I took a walk around the area nicknamed “Yanesen,” surrounded by the Nippori, Nezu, and Sendagi, which has a retro “downtown” feel to it.

The route which I would like to introduce to you today starts at Dangozaka Hill (Dumpling Hill) and goes through to Nezujinja Shrine, Yanaka Ginza, and is a very popular walking course. First let’s head up Dangozaka towards Sendagi. This area in particular has many staircases with a unique Tokyo feel.

There are two explanations for how Dangozaka Hill came to be. First, it is said that there was a dumpling store close by, and second, due to the road condition, you would apparently turn into a dumpling if you fell and rolled down it.

Perfect for a walk with the great weather and abundant greenery

Riding up the hill on a bicycle is difficult with the sudden slope

With the numerous staircases, it is important to make a point to wear easy-walking shoes. You can see the house in which literary master Natsume Soseki used to live in the residential area near Nippon Medical University. Although the house is gone, a stone tablet remains to make the area.

The Nezujinja Shrine is a well-known spot for the azalea flowers which bloom there. Many sightseers come in the latter half of April when the flowers are in season.

The shrine is of gongen style, where the main hall and worship hall share one roof, and are connected via an intermediate passageway.

The scarlet torii really stand out. A torii symbolizes the boundary between the shrine grounds (holy ground) and the human world, and is essentially a barrier between the two, often used as entrance ways into the shrine.

Outside of the shrine, there are old roads and alleys as well as private homes in the surrounding neighbourhoods of Nezu. There is a store called Chojiya which has not changed since the time that it was made, back as the Meiji period. Here there can be found colourful hand towels and Japanese small accessories.

On Miurasaka Hill, there is a store called Nenneko which deals with original cat-themed goods. Along with small accessories, it also sells ornaments, quilts, clothes, foodstuffs, and has also incorporated a small café into the back or the store. Please stop by this unique place during your walk through Yanesen.

There are many cats in the Nezu area, results in there being more cat-themed stores than in more areas.

The slope of Miurasaka Hill has two gradations, making it impossible to see the very bottom from the top. Climbing up to the top of the hill will bring you to Yanaka.

On the left hand side of the picture is the Daimyo Clock Museum. The museum has an early closing time of 4pm, so it is important to arrive earlier. We missed this completely, and therefore had to settle for pictures of the exterior only.

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・Walking around the retro styled Yanesen area. Part2