji twice - New Year's Day 2013 (on Flickr) and in late 2014. This trip, we made no arrangements to visit, but we passed through it every night on our way back to the hotel.
Sensoji is a lot nicer to visit at night, quieter. Though all the shops and the main hall were closed, the buildings were lit up, and we could just wander around without any jostling.
The Hozomon (宝蔵門) was just as imposing at night as it is in the daytime. A little lesser known than the Kaminarimon (雷門), the Hozomon is actually no less interesting. The Hozomon was built in 942 AD by Kinmasa Taira, the then governor of the Abo Ditrict, as a sign of gratitude for being granted the position of governor of the Musashi District.
The Hozomon has 3 large lanterns. The 3.75m tall chochin lantern at the centre bears the name of the town Kobunacho (小舟町), and was donated by residents of the said town. Flanking the chochin lantern are 2 copper toro lanterns, each 2.75m tall, which were donated by the local uogashiko (i.e. fish merchant group), as part of a tradition where fish merchants would consecrate a lantern as a show of gratitude towards Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first Tokugawa shogun. Ieyasu seems to be instrumental in bringing fisherfolk to Tokyo, as seen from the history of Tsukiji and Tsukuda (mentioned in Part 4 and Part 8).
The other large and awe-inspiring features of the Hozomon are the 2 Nio statues on the south face, each 5.45m tall, and the 4.5m tall waraji sandals on the north face. The 2 Nio statues are the reason the Hozomon was once called the Niomon. It came to be called the Hozomon (Treasure House Gate) because the upper storey houses many of Sensoji's treasures, such as a copy of the Lotus Sutra and the Ganban Issaikyo (both designated as a Japanese National Treasure and Important Cultural Property respectively).
Close by the main hall was the 5.3m tall five-storied pagoda, which is devoted to the Kannon Bosatsu. Built in 942 AD by Kinmasa Taira, the pagoda was under renovation when we visited. (But it was not so in our 2013 visit, picture on Flickr.) The pagoda supposedly enshrines Buddha's tablet and stupa.
Nakamise-dori is said to have begun in 1688-1735 when neighbours who served visitors in Sensoji were granted special rights to open their shops in the approach to Sensoji. Since then, Nakamise-dori has undergone many changes (upheavals!) over the centuries.
In the Edo period, the area around Nakamise-dori was filled with teahouses and shops selling toys, sweets and snacks. However, during the Meiji Restoration, many Nakamise-dori vendors were ordered to vacate when the Sensoji's lands came under the control of the new Meiji government. The Nakamise-dori was rebuilt into the Western style in 1885, but was destroyed during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. It was then rebuilt in the Momoyama style, but was then again destroyed during WWII. Today, Nakamise-dori measures 250m and has 89 shops, and seasonal decorations are hung on its electric signs and vermilion pillars.
I'm not a fan of Nakamise-dori, because it's too crowded and too touristy. There are some lovely shops along Nakamise-dori, but overall I think there are too many tourist traps.
Nakamise-dori during the daytime and the night-time makes for a stark contrast. In the day, it's teeming with locals and foreigners, and shops selling their wares. At night, the entire stretch is quiet but still makes an interesting sight, with paintings on their shutters.
My preference is the less touristy shopping street Denpoin-dori (传法院通), which runs perpendicular to Nakamise-dori. Unfortunately, it seems that over the recent years, it too is beginning to acquire that similar vibe as Nakamise-dori. Sad. :(
Other than Nakamise-dori and Denpoin-dori, we wandered through some shotengai in Asakusa during this trip.
The main shotengai in Asakusa are Nishisando shotengai (西參道商店街), Hisagodori (ひさご通り), Sushiyadori (すしや通り), and Shin Nakamise shotengai (新仲見世商店街). All of which were walking distance from our accommodation.
Shotengai (商店街) are shopping arcades, a traditional and ubiquitous feature in Japan. They're often the busiest part of a Japanese neighbourhood, with shops selling all kinds of items like household goods, kitchenware, local produce, snacks, and so on.
Every time we're in Japan, I'd spend a bit of time in a shotengai somewhere, wherever, because I love the atmosphere and it's actually quite awesome what shopping I can get done there too. (The shotengai at Nakano Broadway, posted in Part 3, is one of the ones we usually pass through. Probably one of the most often since most of our Tokyo trips involve a trip to Mandarake Nakano....)
So, one of the shotengai we passed through at Asakusa was Nishisando shotengai (西參道商店街), to the west of Sensoji. The unique features of Nishisando Shotengai are the wooden boardwalk, supposedly the first in Japan, and its entrance which resembles Kabukiza (which we also visited briefly this trip).
The other shotengai is Hisagodori (ひさご通り), another covered shopping street west of Sensoji. This one is a little less touristy than Nishisando shotengai, but is equally atmospheric. I particularly enjoyed looking at the shutters, when we pass through it after closing time... Some of the shops have their crest (紋 mon) on the shutters, and some on noren hanging over the shop eaves.
Another shotengai we pass through often is Shin-Nakamise shotengai (新仲見世商店街), which runs parallel to Kaminarimon-dori, south of Sensoji. It's also a little touristy, like Nakamise-dori, but has more of a local flavour and is a little less crowded.
We also passed Sushiyadori (すしや通り), another shotengai southwest of Sensoji, between Kaminarimon-dori and Rokkukougyougai. We were on the way to lunch at Tenya Tendon (post here), located at the Kaminarimon-dori end of the shotengai.
A majority of the shops at Sushiyadori are sushi places - possibly hence its name. But there are a number of snack shops too, selling menchi-katsu, croquettes, karinto manju, etc.
Most nights when we head back to our hotel, we pass through a shotengai. So one of those nights, we bought some taiyaki to munch on, on the way back. DT was craving some taiyaki and it was such a great coincidence that we passed a shop while passing through the shotengai. I confess I didn't really keep track of which shotengai we got the taiyaki from.
The 80m long street is named after Hoppy, a beer-flavoured 0.8% alcohol drink. Apparently, Hoppy-dori is also called Nikomi-dori ("stew street") because it is also popular for stews, in particular gyusuji nikomi, a shoyu-based stew of beef tendons and onions.
Other than the atmospheric Hoppy-dori, Nakamise-dori, Denpoin-dori and the shotengai around the district, Asakusa is also home to various old eating establishments, like Yadoroku (Tokyo's oldest onigiri specialist shop), Meiji era oden shop Otafuku, Edo era Kototoi Dango, Namiki Yabusoba (founded in 1913), Waentei Kikko (和えん亭 吉幸), the Asakusa institutions Komagata Dozeu and Kamiya Bar.
In its long history, Rokku was the site of Japan's first cinema, the Denkikan (電気館), kabuki and rakugo theatres, unlicensed prostitution...a mix of bawdy entertainment forms. Until WWII, when the area was heavily bombed during the Tokyo air raids. After WWII, cabarets, strip shows and topless dancing were thrown into the mix. Although Rokku today has not regained its former glory, it is still full of entertainment in the form of rakugo, theatres, cinemas and pachinko.
When in the Rokku area, it's hard to miss the loud and bright Donki (ドンキ), full name Don Quijote (ドン・キホーテ), Tokyo's discount chain megastore. So, one of our nights, we hopped into Asakusa Donki, for a look around and to buy some snacks. Oh, this trip, there was PPAP paraphernalia everywhere. Apparently, the PPAP song (video link on YouTube) is a huge hit in Japan... (=_=|)
Asakusa Donki is huge (7 floors!) and open 24 hours. It's loud, brightly lit, stacked high with all...kinds...of...stuff, and with this jingle that keeps playing. So, I don't like it for those same reasons, but it is a good place to go get snacks.
