Eye-openers in Akatsuka, a northwestern Tokyo suburb

To the uninitiated, suburban Tokyo might really feel like impersonal sprawl: small homes crammed cheek-by-jowl, excessive rise and low-rise residences, and buying streets; eateries, shrines and temples are sprinkled in. However spend a bit time, and the live-ability — even particular person personalities of varied neighborhoods — quickly emerges.

One neighborhood with loads of character, and some surprises, is Akatsuka in Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward, simply south of the Arakawa River that varieties Tokyo’s boundary with Saitama Prefecture.

Akatsuka Tameike Park explains so much

Akatsuka Tameike Park is lower than a 15-minute stroll from Nishi-Takashimadaira subway station. At first look it’s just a bit native park; a couple of avid fishermen are sitting round a small pond with their traces in. Pause for a minute and extra comes into focus.

Photograph: Vicki L Beyer

The pond sits on the backside of a steep escarpment that after guided the Arakawa River eastward. The river nonetheless flows east, however is now flowing a bit greater than a kilometer north of the park, which technically sits on the fringe of a floodplain. 

The park is definitely two parks: the decrease park with the pond, and an higher “citadel park” atop the escarpment, the positioning of a fifteenth century “citadel” fortification that stood watch over river site visitors. Nothing of the so-called citadel stays at present, however it’s nice to climb one of many steep trails and meander across the plum backyard that’s now on the positioning of the outdated fortification.

There are two worthwhile small museums at both finish of the decrease park. 

On the north finish is the Itabashi Historic Museum with a number of massive vintage cannon on the entrance, a logo of this space’s previous function in defending the river. The museum introduces the geological and historic roots of Itabashi in two massive exhibition rooms. Though little English is accessible, the time durations for every show are offered in English. Maps and illustrations, in addition to artifacts, fill within the blanks sufficiently. The artifacts vary from prehistoric potsherds demonstrating the significance of the traditional river to a cutaway of an enormous pickle barrel that reveals this area’s former prowess at producing and pickling daikon radishes. In keeping with the Japanese clarification, a barrel this measurement may pickle as many as 4,000 daikon directly.

Within the courtyard behind the museum are extra big pickle barrels and a few early-modern operated by hand firefighting tools. The courtyard is flanked by a nineteenth century ko-minka conventional farmhouse and a small barn/warehouse. Each are open and chock stuffed with artifacts. Lengthy earlier than it grew to become a Tokyo suburb, this wealthy river backside was extremely productive farmland. Each the farmhouse and the barn/warehouse comprise instruments and farm tools of these bygone days. 

Photograph: Vicki L Beyer

The Itabashi Artwork Museum stands on the southern finish of the decrease park. The museum has deliberate exhibitions, normally lasting round 2.5 months every. The present exhibition (till June 5) options three fashionable Japanese artists of the 20 th century: Chozaburo Inoue (1906-1995), Masaaki Terada (1912-1989), and Iwami Furusawa (1912-2000). For many who suppose Japanese artwork is all ukiyoe or Nihonga, this exhibition is bound to be a shock.

Photograph: Vicki L Beyer

Akatsuka Fudo Falls

The highway alongside the artwork museum and persevering with up a hill behind it’s known as Tokyo Daibutsu-dori for causes that may develop into obvious shortly. About 150 meters alongside the highway and on the other aspect from the artwork museum is a steep hill with a trickle of a waterfall generally known as Akatsuka Fudo Falls. The supply of the falls is an artesian spring on the aspect of the hill, the outflow guarded by a small statue of Fudo Myo-o. Though apparently the amount of water has decreased in fashionable occasions, the falls was as soon as a well-liked website for misogi ritual cleaning, particularly for these planning or making non secular pilgrimages.

Photograph: Vicki L Beyer

Tokyo’s Nice Buddha

Proceed up the hill and take the primary proper flip to seek out the doorway to Jorenji temple in your proper. The 600-year-old temple’s stately stairs and stylish gate are inviting sufficient, however move by the gate and you’ll quickly spot the 13-meter seated Buddha popularly generally known as the Tokyo Nice Buddha. He was accomplished in 1977 on the behest of the temple’s chief priest, who had skilled each the 1923 Nice Kanto Earthquake and the 1945 Nice Tokyo Air Raid and needed to erect a Nice Buddha to deliver peace and shield from future disasters. 

Photograph: Vicki L Beyer

However the dominating measurement of the Nice Buddha, the remainder of the temple’s grounds comprise myriad different items of Buddhist statuary and structure which might be additionally value time and research. Some have been created with the patronage of the Tokugawa shoguns. There are hungry carp within the temple’s pond, too (purchase carp meals the place amulets are offered).

As soon as in the principle temple courtyard, it’s tempting to exit by the aspect driveway. Simply ensure that you may have examined all 4 of the statues within the temple’s sanmon gate. The 2 statues dealing with into the temple floor are particularly inventive — Chinese language in form and costume, however with Indian-style blue faces. Stated to have the function of expelling demons, they’d be simple to overlook in case you don’t exit by that gate.

Wonderful Akatsuka Botanical Backyard

Just some steps from both entrance of Jorenji (proper out of the principle entrance, disregarded of the aspect entrance) is the Itabashi Akatsuka Botanical Backyard, a well-designed and well-maintained backyard with varied zones to discover. 

Ponds close to the principle entrance fill with lilies and lotus in the summertime months. Stroll to the left, between the ponds, and uncover varied aromatic bushes and wildflowers. Select the righthand path to succeed in a small formal rose backyard, a peony backyard and an incredible little Japanese backyard. 

Photograph: Vicki L Beyer

On the hillock between the 2 paths are herbs and wildflowers, a grove of cherry timber and one other of camelias. Azaleas abound on one other slope. Behind all of this and throughout a bit laneway is a extra conventional Japanese type backyard and subsequent to that, an illustration backyard that teaches youngsters (and adults, little doubt) how greens are grown and harvested.

From the botanical backyard, it’s an 18 to twenty minute stroll again to Nishi-Takashimadaira station or about the identical distance, persevering with on by a residential neighborhood, to Narimasu station (Tobu Tojo line or Yurakucho subway line). 

Even a stroll by a Tokyo suburb with a station as your vacation spot may reveal additional insights and perhaps much more surprises. Take pleasure in!

• The Itabashi Historic Museum is open Tuesday by Sunday, 9:30-17:00; admission free.
• The Itabashi Artwork Museum is open Tuesday by Sunday, 9:30-17:00; admission varies relying on the exhibition (the present exhibition is free).
• Jorenji is open each day 9:00-15:45
• The Itabashi Akatsuka Botanical Backyard is open each day, 9:00-16:30 (16:00 throughout winter; closed utterly for 5 days at new 12 months’s); admission free. The customer middle is closed on Mondays and the primary, third and fifth Tuesdays of each month.

Vicki L Beyer, a daily Japan At the moment contributor, is a contract journey author who additionally blogs about experiencing Japan. Comply with her weblog at jigsaw-japan.com.

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