Visiting Seven Gods of Good Fortune（Shicchifukujin）

Visiting Seven Gods became very popular around middle Edo era.

People visited shrines and temples of seven gods especially in the beginning of the year wishing for a good luck.

Nowadays this trend still continues and many people visit shrines and temples.
You can find “Seven gods visiting tour” everywhere in Japan.
Koto city has two popular course: Fukagawa and Kameido.
Let me explain a little bit about Fukagawa course today.

List of temples and divine favors are as follows:

Name of Shrine or Temple	Location	Name of God	Divine favors (goriyaku)
Fukagawa Shinmeiguu	2 minutes from Morishita ST	Juroujin	God of long life
Fukagawa Inarijinja	3 minutes from Kiyosumi Shirakawa ST	Hotei	God of good fortune
Ryuukoin	6 minutes from Kiyosumi Shirakawa ST	Bishamonten	God of War, Success
Enshuin	6 minutes from Kiyosumi Shirakawa ST	Daikokuten	God of good crops
Shingyoji	5 minutes from Monzennakacho ST	Fukurokuju	God of happiness, wealth, and long life
Fuyuki Bentendo	10 minutes from Monzennakacho ST	Benzaiten	Goddes of art and wisdom
Tomioka Hachimangu	3 minutes from Monzennakacho ST	Ebisu	God of business

Although I showed the distance from the nearby subway station, you can easily walk all seven in about 2 hours. Good things to walk all the way are that you may find many interesting spots on the way. There are fine restaurants and coffee shops. If you feel tired, you can take a rest and enjoy fine food.  Also there are several historical spots to know a history of Fukagawa area.

One good information is that from Jan 1 to 15, you can purchase a special signature board for seven gods and can collect a unique red seal of god at each temple or shrine.

And when you collect all of seven red seals, your good fortunes will be promised.(I believe)

If you are interested, get a signature board, collect seals and catch the good fortues of the year.

(by Hiroyasu)

Development of tourism destinations in the east of Tokyo

Taito City, Sumida City and Koto City conducted a “trial tour” on December 9 and 10. Three cities worked together to aim for promotion of tourism businesses and development of attractive sightseeing courses in the east of Tokyo.

Six participants, two from China and four from the U.S., joined this trial tour which included the following main tourist spots.

• Taito City: Sensoji Temple in Asakusa, Kaneiji Temple and Ameyoko shopping street in Ueno
•  Sumida City: Watching morning practice at a Sumo stable, The Sumida Hokusai Museum
• Koto City: Kiyosumi Gardens, Fukagawa Edo Museum

One of KEV members showed the participants around Fukagawa Edo Museum.

In the near future, opinions and suggestions from the participants will be used to revitalize tourism resources in the east of Tokyo.

(by Masao)

TIARA KOTO, My Love

Old Koto Public Hall

Koto City is at the end of autum season.
This BLOG introduces a cultural facility of Koto City, TIARA KOTO.

Koto Public Hall was built as a multi-purpose hall in1965 at the east side of Koto City. It was one of major halls comparing with Hibiya Public Hall or Honjyo Public Hall at that time.

New Koto Public Hall (TIARA KOTO)

Over times, in December 1994, a new Koto Public Hall took over the old hall. It was reconstructed with 5 stories high and two stories in the base. The new hall was nicknamed TIARA KOTO for the outlook of the building like a tiara.

It has a big hall with 1,230 seats, a small hall with 140 seats, a rehearsal room and 5 practicing rooms. The big hall provides audience with high level sound resulting from a specific work cutting off the noises outside.

Coming up programs at TIARA KOTO

The hall has special art partnerships with Tokyo City Philharmonic Orchestra and Tokyo City Ballet. So, you can enjoy wide range of programs such as classical orchestra concerts, pops music, ballet, and dramas.

The hall promotes orchestration and ballet for the next young generations, as well.
We, Koto City resident can also enjoy one-coin concert in the daytime without any
reservations. The on-coin concert could be a rehearsal of classical concert program.

Ray Charles Concert Pamphlet
(Courtesy of Koto Cultural Community Foundation)

On December 18th , 1994, I happened to be one of audiences in the opening concert of TIARA KOTO, where an American great star, Ray Charles played. It was amazing and really exiting. Among his many hit songs, “Ellie, My Love” was special. It was played by Ray waving his body dynamically in front of the piano. It is unforgettable concert to me.

This song was composed by a Japanese song writer and singer, Keisuke Kuwata in 1979 and is performed by several musicians. Ray recorded it in 1989.

Why don’t you enjoy the ballad song on YouTube and visit TIARA KOTO.

(by Ben)

Mums are in Season

The winter is approaching and you may have started planning a trip to go see the colored autumn leaves.  It is also the best season to enjoy the chrysanthemum in full bloom.  

As you may have noticed, the family crest of the Imperial family is the chrysanthemum.  It is the symbolic flower of Japan along with the cherry blossom.  Originally, chrysanthemum was imported from China for medicinal purposes.  The Japanese people enjoyed the beautiful flowers, and they began growing chrysanthemum for ornamental purposes.  According to the book published in the 17th century, there were already over 200 kinds of chrysanthemums grown in Japan.  Today, we have much wider variety of chrysanthemums in sizes, shapes and colors.  

In Japan, chrysanthemum has been traditionally recognized as the flowers offered to Buddha and the deceased.  It is often placed on the Buddhist altar and the graves.  Chrysanthemum was used for such offering because its scent was believed to remove evil spirits and the flowers were long-lasting.  The bouquets of chrysanthemums are always available at any flower shops and even supermarkets, and they are usually inexpensive.  Although other kinds of flowers are used as offerings today, I advise you to give it a second thought to give a bouquet of chrysanthemums to your girlfriend or your sick friend in order to avoid any confusion and misunderstanding.  

From October to November, many chrysanthemum festivals are held all over Japan and we enjoy the competitive exhibitions of the beautiful chrysanthemums as well as the figures and dolls made of chrysanthemums.  In Koto city, Chrysanthemum Festival is held at Kameido Tenjin Shrine from October 22 to November 23 this year.  I would recommend you to visit there because this is the only place you can see the chrysanthemum figure of Tokyo Skytree.  At Kameido Tenjin Shrine, the chrysanthemums will be in full bloom around mid-November.  

Would you like to know more about the Japanese culture?  Please join our tour.  https://kev.jp/

(by Kumiko)

Unique history of Koto area, depicted in traditional woodblock prints

Autumn is one of the best seasons to do something in Japan since it’s neither too hot nor too cold. So it is also the best season for us to go on one day trip!

During samurai period, about 300 years ago, our area Koto-Ward was one of the most popular destinations for people living in Edo, today’s Tokyo. So many places were depicted at the Ukiyoe, wood block prints. We are able to see the fine works and imagine atmospheres of those days through Ukiyoe.

Edo city began to develop as the central city of Japan about 400 years ago. Since then the population increased rapidly and the city expanded more and more. Through the development of Edo, our area was reclaimed from Edo Ocean and grew as the distribution center of Edo.

So lots of common people moved to this area, began to do business and this area became thriving well. This area became like gold rush in Edo. So this area grew the unique atmospheres and temperatures. They maybe one of the sources of something called Edo people temperatures. At the same time, it became cool and fashionable spots in Edo. So this area was very popular destination for people and depicted as the cool spots in Edo.      

Today, Tokyo didn’t remain those Edo atmospheres and temperatures. But our area still remains those a little. So it must be fun to take a walk around famous spots in those days, watching those Ukiyoe and feeling those Edo people temperatures.

(by Koichi)

Disaster Prevention Day

September 1st is “Disaster Prevention Day” in Japan. This day commemorates the Great Kanto earthquake that occurred on that day in 1923. There were many victims of fire partly because it occurred just before noon.

On the disaster prevention day, the extensive drills that assume mainly earthquake and fire are held in many schools from kindergarten to high school, local governments or community, public transport, etc. It is to learn procedures and routes of evacuation.

Many office buildings and commercial facilities also regularly conduct emergency drills, in order to prepare for unexpected catastrophes and to keep improving their emergency restoration measures.

In addition, during the period from August to October Japan is frequently hit by typhoon. These several years, natural disasters including torrential rain, floods are increasing. The importance of preparation against disasters is growing more and more.

Providing is preventing. If you are prepared, you do not have to worry. Koto-city has a facility that you can experience and learn earthquakes, named “Sona Area.” If you have time, why don’t you go and experience there?

For more information:

Tokyo Rinkai Disaster Prevention Park

   The Tokyo Rinkai Park, in Koto-city, is a great disaster prevention facility with an experience center and a learning center. Once a big disaster occurs Tokyo and the suburb region, this is supposed to become one of emergency restoration activity centers.

(by Junko)

Fukagawa Hachimangu Shrine Festival

Getting soaked to the skin, happi-clad men and women in unison carried omikoshi or portable shrines through the streets in a major summertime festival in Tokyo recently, turning their procession route into a spiritual energy site.

The festival, commonly known as the Fukagawa Hachimangu Shrine Matsuri in the capital’s eastern city of Koto, is one of the three grand feasts in Japan’s metropolis. It is also called a “water-pouring festival,” in which onlookers pour buckets of water over omikoshi and its bearers to purify them. Some children use a toy water-cannon while local firefighters sprayed water with hoses at fixed spots along the route.

On the festival day, the god is believed to move to omikoshi temporarily from the main shrine. Fifty-three portable shrines shouldered by turns  paraded over a distance of an 8-kilometer (4.4 mile) route under the scorching sun.


The festival dates back to 1642, when son and heir to the third shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu was born. The feudalistic Edo period under the reigns of Tokugawa lasted from 1603 to 1867, when Japan took a course toward modernization. The shogun’s capital was called Edo, then.

By the early 18th century, Edo had a population of more than 1 million, making it the largest city in the world, surpassing London’s and Beijing’s. The Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in an area popularly called Fukagawa is  about 3.5 kilometers (2 miles) east of the Imperial Palace ground.

The shrine was the venue for the promotional sumo tournament held for the first time to raise funds to repair shrines or temples during the Edo era. There are stone monuments of yokozuna or grand champion, ozeki or champion, and more to see in shrine precincts. It’s worth a visit.  Sumo is a national sport of Japan.

About 350,000 people were out in Sunday’s major festival, held once in every three years, according to the shrine and police accounts.

Japanese shrines are regarded as a sacred site where people often visit to pray for the safety of their families and the prosperity of business as well as whatever proper for them like success in the entrance examination.

(by Kozo)

The Festival Eve tour -- to fully enjoy once-in-three-years grand parade

It's the festival season. And the once-in-three-years big mikoshi parade is coming to Koto-ku, Tokyo!

More than fifty beautifully decorated mikoshi, or portable shrines, will parade through the town on August 13th, Sunday, with big splash of water thrown on them from water trucks and fire hoses.

To help fully enjoy the festival, we will have a special walking tour the day before, on August 12th.

The day before the parade, mikoshi
visit the shrine for purification

With the whole town already in full festival mode on that day, you will have a chance to have a close look at each mikoshi, visit the base stations serving sacred sake (and beer), and talk to local people behind the parade. You may even have a chance to experience water throwing (please be prepared to get wet).

Watar thrown on mikoshi
by firefighters

Our guides, all from local areas, will show you around the main shrine and the parade route, guiding you to the best spots to watch the parade. After the tour, how about a glass of locally brewed beer with our guides?

Here is the tour detail:
Meeting time: August 12th, Saturday, at 2:00pm. The tour takes about 3 hours.
Meeting Place: Just outside No. 1 exit of Monzen-nakacho Station (T12) on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line. Find the Red Gate of Fukagawa Fudo-do temple  (look at the picture and map here)
Cost: free of charge
Note: Hot and humid day is expected. Make sure to bring water and wear comfortable outfit for about three hours' city walking.

Have a closer look at the
beautiful mikoshi!

Booking: Please fill in the form in our Web site. Choose "Course M: Monthly course", and note "Festival Eve" in the Additional notes section.
If you have any question, please feel free to contact us using the form.

A mini 'Panama Canal' in Koto City

the front gate of the Ogibashi Lock

When you want to go by boat from the west side of our city to the east side through the Onagigawa Canal, you have to go through two lock gates, mechanism of which is similar to that of the Panama Canal.

You might think it odd that there are locks to control the level of water in this flat land of Koto City near the Tokyo Bay.

The reason is that we have areas lower than the sea level because of heavy pumping of ground water for industrial use by large factories established late 19th century when modern Japanese industries began to grow, until mid 20th century when they are moved outside of Tokyo.

the back gate of the the Ogibashi Lock

As a result, a large area sank below sea level. People living there repeatedly suffered from flooding from heavy rain or storm surges.

Now the lowland areas are protected from flooding by floodgates on all internal canals. Locks are built for pleasure boats, canoes, barges or other boats to go through. The water level of the lowland is always kept 1 meter below the lowest tide of the Tokyo Bay.

When you want to go by boat from the Sumidagawa to the Arakawa River on the Onagigawa Canal;

Arakawa Lock Gate

1)You pass through the front gate of the Ogibashi Lock and wait until the front gate closes and the water level is lowered enough to the same level with the internal canal.

2) Then the back gate of the lock opens and you can go on.

3) Soon you will reach Arakawa Lock Gate. You will repeat the same procedures in 1) and 2). But this time the water level is raised and you can successfully go onto the Arakawa River.

If you are interested to see the lock gates, please refer to the access maps in the following URLs (written in Japanese).

Ogibashi Lock: http://koto-kanko.jp/theme/detail_spot.php?id=S00156

Arakawa Lock Gate: http://koto-kanko.jp/theme/detail_spot.php?id=S00095

(by Hiroshi)

Let’s go to Ryogoku not only for Sumo but also for Ukiyo-e !!

Ukiyo-e is Japanese art, painted on wood blocks depicting everyday life and interests of
common people.

Sumida Hokusai Museum

There are many Ukiyo-e museums all over Japan, however the newest Ukiyo-e museum was built last year near Ryogoku in Tokyo. The Sumida Hokusai Museum, they have a collection of many works painted by world-famous Ukiyo-e artist Katushika Hokusai (1760~1849).

He left behind a large number of outstanding piece of work, while spending most of his 90-years within Sumida city near Ryogoku. Hokusai’s works have crossed the ocean, and are said to have influenced many artists, including Van Gogh and Monet.

On the way to the Sumida Hokusai Museum from Ryogoku station, you can drop in some unique places along the Hokusai –Dori St.


“Hokusai-Dori Sento Spa EDOYU”

You can enjoy “Edo-era Sento known as a public bath” such as Hinoki cypress bath with Hokusai’s Ukiyo-e “Aka Fuji” reproduced on the wall in men’s bath. There is also a Japanese restaurant “Hokusai”. You can taste the Edo specialty of Soba, freshly cooked Tempura, Ryogoku specialty of Chanko-nabe. Sweet menu, Anmitsu and Kakigori is also available.


“MERIKOTI” “Traveling footwear Shop”

Many colorful footwear called “Zori” are displayed. You can use this footwear as room shoes. Traveling footwear is knitted by jersey material. You must be amazed by such a large selection of colorful footwear. If you want experience it, you can participate in workshops of “traveling footwear”. You can make your own footwear for 5000yen.

Have fun in Hokusai-Dori St. in Sumida city near Ryogoku station.