On the way to the riverside, we passed Asakusa Eikimise (浅草 エキミセ). The Art Deco building houses the 1931 department store Matsuya and Tobu Asakusa Station. Across the road from Ekimise is a Tokyo institution, Kamiya Bar (神谷バー). Opened in 1880 (in the Meiji era), Kamiya Bar is one of Japan's oldest Western style bars. Kamiya Bar's signature is its in-house cocktail, Denki Bran, a concoction of brandy, gin, wine, curacao, and herbs.
The Sumida Park area is a great spot for iconic views of Tokyo. The Asakusa side of the park has great views of the Tokyo SkyTree and the Asahi Beer Tower with its distinctive Asahi Flame, and the historical Azumabashi.
The Asahi Breweries HQ was designed to resemble a beer glass, golden and topped with foam. As for the Asahi Beer Hall...it's hard to miss with the Asahi Flame - or, officially, the Flamme d'Or, now an icon of Asakusa (for better or for worse). The Asahi Flame was completed in 1989, designed by French designer Philippe Starck, and was supposed to represent the burning soul of Asahi Breweries. Unfortunately, it has been locally nicknamed the turd/poo building (うんこのビル, unko no biru).
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| Tokyo SkyTree, Asahi HQ, Asahi Beer Tower and the Sumida River |
Late April, Cleo accompanied me on a flight to Osaka (IG photo). On a personal level, it was the start of a long anticipated BFF Japan trip for myself, Hubby and DT. We were super excited about this BFF Japan trip, as it was the fulfillment of a pact that was made more than a decade ago.
We all managed to get some long time off. Spent almost a week in Tokyo, where we explored Asakusa (Part 1), had some Seiko time at the Seiko Museum and Ginza (Part 2), went to Akihabara and Nakano like what all geeks do (Part 3), did a food tour around Tsukiji Market (Part 4), snacked our way around Enoshima (Part 7), and had some 3-gatsu no Lion moments in Shinkawa, Tsukuda and Tsukishima (Part 8). In-between, we took the shinkansen up north to catch the sakura in Hirosaki (Part 5) and Hakodate (Part 6), spent a few relaxing hot spring days in the Fuji Five Lakes area (DT's first time) (Parts 9.1, 9.2, 9.3), and finished up with a short time in Osaka (Part 10) and Kobe (Part 11).
On-board, I had the row all to myself. During the flight, I watched (and enjoyed) Miss Sloane, something I've geeked about elsewhere, so no rehashing here. The boys sat together, and the seat next to mine was empty, so I let Cleo have that seat all to herself. During the flight, a flight attendant passing my seat noticed her, stopped, and asked: "Oh! Is that a Blythe?" And we struck up a conversation about Blythe dolls. Turns out she is a great fan, though she is not a collector.
ASAKUSA
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| Asakusa in the day-time, view from our hotel room (on IG) |
While in Tokyo, we were based in Asakusa (浅草), a lively district that is a part of old Tokyo.
We stayed in Asakusa, right next door to Sensoji, Asakusa's best known and most visited landmark (more below). Our stay at Asakusa was good. Although, getting a taxi to/from the hotel was difficult because of the narrow streets. From our room window, we had a great view of Asakusa's landmarks - Sensoji's main hall and five-storied pagoda, the little old streets crisscrossing Asakusa, the Tokyo SkyTree, and the Asahi Breweries HQ and Beer Hall (more below).
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| Asakusa at dawn, view from our hotel room (on IG) |
In Japan's past, Asakusa was the centre of Tokyo's shitamachi (下町), the traditional name for Tokyo's lower city area, which was associated with commoners in pre-WWII Japan. Asakusa is a fascinating area, with its distinctive shitamachi features and remnants of old Tokyo. Fans of Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (昭和元禄落語心中) will know that Asakusa is the location the manga and anime are largely based. Rakugo Shinjuu is an anime series about a young man who leaves his former yakuza life after serving prison, and apprentices under a master of rakugo (落語), the traditional Japanese art of storytelling. Not surprising as Asakusa was once the capital of shitamachi culture, and rakugo was a popular entertainment form for commoners during the Edo era and after. Until WWII, Asakusa was Tokyo's top entertainment district. During the Edo period, it was home to many theatres (mostly kabuki, rakugo) and a thriving red light district. In subsequent eras (Meiji, Taisho, Showa), other modern entertainment forms also sprung up in Asakusa.
