Many thanks for joining the tour in Asakusa and the trial tour (the first tour) in Yanaka & Nezu on November 1st. We welcomed 16 people from UK, France, Switzerland, Germany, Turkey, USA and Canada in Asakusa, and 16 people from USA, Canada, Columbia, UK, France, Indonesia and Australia in Yanaka & Nezu. It was a typical autumn day. We hope you enjoyed walking with us. We appreciate some guests of the Asakusa tour kindly joined the Yanaka & Nezu tour in the afternoon. As mentioned, the photos which we took during the tours are posted.
The Asakusa Tour
The Yanaka＆Nezu Tour
The Yanaka & Nezu tour is the trial and the first tour for us. The reason for us to pick up Yanaka＆Nezu as our next new tour is that Yanaka & Nezu are located in the center of Tokyo and the places that retain the atmosphere of the good old downtown areas. Both towns suffered little damage from earthquakes and WWⅡ, so the old townscape and buildings remain.
Yanaka Ginza is a shopping street that sprang up spontaneously just after the end of WWⅡ. It is a popular spot for both everyday shoppers and tourists. Some shops such as liquor and meat shops have been running in business for more than 100 years. The wood carving cats welcome visitors around the street. It will be fun for you to walk around the retro shopping street and feel the atmosphere of the old days. Then, the 200-year-old earthen wall will take you back to the Edo period (1603-1867) which is one of the best photogenic places in Yanaka.
After passing through the quiet Yanaka Cemetery, we head to the former Yoshidaya liquor store. The current building was built over 100 years ago, compared to the modern version of a convenience store. Afterwards, we pass the back alleys of private residential areas.
Nezu Shrine is where the journey ends. Nezu Shrine is one of Tokyo’s oldest shrines and famous for its azalea blossoms in spring. The current shrine buildings remain as they were built over 300 years ago during the Edo period. The final shine falls on the Senbon (thousand) torii gates, a miniature version of the Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto. The tunnels of vermilion-gates are truly eye-catching! The total distance is roughly 2.7 kilometers, which includes stairs.
Since it was the first tour for us in Yanaka & Nezu, we asked the participants for their impressions after the tour. Followings are some of their comments for your reference.
Guest A: It was good to introduce guides at the beginning.
Guest B: It was nice to take a close look at Japanese life and houses
Guest C: We were impressed by the unusual facilities, such as manhole toilets
Guest D: I wanted to know about historical explanations and stories, the impact of historical events on people living in the Yanaka area, and what life was like there。
Guest E: It was nice to stop by at an ice cream shop for a break on the way to Nezu Shrine.
Guest F: Guides had a strong passion about their community and culture
We will work to improve any areas that need betterment and prepare for the next tours. The next tours in Yanaka & Nezu are scheduled for November 20th, December 6th and 25th. Please visit the tour calendar of Tokyo Free Waking Tour for details.
Thank you for selecting our tours in Asakusa and Yanaka & Nezu and we look forward to seeing you again on many more occasions in the future.
(Yoshi)