Sunday, May 13, 2012

Old town Yanaka, Cats' Paradise

Yanaka is popular town for foreign travelers because the town has the old time atmosphere of Japan.  Even Japanese people love Yanaka when they want to touch the old fashioned Japan and its culture.

Let's walk around.

Yanaka Reien is a cemetery park near Nippori station.  Probably you do not want to visit the cemetery at night, but at the daytime, nature and fresh air will welcome you.  In this cemetery, many famous Japanese people are rest in peace including Yoshinobu Tokugawa, 15th Shogun in Edo period

              The cemetery is cats' paradise!  Meet the cats.

Yanaka has many temples.  This temple is "Kyoouji" temple.  Since this temple was a shelter for Tokugawa shogunate samurai, you can see the bullet mark on the temple gate which was fired by the new government army in 1868.











 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As you go straight, there is a stairs, which is called Yuyake Dandan, means sunset stairs. You can see a great sunset on the sunny day.  And this stairway takes you to Yanaka Ginza Shopping street.  Let's take a rest and have a snack and drink.














                                                                  Cat tail donuts.




There are various interesting shops in Yanaka town.  In Hirai Footwear, you can check traditional Japanese footwear. 









A pair of geta (wooden clogs). JPY8,500.
  



And this shop, "Isetatsu," which was founded in 1864, is good for the souvenirs.  You can find Japanese traditional figured paper, hand towels, paper fans, and lots more.
Hand towels, JPY1,050 each.











Experience Japan!


View Yanaka Town in a larger map