FOOD
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| Yasai-don, Tenya Tendon |
Asakusa has both historical sights and traditional culinary delights. It's a great district to visit for tempura. The area flourished in the Edo Period as a tempura location due to the availability of seafood products from the nearby Tokyo Bay. So, Asakusa is full of well-known tempura restaurants, e.g. Tentake, Akashi, Masaru, Fukuoka, Nakasei, Tenfuji, Daikokuya, Kasuga, Seiko, Tokusen Asakusa, and Kanenoya.... Due to time constraints on one particular day, however, we went to Tenya Tendon (天丼てんや), a popular tempura chain in Japan. We ate at the branch located on Kaminarimon-dori, at the end of Sushiyadori shotengai (below). Quite good and affordable. Honestly the food standards in Tokyo never fail to amaze!
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| Unajyu at Yakko, Asakusa |
We had unajuu at a 200-year-old unagi-ya called Yakko (やっ古), near Tawaramachi Station.
Generally, I'm not a major fan of unagi, unlike Hubby (who loves it). But I have to admit that upon my first bite, I was almost converted into one. The unagi was soft and melted in the mouth, the exterior was slightly crispy and sticky with the fragrant, sweet-and-savoury tare. Delicious!
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| Sushi Zanmai, Asakusa |
The chain is well known for its founder Mr Kiyoshi Kimura. In January this year, Kimura-san made the 2nd highest winning bid at Tsukiji's first tuna auction. Apparently, he's made the winning bid at Tsukiji's first tuna auction every year for the past 6 years. It's supposed to be considered good luck.
The sushi there is decent. Of course, we're not talking about to-die-for-star-quality Edomae sushi. I love that Tokyo offers such good quality food on an everyday basis in an everyday place.
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| Komochi-konbu, a spring-time delicacy in Japan. |
Basically, it's herring roe on kelp, and is considered a seasonal delicacy in Japan. Komochi-konbu is produced when herring spawn on kelp, resulting in a piece of kelp thickly covered with thousands or millions of tiny herring roe. The roe-covered kelp is then brined. It is soaked in dashi, soy sauce and mirin.
Flavour-wise, it's mildly salty but otherwise somewhat bland, and has a unique texture that is somewhere between spongy and crunchy. I'm not entirely sure I like it — but I don't dislike it either.... Guess the jury is still out on this one.
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| The owner-chef working his magic at Steakhouse Nobu, Asakusa |
Nobu's specialties are the omurice and the Hamburg steak. But we all opted for the sirloin steak special. I was initially intending to satisfy my omurice craving instead. But I didn't regret choosing the steak at all.
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| Sirloin steak, Steakhouse Nobu, Asakusa |
The steak was served on a bed of quickly sauteed and crisp beansprouts, which soaked up the lovely steak juices, with a bowl of steaming fluffy rice on the side. The steak was tender and juicy, delicious in a comforting way. Rather like home-cooking at its best — a simple, delicious dish that fills you up with warmth. Guess that means a return visit to Nobu, on the next Tokyo trip, to have a taste of the omurice then!
SENSOJI
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| Sensoji at night - the main hall (on IG) |
Asakusa's main historical feature is Sensoji (浅草寺). This Buddhist temple was founded in the 7th century, and is Asakusa's major tourist attraction. So, DT, Hubs and I've all been to Asakusa before - but never together. Hubs and I have been to Sensoji twice - New Year's Day 2013 (on Flickr) and in late 2014. This trip, we made no arrangements to visit, but we passed through it every night on our way back to the hotel.
Sensoji is a lot nicer to visit at night, quieter. Though all the shops and the main hall were closed, the buildings were lit up, and we could just wander around without any jostling.
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| Sensoji at night - the Hozomon (on IG) |
The Hozomon (宝蔵門) was just as imposing at night as it is in the daytime. A little lesser known than the Kaminarimon (雷門), the Hozomon is actually no less interesting. The Hozomon was built in 942 AD by Kinmasa Taira, the then governor of the Abo Ditrict, as a sign of gratitude for being granted the position of governor of the Musashi District.
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| Sensoji, scene from 「百日紅 ~Miss Hokusai~」. © Suguira Hinako / Miho Maruo / GKIDS / Production I.G. |
The other large and awe-inspiring features of the Hozomon are the 2 Nio statues on the south face, each 5.45m tall, and the 4.5m tall waraji sandals on the north face. The 2 Nio statues are the reason the Hozomon was once called the Niomon. It came to be called the Hozomon (Treasure House Gate) because the upper storey houses many of Sensoji's treasures, such as a copy of the Lotus Sutra and the Ganban Issaikyo (both designated as a Japanese National Treasure and Important Cultural Property respectively).
Did I forget to mention that it also features in a lot of manga and anime? Sensoji is, after all, an icon of Tokyo.
Close by the main hall was the 5.3m tall five-storied pagoda, which is devoted to the Kannon Bosatsu. Built in 942 AD by Kinmasa Taira, the pagoda was under renovation when we visited. (But it was not so in our 2013 visit, picture on Flickr.) The pagoda supposedly enshrines Buddha's tablet and stupa.
NAKAMISE-DORI & DENPOIN-DORI
We passed Nakamise-dori (仲見世通り), the crowded, shop-lined street passing through Kaminarimon, on the approach to Sensoji's main hall.Nakamise-dori is said to have begun in 1688-1735 when neighbours who served visitors in Sensoji were granted special rights to open their shops in the approach to Sensoji. Since then, Nakamise-dori has undergone many changes (upheavals!) over the centuries.
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| Nakamise-dori in the day, Asakusa (on IG) |
In the Edo period, the area around Nakamise-dori was filled with teahouses and shops selling toys, sweets and snacks. However, during the Meiji Restoration, many Nakamise-dori vendors were ordered to vacate when the Sensoji's lands came under the control of the new Meiji government. The Nakamise-dori was rebuilt into the Western style in 1885, but was destroyed during the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake. It was then rebuilt in the Momoyama style, but was then again destroyed during WWII. Today, Nakamise-dori measures 250m and has 89 shops, and seasonal decorations are hung on its electric signs and vermilion pillars.
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| Nakamise-dori at night, Asakusa |
I'm not a fan of Nakamise-dori, because it's too crowded and too touristy. There are some lovely shops along Nakamise-dori, but overall I think there are too many tourist traps.
Nakamise-dori during the daytime and the night-time makes for a stark contrast. In the day, it's teeming with locals and foreigners, and shops selling their wares. At night, the entire stretch is quiet but still makes an interesting sight, with paintings on their shutters.
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| Denpoin-dori, Asakusa (on IG) |
My preference is the less touristy shopping street Denpoin-dori (传法院通), which runs perpendicular to Nakamise-dori. Unfortunately, it seems that over the recent years, it too is beginning to acquire that similar vibe as Nakamise-dori. Sad. :(
SHOTENGAI
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| Nishisando shotengai, Asakusa |
The main shotengai in Asakusa are Nishisando shotengai (西參道商店街), Hisagodori (ひさご通り), Sushiyadori (すしや通り), and Shin Nakamise shotengai (新仲見世商店街). All of which were walking distance from our accommodation.
Shotengai (商店街) are shopping arcades, a traditional and ubiquitous feature in Japan. They're often the busiest part of a Japanese neighbourhood, with shops selling all kinds of items like household goods, kitchenware, local produce, snacks, and so on.
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| Hisagodori, Asakusa |
So, one of the shotengai we passed through at Asakusa was Nishisando shotengai (西參道商店街), to the west of Sensoji. The unique features of Nishisando Shotengai are the wooden boardwalk, supposedly the first in Japan, and its entrance which resembles Kabukiza (which we also visited briefly this trip).