(by Izumi)

“The Sumida Hokusai Museum” http://Hokusai-museum.jp
“Hokusai-Dori Sento Spa Ryogoku EDOYU”  http://edoyu.com
“MERICOTI” http://merikoti.tokyo

Summer Festival is coming soon!

   The picture below is from website of Tomioka Hachimangu shrine in Fukagawa area of Koto city. The website (http://www.tomiokahachimangu.or.jp/htmls/maturih1.html) is only in Japanese but you can tell what you will be able to see during summer festival next month. 

   The festival is on August 13th. 

   We will NOT have the tour on that day. 

   BUT we MAY have some special tour before the day like 3 years ago( https://koto-guide.blogspot.jp/2014/07/)

   So you have to check our website on the tour (no guarantee we will have the special tour this year) ! Or simply come to Fukagawa area on August 13th! 

Related past blogs:
   https://koto-guide.blogspot.jp/2014/08/
   https://koto-guide.blogspot.jp/2012/08/

By Yoshi

Wild flowers

From April till now, I often found various wild flowers blooming while I was taking a walk. Most wild flowers start blooming in April. One of my favorite wild flowers is orange poppy, called long-headed poppy.

Long-headed poppy

 Long-headed poppy is not Japan native, exotic species. It was observed 1961 in Japan in first time. The reason of its seed vigor is powerful and in full of vitality, long-headed poppy spread in a moment. From middle of April to end of May, I could see it everywhere. In my opinion, blooming long-headed poppy means the arrival of blight sunny season as well as beginning the time of viewing cheerful wild flowers. The reason of my favorite of orange puppy is its color of petal. Compared to the common color of flowers, such as pink, yellow or purple, orange flower is rarely observed. Orange is my favorite color, too. 

Even my favorite color is orange, I also have a lot of fun to see lily pink wild flower. This primrose is called daytime primrose.

Daytime primrose

Generally speaking, primrose blooms in night time, though this flower bloom in daytime. It starts blooming everywhere from end of April to June. Due to its lily pink color, densely blooming of daytime primrose at open space, such as public park or roadside of coastline, make them to be gorgeous and attracts many people.  
Now it is end of June, the middle of rainy season in Japan. The fun time of observing wild flowers is almost end.



 At last, I will show you the representative flower of rainy season, hydrangea. Personally, I don’t like hydrangea so much. Against with the other blight color flowers, most hydrangeas are blue or purple. Densely bloomed petals, those form a large one flower, gives me messy, bizarre impression.

Hydrangea

 Hydrangea starts blooming early June till middle of July, it is almost the same time of rainy season.

Hydrangea

The end of blooming hydrangea is synonym for the end of rainy season, which brings us a sunny, blight, hot and humid summer. I am looking forward to coming summer!  
by A.C

'A Hstory of Sumo' Tour on June 24th

Sumo, the national sport of Japan, is becoming increasingly popular among both Japanese and foreign people recently.

We will offer “a history of Sumo tour” to Sumo enthusiasts on June 24th. Tomioka- Hachimangu shrine in Koto-city is the birthplace of the current professional Sumo. In the late 17th century, the first Sumo performance in Edo (old name of Tokyo) was held at the precinct of the shrine to raise funds for repairing the shrine.




Our guides, who are also big fans of Sumo, will show you how

Sumo has developed by going around stone monuments such as Yokozuna, grand champion monument, and the one with Sumo wrestlers hand prints in the grounds of the shrine---the historical field of Sumo. You would feel that sumo is not only a sport but also essence of Japanese culture through the tour.

Kisenosato, the 72nd Yokozuna grand champion’s name was newly engraved on the monument and he performed the ring-entering ritual on the approach of the shrine, congratulated by an audience of about 3,000 on June 9th. Please see our previous article on “Ceremony to join list of greatest sumo wrestlers at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine”.

