With Mother Nature bursting to life across Tokyo, explore the endlessly fascinating shitamachi downtown neighborhoods of Nezu and Yanaka.
This morning tour begins with the stunning scene of thousands of blooming azaleas, in shades of pink and white. The annual azalea festival at Nezu Shrine, with its “tunnel” of vermilion torii gates, makes for a photogenic gem.
Moved to Nezu in 1705, the shrine, with its verdant complex of landscaped gardens and buildings, is one of Tokyo’s oldest.
Turn the page to theatrical magic at Shokichi hand puppet shop in Yanaka, where former art teacher Mitsuaki Tsuyuki handcrafts clay finger puppets and performs short comedy skits with them.
The tour continues with a stroll down Yanaka Ginza, a shopping street oozing retro charm and lined with stores selling everything from traditional wagashi sweets and Japanese snacks to handicrafts and kimonos.
The final stop is the Asakura Museum of Sculpture. Once home to the renowned “Rodin of Japan,” Fumio Asakura, the three-storied museum features sculptures from Asakura’s personal collection along with two Japanese gardens at ground and roof levels.
Details
Tour Guides
Connections’ tours are organized and led by a team of volunteers. Tour guides receive no payment for their work, but they do their best to make each tour as informative and enjoyable as possible.