The other shotengai is Hisagodori (ひさご通り), another covered shopping street west of Sensoji. This one is a little less touristy than Nishisando shotengai, but is equally atmospheric. I particularly enjoyed looking at the shutters, when we pass through it after closing time... Some of the shops have their crest (紋 mon) on the shutters, and some on noren hanging over the shop eaves.
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| Shin-Nakamise shotengai, Asakusa |
Another shotengai we pass through often is Shin-Nakamise shotengai (新仲見世商店街), which runs parallel to Kaminarimon-dori, south of Sensoji. It's also a little touristy, like Nakamise-dori, but has more of a local flavour and is a little less crowded.
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| Sushiyadori, Asakusa |
We also passed Sushiyadori (すしや通り), another shotengai southwest of Sensoji, between Kaminarimon-dori and Rokkukougyougai. We were on the way to lunch at Tenya Tendon (post here), located at the Kaminarimon-dori end of the shotengai.
A majority of the shops at Sushiyadori are sushi places - possibly hence its name. But there are a number of snack shops too, selling menchi-katsu, croquettes, karinto manju, etc.
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| Taiyaki |
Most nights when we head back to our hotel, we pass through a shotengai. So one of those nights, we bought some taiyaki to munch on, on the way back. DT was craving some taiyaki and it was such a great coincidence that we passed a shop while passing through the shotengai. I confess I didn't really keep track of which shotengai we got the taiyaki from.
HOPPY-DORI
To the west of Sensoji, is Hoppy-dori (ホッピー通り), a small street between Denpoin-dori and our hotel. It's an alleyway lined with izakayas that open from around noon-time to late night (around 10pm-ish). |
| Izakayas lining the streets of Asakusa |
The 80m long street is named after Hoppy, a beer-flavoured 0.8% alcohol drink. Apparently, Hoppy-dori is also called Nikomi-dori ("stew street") because it is also popular for stews, in particular gyusuji nikomi, a shoyu-based stew of beef tendons and onions.
Other than the atmospheric Hoppy-dori, Nakamise-dori, Denpoin-dori and the shotengai around the district, Asakusa is also home to various old eating establishments, like Yadoroku (Tokyo's oldest onigiri specialist shop), Meiji era oden shop Otafuku, Edo era Kototoi Dango, Namiki Yabusoba (founded in 1913), Waentei Kikko (和えん亭 吉幸), the Asakusa institutions Komagata Dozeu and Kamiya Bar.
ASAKUSA ROKKU
As mentioned, until WWII, Asakusa was Tokyo's prime entertainment district and the capital of shitamachi culture. At Asakusa's centre is Rokku (六区), literally "sixth district", which was Tokyo's leading entertainment district prior to WWII. The area was called Rokku in 1873 after rezoning during the Meiji era.In its long history, Rokku was the site of Japan's first cinema, the Denkikan (電気館), kabuki and rakugo theatres, unlicensed prostitution...a mix of bawdy entertainment forms. Until WWII, when the area was heavily bombed during the Tokyo air raids. After WWII, cabarets, strip shows and topless dancing were thrown into the mix. Although Rokku today has not regained its former glory, it is still full of entertainment in the form of rakugo, theatres, cinemas and pachinko.
When in the Rokku area, it's hard to miss the loud and bright Donki (ドンキ), full name Don Quijote (ドン・キホーテ), Tokyo's discount chain megastore. So, one of our nights, we hopped into Asakusa Donki, for a look around and to buy some snacks. Oh, this trip, there was PPAP paraphernalia everywhere. Apparently, the PPAP song (video link on YouTube) is a huge hit in Japan... (=_=|)
Asakusa Donki is huge (7 floors!) and open 24 hours. It's loud, brightly lit, stacked high with all...kinds...of...stuff, and with this jingle that keeps playing. So, I don't like it for those same reasons, but it is a good place to go get snacks.
