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.
Our theme this time is “Visit the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa.” The Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa are the Seven Lucky Gods enshrined at nine Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples in the Asakusa area of Tokyo.
On this Tokyo Shitamachi Tour, we will walk from Ishihama Shrine to Yoshiwara Shrine. We will stop by Gennai Hiraga‘s grave, a Ghibli house in Sanya, and some historical sites related to Shin-Yoshiwara.
The estimated walking time will be about 45 minutes. There are so many historical sites near Yoshiwara Shrine. If you want to stop by them all, it will take even more time.
This blog post will cover the route and highlights from Ishihama Shrine to Yoshiwara Shrine. Please read through it as a reference when planning 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
In this Tokyo Shitamachi Tour, we will walk from Ishihama Shrine to Yoshiwara Shrine. They are both members of the Seven Lucky Gods of Asakusa.
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.
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.
Yoshiwara Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Taito Ward of Tokyo. Near this shrine, there was once the largest legal red-light district in Japan called Shin-Yoshiwara. For this reason, Yoshiwara Shrine was so popular among women working at Shin-Yoshiwara.
We will stop by the following places along the way:
- Gennai Hiraga‘s grave,
- A Ghibli house in Sanya,
- Some historical sites related to Shin-Yoshiwara.
If you have enough time, it would be fun to visit the following places:
- Tamahime Shrine
- Kuchiire Inari Shrine
- Otori Shrine
- Other historical sites in Shin-Yoshiwara
- etc.
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;
- I want to visit historical sites related to Shin-Yoshiwara;
- etc.
Duration
- Duration: Appoximately 45 minutes
Departure & Return
- Departure point: Ishihama Shrine
- Return point: Taito Hospital
Itinerary
- Ishihama Shrine
- Gengai Hiraga’s grave
- Sanya Ghibli House
- The statue of Ashita no Joe
- Mikaeri Yanagi (the Willow of Looking Back)
- Yoshiwara Omon Gate
- Yoshiwara Shrine
- Yoshiwara Benzaiten Shrine
- Taito Hospital
Restrooms
- Ishihama Joshi Park (near Ishihama Shrine)
- The Restaurant RAKU at Ishihama Shrine
- Tamahime Park near Tamahime Shrine
- Yoshiwara Park near Yoshiwara Omon Gate
- FamilyMart on Nakanocho-Dori Street
- Taito Hospital
- Hanazono Park next to Taito Hospital
- etc.
Note
On this self-guided tour, we will walk through commercial establishments engaged in the sex trade between Yoshiwara Omon Gate and Yoshiwara Shrine. If you are uncomfortable with walking in such an area, we recommend going in groups or using Megurin Bus.
If you want to take Megurin Bus near Ishihama Shrine, find the following stop: This stop is less than a 10-minute walk away from the shrine.
- Hashiba 2-Chome Stop (Stop #8) on Megurin North Route (Asakusa)
Then, get off the bus at the following stop. Yoshiwara Shrine is next to it.
- Taito Hospital Stop (Stop #17) on Megurin North Route (Asakusa)
Megurin Bus is a community bus service by Taito Ward. The fee is reasonable, as it’s only 100 yen per ride. If you want to sightsee Taito Ward, this Megurin Bus is very useful.
For more information about Megurin Bus, please refer to the following blog post:
