Our “Tokyo Shitamachi Tour” category recommends where to visit for sightseeing in Tokyo’s Shitamachi area (the area along and east of the Sumida River). We select a different theme each time and propose a model course of casual self-guided tours.
If you plan to visit Tokyo, the Tokyo Shitamachi Tour is exactly for you. It will help you to find where to go in the Shitamachi area of Tokyo.
The theme this time is “Visit the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa on foot.” The Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa refer to the Seven Lucky Gods at nine shrines and temples in the Asakusa area of Tokyo.
On this Tokyo Shitamachi Tour, we will walk from Imado Shrine to Ishihama Shrine through Hashiba Fudoson Temple. We will also stop by Myokizuka Mound and Obake Jizo (the Gigantic Jizo).
This time, the estimated time for us to walk is about 45 minutes. It may take less time for some people.
In this blog post, we will cover the route from Imado Shrine to Ishihama Shrine and its highlights. Please use this blog post as a reference for your self-guided tour.
We hope this blog post will help you somewhat when you visit Tokyo for sightseeing. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us through the contact form.
This blog post is also available in Japanese. You can refer to it at the following link:
Tour Overview
This self-guided tour features Hashiba Fudoson Temple in Taito Ward and Ishihama Shrine in Arakawa Ward. They are located in different wards of Tokyo but are only a 5-minute walk apart.
Both Hashiba Fudoson Temple and Ishihama Shrine are quite far from Asakusa Station, Minowa Station, and Minami-Senju Station. They are also far from the other members of the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa.
Hashiba Fudoson Temple is a small Buddhist temple, with over 1,200 years of history. Tokyo has experienced many catastrophic fires in the past. But this temple’s neighborhood always escaped these disasters. So locals call this Buddhist temple “Hashiba Fudoson Temple of Firefighting.”
Ishihama Shrine is the oldest Shinto shrine in Arakawa Ward, with about 1,300 years of history. This shrine has many subordinate shrines in its precincts. So you can worship many Shinto gods in one visit. There is also a restaurant, which is perfect for taking a break.
We will stop by the following places along the way:
- Myokizuka Mound
- Obake Jizo (the Gigantic Jizo)
If you want to know more about the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa, please refer to the following blog post:
Recommended For
This self-guided tour is ideal if you are any of the following:
- I want to visit sites other than Sensoji Temple in the Asakusa area;
- I am interested in the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa;
- etc.
Duration
- Duration: Appoximately 45 minutes
Departure & Return
- Departure point: Imado Shrine
- Return point: Asakusa Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line (AKA. Tobu Skytree Line)
Itinerary
- Imado Shrine
- Myokizuka Mound
- Obake Jizo (the Gigantic Jizo)
- Hashiba Fudoson Temple
- Ishihama Shrine
- Asakusa Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line (AKA. the Tobu Skytree Line)
Restrooms
- Taito Riverside Sports Center near Imado Shrine
- LAWSON Hashiba 2-Chome Store (a convenience store)
- Ishihama Joshi Park (near Ishihama Shrine)
- The Restaurant RAKU at Ishihama Shrine
- etc.
Tour Details
Route Details
Imado Shrine
The departure point for this time is Imado Shrine. This Shinto shrine is about a 15-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line (aka. Tobu Skytree Line) and about 12 minutes from Sensoji Temple‘s Nitenmon Gate.
Imado Shrine enshrines Izanagi and Izanami, the god couple who procreated many gods and the land of Japan. One of their divine virtues is matchmaking. Therefore, Imado Shrine is famous as a matchmaking shrine.
For more information about Imado Shrine, please refer to the following blog post:
Myokizuka Mound
To get to Myokizuka Mound from Imado Shrine, follow the steps below:
- Turn left (in the direction of the north) on the street in front of Imado Shrine (Kototoi-Oyatasen Street).
- Walk straight for about 10 minutes.
- Turn right at the Kiyokawa 1-chome Intersection, the 5th intersection from Imado Shrine. There is a soba restaurant called “Owariya” on the corner.
- Turn left at the first alley.
- Myokizuka Park is only a 1-minute walk away. And Myokeizuka Mound is in the park.
