[A Stroll Through Shibamata, Tokyo's Old Downtown]
Shibamata, famously the setting for the film series “It's Tough Being a Man.” Even someone like me, unfamiliar with the main character “Tora-san,” found it packed with spots enjoyable enough to share.
Shibamata is a traditional temple town fronting Shibamata Taishakuten Temple, a place brimming with old-town charm where unique, historic scenery remains. It's even designated as a National Important Cultural Landscape. After getting off at Shibamata Station on the Keisei Kanamachi Line, before heading to the Shibamata Taishakuten Temple Approach Shopping Street (Taishakuten Approach), be sure to stop by Shibamata Oden Tsukudani Daikokuya. Steam and delicious aromas fill the air, and the shopfront displays rows of piping hot, homemade oden ingredients. The prices are so reasonable, you could even treat yourself to a snack. Order as much as you like—cheese rolls, octopus, cabbage-stuffed mochi—and savor them right there under the eaves, huffing and puffing in the cold. It's an irreplaceable moment of happiness. The gentle flavor of the broth soaked into my body.
The Shibamata Taishakuten Temple Approach Shopping Street is packed with tempting treats that make you stop wherever you look. At Takagiya Roho, pick up Shibamata's famous grass dumplings as souvenirs. Made without additives, they use specially selected Koshihikari rice, tender young shoots of mugwort from the foot of Mount Tsukuba, and premium red bean paste from Hokkaido, resulting in an elegant sweetness. Founded in 1862 (Bunkyu 2) as “Ishii Gofukuten,” ‘Ishii’ gained fame for the tea sweets and pickles served to regular customers back then, a tradition continuing today. Try their “Rice Rice Roll” made with two types of rice flour (glutinous and non-glutinous), dorayaki, and sweet potato yokan. Perfect for enjoying with tea.
After visiting Shibamata Taishakuten Temple, head to Yamamoto-tei. This modern Japanese-style building blends traditional shoin-zukuri architecture with Western elements, offering a place to enjoy tea. Its spacious interior with many seats allowed us to spend an elegant afternoon gazing at the garden. After resting, take a stroll along the Edogawa River. The open sky feels refreshing, and the riverbank offers peaceful scenes: joggers, children flying kites, students kicking balls. Descend to the riverbank and take the “Yagiri Ferry” boat to cross to the opposite shore.
Shibamata, brimming with charm beyond just Tora-san, still seems to hold plenty more to discover. Next time, I plan to visit again with more time to spare.
Shibamata Taishakuten
https://maps.app.goo.gl/Hknf7xNH1ihnCzCp9
Yamamoto-tei
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6gEnsiV5oRXmBpnS6
Daikokuya
https://maps.app.goo.gl/WAE9mGfwLq73TcWh7
Takagiya Roho
https://maps.app.goo.gl/8NHP3NVYcXyoC13r7
Ishii
https://maps.app.goo.gl/FV4np2w3VYTD2pTD6
Ginza Showroom
https://www.shokunin.com/en/showroom/ginza.html
References
http://shibamata.net/map/map.html
https://www.katsushika-kanko.com/yamamoto/
https://www.takagiya.co.jp/commodity.html
http://shibamata-ishii.net/
