A Stroll Through Traditional Japan
Nezu Shrine: Open every day, never closes
Amezaiku Yoshihara (art lollipops): Open every day, 13:00-18:00
Isetatsu (chiyogami store): Open every day, 10:00-18:00
Puppet Shokichi: 10:00-18:00, closed Monday & Tuesday
Yanaka Ginza shopping street: Open every day, store hours vary
Mister Donut: Open every day, 8:00-21:00
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Here’s what to see and why you might want to see it…
Nezu Shrine
This gorgeous red and gold shrine is everything a Shinto shrine should be: grand torii entrance, a magnificent gate with ancestral guardian deities, a tunnel of orange torii gates you can walk through, a beautifully preserved shrine building with a courtyard, an outdoor Noh theater stage, and fox sub-shrines with personality.
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The big street in front of the train station and the neighborhood surrounding the shrine are filled with traditional shops that have been in business for generations. Wander around and you’ll see things like Amezaiku Yoshihara, a shop where you can watch the artist snip and mold hot candy into fanciful lollipops…
…plus calligraphy brushes, sweet potato snacks, paper lanterns, handmade scrub brushes, and more.
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Angling over toward the Yanaka Ginza shopping street, don’t miss the…
Isetatsu
chiyogami store
The traditional paper at this store is printed from authentic samurai era woodblock designs, some of which were copied by Vincent Van Gogh in the series of paintings that were inspired by Japanese art. There are sheets with all-over patterns in many colors, but the real bargains are the delightful scenes (some with cats!) that are suitable for framing, but are sold for a fraction of ukiyo-e print prices.
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Puppet Shokichi
This quirky shop is part art exhibition, part puppet theater, and part caricature studio. The artist specializes in hand puppet versions of famous (and not-so-famous) people, and the dioramas peopled with his creations are a hilarious take on Japanese life. He does puppet shows several times daily, as well as offering personalized caricatures drawn by a puppet.
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Yanaka Ginza shopping street
This traditional shopping street is dedicated to the neighborhood cats…
Which are everywhere you look…
And like all shopping streets, offer plenty of snacks, like skewered chicken, grilled rice balls, sobs noodles, and odder offerings, like these cat tail donuts…
Day drinking is encouraged at this welcoming sake stand…
And there are plenty of shops selling traditional wares like wooden geta…
…and whimsical takes on the official signature stamps known as hanko.
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On your way back to the station, take advantage of the Mister Donut on the corner to try a pon de ringu mochi donut. It will not disappoint.
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Navigation buttons to the other “7 Perfect Days”
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If you’d like to browse all the gardens or shrines or individual neighborhoods in Tokyo, links are on The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
If you’d like info on seasonal secrets and beyond Tokyo destinations, subscribe to my monthly e-magazine Japanagram (it’s free!)
and if you’d like to discover super quirky things to do, do a search at Only In Japan
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Jonelle Patrick writes novels set in Japan, produces the monthly e-magazine Japanagram, and blogs at Only In Japan and The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d Had
Jonelle Patrick writes about Japan 