SHIBAMATA + SHIBAMATA, TOKYO

This Tokyo day trip isn’t filled with crowds of tourists, nor is it caked with shops hawking the same mass produced kitch you’ll find in Asakusa. This is a downright fun getaway from Tokyo that takes about an hour to get to, but a day to see everything. If you’re an eel fan, this is THE place to go. With about a half dozen eel restaurants, there’s a lot to choose from. Those familiar with Japanese film history will recognize Shibamata as the hometown of Kiyoshi Atsumi, a Japanese actor famous for starring as “Tora-san” in Otoko wa tsurai yo, the longest spanning movie series in the world. Says so in the Guinness Book of World Records. Exiting the train station, you’ll be immediately confronted by a statue of Tora-san’s character with a briefcase. Beyond this point lies a long street lined with Edo-style shops and restaurants sporting antique motifs and good smells.If you get there early, eel is great for lunch, but a full set starts at around 2,000 yen(we had the eel from the big restaurant on the left side of the road on the way to the shrine).

The obvious “must-see” spots are the antiquated candy shop, the unagi restaurants, the endless parade of yomogi dango stands(green, squishy motchi balls), the famous garden teahouse and nearby river crossing. You can pass up the candy shop for later, they close at 7PM and you don’t want to miss the river crossing which stops at 4PM. There’s a beautiful shrine at the end of the road as well, but compared to the strange river crossing, it’s not nearly as unique. Pass by the shrine and the shop keepers and go straight about 5 minutes, make your way across the busy street and over the green hill, and you’ll see the river. Walk past the baseball players and you’ll see a little old man by some trees selling keychains and maybe some people hanging around. This is the river crossing, it costs 100 yen, you wait a few minutes, and a boat comes over and takes you and everyone else waiting to the other side of the river. The boat ride is really nice, the view down the river is beautiful especially on a sunny day. There’s nothing on the other side though, absolutely nothing. Just another big field with a distant road. We saw some guys playing golf, but there were a lot of people crossing the river with us. That’s what made it interesting I think, the mystery of where those people were going, and the odd make-shift dock. Do it for the boat ride, it’s romantic if few people are riding and the view is great. I promise you won’t find a cheaper boat ride in Japan.

Back in town, be sure to check out the garden teahouse, it’s tough to describe where it is, but you’ll surely see signs, and it’s not far once you cross back over the busy street. I think we turned left at the second left after crossing the street, correct me if I’m wrong. It’s 100 yen to enter, and 500 yen for a desert set, like matcha tea and a manjyu or oshiruko(red bean soup with motchi). There are little historical artifacts scattered through the tea house and the garden is beautiful. One of the signs claims it’s the third most beautiful Japanese garden in the world. Or something like that. Enjoy and then have a glance at the rest of the town and it’s little shops before the sun sets. Definitely more relaxing than Asakusa, although a little bit tricky with the trains.

To get to Shibamata:
1. Shibuya(Tokyo Metro Ginza Line) —> Omotesando
2. Change trains at Omotesando to the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line
3. Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line —> Kita Senju*
4. Change trains at Kita Senju to the JR Joban Local Line
5. JR Joban Local Line —> Kanamachi
6. Change trains at Kanamachi to the Keisei Kanamachi Line
and ride to Shibamata Station.

(* Many of Chiyoda Lines are directly connected with JR Joban
Line, so you don’t need to change trains at Kita Senju.)

Price:
Tokyo Metro (Shibuya-Kita Senju) 230yen
JR Line (Kita Senju - Kanamachi) 160yen
Keisei Line (Kanamachi - Shibamata) 130yen

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