Myokizuka Mound is a historic site associated with the legend of Umewaka. This legend is a tragedy about Umewakamaru, the son of a nobleman in Kyoto during the Heian Period.
A human trafficker deceived Umewakamaru and took him away from Kyoto. Umewakamaru fell ill on the way to Oshu (today’s Tohoku region) and died at the age of 12 near the Sumida River.
Umewakamaru’s mother became a Buddhist nun to hold a memorial service for him. Her name at the time was Myokini. Myokeizuka Mound is named after her.
Kanze Motomasa’s Noh play “Sumidagawa (the Sumida River)” is based on the legend of Umewaka. And this work has been featured not only in Noh but also in Kabuki and Joruri.
There is also a mound at Mokuboji Temple in Sumida Ward to hold a memorial service for Umewakamaru.
Obake Jizo (the Gigantic Jizo)
To get to Obake Jizo from Myokizuka Mound, follow the steps below:
To get to Obake Jizo from Myokizuka Mound, follow the steps below:
- Return to Kototoi-Oyatasen Street.
- Turn left to the north on Kototoi-Oyatasen Street.
- Cross Hashiba Koban-mae Intersection, the first intersection. (The landmark is Seven-Eleven, the convenience store.)
- Proceed to the right to the east on Asahikai-Dori Street.
- Turn left at the second alley. (The landmark is Mini-Stop, the convenience store.)
Obake Jizo is a huge Jizo that is over 3 meters tall. According to the description of the precincts, it was built in 1721.
Hashiba Fudoson Temple
To get to Hashiba Fudoson Temple from Obake Jizo, follow the steps below:
- Return to Asahikai-Dori Street.
- Turn left to the east on Asahikai-Dori Street.
- After walking for about 2 minutes, you will arrive at a T-junction (Hashiba 2-Chome Intersection).
- Turn left to the north at this T-junction.
- If you walk for about 1 minute, you will find Lawson, the convenience store. Hashiba Fudoson Temple is just ahead of this Lawson.
Hashiba Fudoson Temple is a Buddhist temple of the Tendai Sect. And this Buddhist temple enshrines Fudo Myoo as its principal image. Since long ago, this area has escaped catastrophic fires, so locals call this Buddhist temple “Hashiba Fudoson Temple of the Firefighting.”
Besides that, this Buddhist temple enshrines Yakushi Nyorai and Hotei. Hotei at this Buddhist temple is one of the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa.
For more information about Hashiba Fudoson Temple, please refer to the following blog post:
Ishihama Shrine
To get to Ishihama Shrine from Hashiba Fudoson Temple, follow the steps below:
- Turn left to the north on the street in front of Hashiba Fudoson Temple. This street is also Kototoi-Oyata-Sen Street.
- After walking for about 2 minutes, you will arrive at an intersection by the Shirahigebashi Bridge.
- Cross this intersection, and you will find Ishihama Joshi Park. Ishihama Shrine is located at the back of this park.
Ishihama Shrine is the oldest Shinto shrine in Arakawa Ward, with a history of about 1,300 years. This Shinto shrine enshrines various Shinto gods, including Amaterasu, the main deity. One of them, Jurojin, is a member of the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa.
For more information about Ishihama Shrine, please refer to the following blog post:
Asakusa Station on the Tobu Isesaki Line (AKA. the Tobu Skytree Line)
After visiting Ishihama Shrine, let’s go back to Asakusa. You can take a bus or even walk to Asakusa.
If you want to return to Asakusa by bus, take Megurin North-South Route. The nearest bus stop is Hashiba 2-Chome Apartment-Mae Stop (Stop #12.) You can find this bus stop on your left if you walk back to Hashiba Fudoson Temple from Ishihama Shrine.
If you want to walk to Asakusa, you have two choices.
The first choice is to walk straight along Kototoi-Oyata-Sen Street. It should take about 20 minutes from Ishihama Shrine. If you want to enjoy the townscape, this choice is for you.
The second choice is to walk along Sumida River Terrace. It should also take around 20 minutes to get to the Azumabashi Bridge near Asakusa Station. If you want to enjoy the view of the river and Tokyo Skytree, this choice is for you.
