Why don’t you enjoy Roses, Japanese garden, retro shopping streets and pain remove temple?
I walked from the Kyu Furukawa garden to the famous Togenuki Jizo(pain remove temple), and the local residential area.
Kyu Furukawa garden
Kyu Furukawa garden is a metropolitan garden located in Nishigahara, Kita-ku, Tokyo.
It was completed in its present form (Western-style building, Western garden, and Japanese garden) in 1919.
It’s the residence of the Furukawa
conglomerate.
Currently it’s a national property, it is leased by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and open to the public.
It is designated as a national place of scenic beauty.
It is well known as one of the best places for roses in Tokyo.
Roses are at their best in May, and it’s Japanese garden is beautiful with fresh greenery.
There is a café in the Western-style building, where visitors can enjoy a cup of tea on the terrace while admiring the garden.
Also there is a teahouse in the Japanese garden where you can enjoy Japanese tea and sweets.
Somei shopping street
From there, I walked along a retro shopping street called Somei Shopping Street.
There was a three-way street with narrow building that you can only find in Japan.
From there, I walked through a large Somei cemetery, famous for its cherry blossoms, to the Sugamo shopping street.
Togenuki Jizo ( pain remove Jizo)
Togenuki Jizo is a temple called Kougan-ji, popular for pain remove Jizo Buddha.
The temple was founded in 1596 as a Soto school Buddha temple.
The main statue, Togenuki Jizo, is a hidden Buddha and cannot be seen.
Instead, visitors can buy a paper charm of Jizo.
The name ’ pain remove ’ is like this.
A long time ago, a woman accidentally swallowed a needle.
And when she was given water and this charm , she spit out the paper and the needle, recovered safely.
And since then this temple has been called Togenuki Jizo.( needle , pain remove jizo)
Many elderly people with physical pain come to this temple.
Sugamo shopping street
The Sugamo shopping street that passes in front of this temple is called “Harajuku for old ladies. “
The elderly enjoy shopping here as much as young people do in Harajuku, the town for young people.
The nearest station is Nishigahara Station on the Namboku Subway Line, a five-minute walk away.
Why don’t you come and enjoy the fusion of Western and Japanese culture as well as local Japanese culture?
I’m Nobu, one heart enjoy together!!!