Kiyosumi-Shirakawa

 

Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station is located on the Toei Oedo and Tokyo Metro Hanzomon Lines, and serves both the Kiyosumi and Shirakawa neighborhoods of Koto Ward of Tokyo.

 

Kiyosumi and Shirakawa are located in Koto Ward in the eastern part of Tokyo . These are middle class localities with much remaining from the Edo period, during which the area was a merchant district. The main draws for tourists here are the parks and gardens, and the shrines and temples that date back to Edo times.

Fukugawa Edo Museum

Just a short walk from Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station is the Fukugawa Edo Museum , a miniature reproduction of downtown Edo . This amazing recreation gives a perfect idea of life during the Edo days (1600-1868). There are stores, warehouses, stalls, tenement houses, besides a canal with a boat, a fire tower, and outdoor lavatories, all reconstructed out of wood. Visitors can stroll and wander through the rows of buildings and in and out of the ground floors of shops, inns, and houses. The insides of the houses are decorated with displays and pictures of what they would actually have been during the Edo period. Inside the grocery shops are typical Japanese vegetables and fruits, and the oil warehouse has the traditional rapeseed oil ready to be shipped and sold. The rice warehouse displays how rice was polished and prepared to be sold. Besides these stores and houses all set up as they actually must have been, special touches have also been given to give a touch of reality – like a cat sleeping on a roof and a dog relieving itself on a pole among many others. Special sound effects give further reality to times – like the crowing of the rooster and the calls of the vendors in the morning.

 

In short, Fukugawa Edo Museum is a wonderful place to experience the past of Tokyo . The museum, or “mini- Shitamachi ”, is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day. Entry fee is ¥ 300 for adults and ¥ 50 for children.

Kiyosumi Teien Gardens

Kiyosumi Teien Garden is located only a 3-minute walk from Kiyosumi-Shirakawa Station. This exquisite 81,091 m? garden dates back to 1878 when Yataro Iwasaki (the founder of Mitsubishi group) developed it as part of his property after having acquired it from a rich merchant who had his residence there. Yataro Iwasaki built the garden to entertain his guests.

 

Today, Kiyosumi Teien Garden remains one of the most beautiful Japanese gardens of Tokyo . The beautifully landscaped garden consists of over 4000 trees and 13,500 shrubs, besides over 18,000 m? of lawns and a huge variety of plants. The flora includes black pines, cherry trees, plum trees, azaleas, daphnes, hydrangeas, irises, camelias, sasanquas, and much more. The garden is known for its large landscape stones. These 55 stones are expensive massive stones gathered from all over Japan by Iwasaki himself. In the middle of Kiyosumi Teien Garden is a large artificial pond with three islands, with a rest-house and a tea house located on them. The pond is inhabited by various species of birds and turtles, giving the area a further attraction. It's a pleasure walking on the small bridges that lead to and connect the islands as the view is beautiful with the flora and fauna being reflected in the clear water. Near the entrance to the garden is the Taisho Kinenkan , a memorial hall dedicated to Emperor Taisho.

 

In 1932, Mitsubishi donated the garden to Tokyo city, who opened it to the public in the same year. In 1979, because of its exceptional beauty, Kiyosumi Teien Garden was designated one of Tokyo 's official Scenic Beauty Spots. The garden is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and entry fee is ¥150.