Explore charming Showa retro nostalgic downtown!
Located in the northeast of Tokyo, Shibamata is like stepping back in the beginning of Showa era. Shibamata is famous as the setting of the popular movie “Otoko wa Tsuraiyo”. The nostalgic shopping street reach to Taishakuten temple. Taishakuten temple has beautiful garden, and wooden carving which were made by the same artists who contribute to construction of Nikko’s Toshogu.
The small retro town has some nostalgic gems. “Torasan museum” where you can see Showa era lives, tea break at remained traditional Japanese house “Yamamoto-tei”, a former merchant’s residence, “Yagiri no Watashi” river crossing boat between Shibamata to Chiba which is continue from Edo era.
The tour visit the nostalgic shop and place. If you like a calm and retro neighborhood of local, it’s good to visit this area.
Our knowledgeable local Guide Interpreters will take you on a comfortable and informative journey, allowing you to experience Shibamata like a local. Discover the best spots for retro Showa nostalgic culture town.
Tour Spots Information
Taishakuten Shopping street
Taishakuten-Sando , the main street lined with traditional shops selling fragrant toasted rice crackers and dango sweets made from rice flour, leads directly to the grand gate of Taishakuten. Through the carved wooden Nitenmon gate, the sprawling temple complex is dominated by a huge, ancient pine tree. The exquisite carvings on the Teishakudo and Nitenmon gate, inspired by Buddhist legends, are well worth seeing. The ticket includes entry into the lovely inner gardens.
Taishakuten temple
This beautiful Buddhist temple is the heart of Shibamata. At the end of the main shopping street, the ornately carved Nitenmon Gate, built in 1896, welcomes visitors to the Shibamata Taishakuten temple grounds. The temple was established in 1629 and the current structure, built in 1929, managed to escape the WWII bombings.
Suikeien Garden of temple
You can see traditional tatami rooms decorated with a mix of Japanese and Western art and furniture and enjoy hot or cold drinks before you enter the classical Japanese garden.
Yamamoto House
Yamamoto Tei is the classic and traditional shoin-zukuri and European architecture built in 1920s for a wealth local industrialist. You can rest in the house with green tea and Japanese confection while watching beautiful Japanese garden.
Yagiri no watashi
Yagiri Ferry is the famous and only surviving farmer’s ferry on the Edogawa River, connecting Yagiri and Shibamata, Katsushika Ward. You can see the old-fashioned pier on the riverbank next to Yamamoto-Tei.
Tora-san and Yamamoto Yoji Movie director museum
A hustler who was always unlucky in love, Tora-san was a famous character throughout Japan, and the series of 48 movies, dubbed “Otoko wa tsurai yo,” or “It’s tough being a man,” released between 1969 and 1995, showcased each prefecture. After every adventure, Tora-san came home to Shibamata and the family dango shop. While you may not be familiar with the movies, the Katsushika Shibamata Tora-san Museum offers fascinating insights into the history of this traditional working-class area and the film-making process, with dioramas and a finely crafted miniature of the town as it was in the 1950s. At the adjacent “Yoji Yamada Museum”, visitors can learn more about the director’s works and creative vision.
Our guide will pick you up and drop you off at your hotel or any preferred place, allowing you to relax and enjoy yourself like a local without the stress of complicated public transport.
Your departure time and course contents will be arranged to suit your schedule.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with us by inquiry form.