Visit Japan Web Kita Senju
Visit Japan Web invites you to explore Kita Senju, an Edo-period postal town serving as a resting place for travelers before they continued their journey to the city center. The Yokoyama Family Residence still bears marks from the war at the end of the Edo period, and warehouses from that era stand as a reminder of the town’s history. Kita-Senju Station is a prominent terminal station in Tokyo, with the surrounding area hosting department stores.
Little of Kita Senju’s Edo Period history remains today, although the sites of the town’s former Honjin, kosatsuba notice board, and ichirizuka are still marked. The haiku poet Matsuo Basho is also commemorated as he traveled through this area on his journey to the far north of Japan, which he famously documented in his epic work “The Narrow Road to the Deep North”.
While the station remains a crucial transportation hub in Tokyo, the neighboring area exudes a delightful residential ambiance. There are numerous parks, quaint shops, restaurants as well as university campuses. Take a leisurely walk along Kitasenju Shukubamachi-dori Shotengai, a historical Edo-era street now adorned with a plethora of establishments.
The area boasts a significantly high number of parks and recreational spaces along the nearby Arakawa River. Summer visitors should not miss the Adachi Fireworks Festival held at the end of July featuring over 10,000 fireworks.
For those interested in temples, a visit to the nearby Nishiaraidaishi Souji Temple is a good choice. It is can ward off evil, attracting many visitors for this purpose. The temple grounds are also famous for the variety of plum, cherry, wisteria, peony and hydrangea flowers that bloom throughout.