After learning about Sumo, we will take a walk on a lovely street toward Fukagawa-Fudodo temple. The street is lined with small shops selling rice crackers or traditional sweets etc. Tasting Sake (Japanese alcoholic beverage) at a liquor shop there would be fun!

Tour details
Date & Time: 14:00-16:00 (2hours) on June 24th
Meeting Place: The street level of Exit1 of Monzen-nakacho Station(T13) on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line.
Cost: free of charge
Booking: Emailing us in advance using the mailing form on our Web site is recommended.
(Please choose “Course M” and describe “Sumo tour” in [Additional notes about your course request] space.)
However, just showing up at the meeting place without booking would be okay.

(by Nobuko)

Ceremony to join list of greatest sumo wrestlers at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine

Clapping his hands and stomping in a solemn ceremony, Grand Champion Kisenosato joined a list of the greatest wrestlers of Japan’s national sport of sumo at a shrine in Tokyo’s Koto City.

Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine is well-known for the birthplace of modern sumo as rules on regular tournaments and rankings of wrestlers were basically fixed in late 17th century.

In 1684, the government under the samurai rule allowed Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine to conduct sumo events solely for raising money to repair shrines and temples.  Those structures were often damaged by either fires or typhoons, and had needed a huge amount of money for reconstructions.

Kisenosato, accompanied by two younger wrestlers, carried out a short but impressive performance called ‘dohyoiri,’ ring-entering ritual, wearing a white straw rope around his belt on top of an embroidered apron.

A native of northern Ibaraki Prefecture (state), Kisenosato was promoted to yokozuna, the sumo’s highest rank, in January 2017.  Kisenosato, the 72nd yokozuna in Japan’s sumo history, is currently the sole Japanese wrestler in the top position. Three other incumbent yokozunas are all from Mongolia.

It was the first time in 19 years that the name of a Japanese yokozuna was inscribed on the stone at Tomioka Hachimangu Shrine in the capital’s eastern Koto City.

During Friday’s ritual, as many as 3,000 people, including some 90 children invited from an elementary school nearby, watched the new yokozuna in an imposing manner at the shrine,according to the shrine and police. 

                                      (By Kozo)

Season of the plum rain

The rainy season has arrived in Tokyo. It is called 'Tsuyu' or　梅雨 in Japanese, meaning 'plum rain'.

In supermarkets and vegetable stores, you'll find green plum fruits are being sold in this season. They are used for home made plum wine, plum juice or pickled plum called ume-boshi, or dried plums.

Ume-boshi is kind of a soul food for  Japanese people.
It is one of the most common ingredient of rice ball. Or if you see a red round -shaped pickles at the center of white rice in a boxed lunch, that's ume-boshi. By putting ume-boshi, it help prevent cooked rice and other foods get rotten, especially  during a hot, humid Japanese summer.

ume-boshi and rice balls

Though ume-boshi can be bought  at supermarkets or even in online stores,  for many Japanese people, the best ume-boshi is their own mothers' or grand mothers' homemade one.

If you want to know more about daily meals and daily life of Japan, join our tour .

(by Seiko)

Tour of this month : Local Shopping Street Not Covered in You Guidebook

Got tired of places that are too touristic? Want to shop and eat like a Japanese? Here is a tour for you.
In our monthly tour this Saturday, we will guide you through to a shopping district which is popular among local people, but probably not covered in your guidebook.


You can enjoy Japanese soul foods such as yakitori or takoyaki at food stalls, or take away typical home-style dishes such as oden or various sort of cooked vegetables, fish and meat.

-Here are details.
Tour Date & Time: 10:00-12:00 am, Saturday May 27th
Meeting time: 9:45am - 10:00am at the No. 1 exit of Toyocho station (T14) on the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line.

No need to book in advance. Just find us wearing the deep blue short coat with the name of "KEV" at the Toyocho station. But if you want to make sure, or have any question, please contact us using the this form, so that we can serve you better.
(choose course M:monthly course)

For more information regarding the tour, visit here:

See you soon!