ASAKUSA EKIMISE
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| Kamiya Bar and Asakusa Ekimise |
On the way to the riverside, we passed Asakusa Eikimise (浅草 エキミセ). The Art Deco building houses the 1931 department store Matsuya and Tobu Asakusa Station. Across the road from Ekimise is a Tokyo institution, Kamiya Bar (神谷バー). Opened in 1880 (in the Meiji era), Kamiya Bar is one of Japan's oldest Western style bars. Kamiya Bar's signature is its in-house cocktail, Denki Bran, a concoction of brandy, gin, wine, curacao, and herbs.
SUMIDA PARK
As said above, Asakusa is a recurrent location featured in the anime series Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu, in particular the Sumida Park (隅田公園). The Sumida Park is a riverside part that spans both sides of the Sumida River, i.e. Asakusa and Mukojima. |
| Tokyo SkyTree, Asahi Breweries HQ, Asahi Beer Tower and the Sumida River |
The Sumida Park area is a great spot for iconic views of Tokyo. The Asakusa side of the park has great views of the Tokyo SkyTree and the Asahi Beer Tower with its distinctive Asahi Flame, and the historical Azumabashi.
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| Tokyo SkyTree, Asahi HQ, Asahi Beer Tower and the Sumida River |
The Asahi Breweries HQ was designed to resemble a beer glass, golden and topped with foam. As for the Asahi Beer Hall...it's hard to miss with the Asahi Flame - or, officially, the Flamme d'Or, now an icon of Asakusa (for better or for worse). The Asahi Flame was completed in 1989, designed by French designer Philippe Starck, and was supposed to represent the burning soul of Asahi Breweries. Unfortunately, it has been locally nicknamed the turd/poo building (うんこのビル, unko no biru).
In the summertime, on the last Saturday of July, it is the site of one of Japan's oldest fireworks festival, the Sumidagawa Hanabi Taikai (隅田川花火大会). It is also a popular hanami spot in spring, and has been renowned for its sakura since the Edo era. (Both events featured in Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu.)
While in Asakusa, it's hard to miss the Sumida River (隅田川), one of Tokyo's most important rivers. The river has a confusing history (posted about about on Japan This!), but its significance is pretty clear.
The Sumida River flows for some 27km, through 26 bridges. One of the bridges spanning the Sumida River is the Azumabashi (吾妻橋), another historical icon in Tokyo. (Also featured in Rakugo...) The crimson steel arch girder structure was actually built and completed in 1931. The red colour and traditional patterns (called "raimon") of the Azumabashi reference Sensoji and the Kaminarimon.
The bridge's original name was Okawa-bashi (大川橋), but it was given some nicknames by Edo residents in its day. In 1876, it became officially named with its present kanji characters (吾妻橋), which literally means "wife bridge".
Azumabashi's original structure was built and completed in 1774, in the location of a ferry crossing called Takecho-no-watashi (竹町の渡し). The original 1774 structure was rebuilt in 1876 and later in 1887. It finally took its present form in 1931 (as above) after it was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
Didn't have the time to walk across the Azumabashi to the Mukojima side of the river, but I did make it halfway across the bridge. Moored along the riverbanks were yakatabune (屋形船), traditional Japanese houseboats believed to have originated from the boats popular with the nobility and the shogun during the Heian and Edo eras.
The blue tied-arch bridge downriver is the Komagata-bashi (駒形橋), a steel bridge that was completed in 1927. Komagata-bashi was built on the location of a ferry crossing called Komagata-no-Watashi. It was named after Komagata-do (駒形堂), a small ancient temple that is intimately connected with Sensoji.
The Azumabashi, Komagata-bashi and the Sumida River have made appearances in Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (will post elsewhere). The river is also a key, recurring landmark in the recent Umino Chica anime series 3-gatsu no Lion (3月のライオン), another favourite of mine too (see Part 8).
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| The Azumabashi crossing the Sumida River |
While in Asakusa, it's hard to miss the Sumida River (隅田川), one of Tokyo's most important rivers. The river has a confusing history (posted about about on Japan This!), but its significance is pretty clear.
