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)