OliverB

We have a dinner scheduled in Kōtō one evening. It seems to be a bit off the beaten path and somewhat out of the way. It looks to be approx 30-45 mins by public transit from our hotel in Minato-ku.

I was just wondering if there is anything of particular interest in this municipality; perhaps a nice area to walk around and get a sense of the town? TripAdvisor lists off the usual parks, museums, suburban shopping malls, etc. but there doesn't appear to be anything really standout. It looks to be more of a residential area than tourist destination. I'm curious if there are perhaps some interesting streets or maybe a scenic waterfront promenade to wander around before/after our meal?

Thanks

PS - This is where we're eating, in case that helps:
https://tabelog.com/en/tokyo/A1313/A131303/13177061

Pickles

You're near Monzen Nakacho, which is one of the most atmospheric and traditional areas in all of Tokyo. There's a very old-school shopping street that ends in a temple well worth visiting.

There's also the Fukagawa Edo Museum which is worth a visit, and so is the whole area. It's a bit of what Tokyo looked like way back before the WWII "renovations".

OliverB

Thanks Pickles!

Would we do well to just wander around and get lost in the streets near Monzen-Nakachō Station or is there a particular area that's worth seeking out for the pre-war atmosphere that you've described above?
Do you recall the name of the old-school shotengai; is it just Monzen-Nakachō?

Thanks again!

Edit: Google to the rescue! https://metropolisjapan.com/down-by-the-river/
Sounds perfect for the time of year that we're visiting! Our reservation is for 03/30 so that should be peak sakura blossom. Would 1hr be sufficient for exploring the neighborhood or would you suggest making an entire afternoon of it? Would nighttime (after dinner) be more atmospheric or would it just be quiet/empty streets?

ksandness

I spent a month at the Tokyu Stay in Monzen-Nakacho a few years ago, and I had to check the map to make sure that my memory was correct, but the Fukagawa Edo Museum is quite a hike from the attractions along Eitaidori, about 3 or 4 km. However, you could get on the Oedo subway line and ride one stop to Kiyosumi-Shirakawa, which is closer.

Note that Monzen-Nakacho Station serves two lines, the Tozai and the Oedo, and that transferring requires a long walk, as well.

I don't know if it's still true, but there were parts of Monzen-Nakacho that had an old-fashioned feel to them, such as pop-up ramen and oden stalls on the sidewalk.

lobsterdog

Koto-ku per se isn't really a neighborhood, it's a very spread-out geographical jurisdiction, but the neighborhood near Kiyosumi-Shirakawa station where that restaurant is has its own character. There are several tiny art galleries that have sprung up around the contemporary-arts museum (which is currently closed for renovations), and it's a big mecca for coffee fans (https://tokyocoffee.org/2015/12/17/c...umi-shirakawa/) who go on tours of the many roasteries and coffeehouses around there.

The Fukagawa Edo Museum mentioned above is worth a visit (although ISTR they close rather early), and the street the museum is on is quite picturesque and stroll-worthy.

About 10 minutes west (and slightly north) of the restaurant there's a tiny park devoted to the poet Basho, and there's a small Basho museum a few minutes north of there, and you can walk along a promenade on the banks of the Sumida River between those two sites.

And finally, no visit to Kiyosumi-Shirakawa is complete without stopping at, or at least taking a picture of, the Voice of Cheese, a shop specializing in artisanal cheese from Hokkaido.