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| The Azumabashi over the Sumida River |
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| Scene from Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Season 2, episode 1 (00:13:08). |
The Sumida River flows for some 27km, through 26 bridges. One of the bridges spanning the Sumida River is the Azumabashi (吾妻橋), another historical icon in Tokyo. (Also featured in Rakugo...) The crimson steel arch girder structure was actually built and completed in 1931. The red colour and traditional patterns (called "raimon") of the Azumabashi reference Sensoji and the Kaminarimon.
The bridge's original name was Okawa-bashi (大川橋), but it was given some nicknames by Edo residents in its day. In 1876, it became officially named with its present kanji characters (吾妻橋), which literally means "wife bridge".
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| Night view of the Tokyo SkyTree, Asahi Breweries HQ and Beer Tower from the Azumabashi, Asakusa |
Azumabashi's original structure was built and completed in 1774, in the location of a ferry crossing called Takecho-no-watashi (竹町の渡し). The original 1774 structure was rebuilt in 1876 and later in 1887. It finally took its present form in 1931 (as above) after it was destroyed in the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
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| Downriver view from Azumabashi - the Komagata-bashi, day-time view |
Didn't have the time to walk across the Azumabashi to the Mukojima side of the river, but I did make it halfway across the bridge. Moored along the riverbanks were yakatabune (屋形船), traditional Japanese houseboats believed to have originated from the boats popular with the nobility and the shogun during the Heian and Edo eras.
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| Downriver view from Azumabashi - the Komagata-bashi, yakatabune moored on the right |
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| Scene from Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu Season 2, episode 1 (00:12:03). |
The blue tied-arch bridge downriver is the Komagata-bashi (駒形橋), a steel bridge that was completed in 1927. Komagata-bashi was built on the location of a ferry crossing called Komagata-no-Watashi. It was named after Komagata-do (駒形堂), a small ancient temple that is intimately connected with Sensoji.
The Azumabashi, Komagata-bashi and the Sumida River have made appearances in Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu (will post elsewhere). The river is also a key, recurring landmark in the recent Umino Chica anime series 3-gatsu no Lion (3月のライオン), another favourite of mine too (see Part 8).
*******
Japan with Cleo (28 April - 14 May 2017)
- I. Tokyo - Asakusa • Seiko Museum • Ginza • Akihabara & Nakano • Tsukiji Market • Enoshima • Shinkawa, Tsukuda & Tsukishima • Sushi Nakamura • La Paix • Nishiazabu Taku • Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu • 3-gatsu no Lion
- II. Aomori & Hirosaki - Auga Market • Aomori Gyosai Centre • Hirosaki Castle Park • Hirosaki Sakura Matsuri 2017 • Flying Witch
- III. Hakodate - Hakodate Asaichi • Goryokaku Park
- IV. Fuji Five Lakes - Lake Motosu • Subaru 5th Station & Shibazakura • Chureito & Kawaguchiko
- V. Osaka - Kuromon Market • Dotonbori • Harukas 300 • Food Basement Galore!
- VI. Kobe - nackymade • Steak Land Kobe
*******
Japan with Cleo (28 April - 14 May 2017)
- I. Tokyo - Asakusa • Seiko Museum • Ginza • Akihabara & Nakano • Tsukiji Market • Enoshima • Shinkawa, Tsukuda & Tsukishima • Sushi Nakamura • La Paix • Nishiazabu Taku • Showa Genroku Rakugo Shinjuu • 3-gatsu no Lion
- II. Aomori & Hirosaki - Auga Market • Aomori Gyosai Centre • Hirosaki Castle Park • Hirosaki Sakura Matsuri 2017 • Flying Witch
- III. Hakodate - Hakodate Asaichi • Goryokaku Park
- IV. Fuji Five Lakes - Lake Motosu • Subaru 5th Station & Shibazakura • Chureito & Kawaguchiko
- V. Osaka - Kuromon Market • Dotonbori • Harukas 300 • Food Basement Galore!
- VI. Kobe - nackymade • Steak Land Kobe
*******
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