Runners love this riverside route that provides smooth surfaces, challenging staircases and captivating views. However, features like the pretty scenery, lush upper level with plenty of shade, and lack of heavy traffic also attract groups of parents hanging out with their kids, as well as office workers taking the opportunity to lunch with the sea breeze in their face. The Tsukudajima section also includes a nice little park and picturesque canals. Thanks to Frankie Gee for the suggestion!
Say Tsukishima and most people will probably think of monja, Tokyo’s favourite local dish that tastes far better than it looks. Indeed, Tsukishima is best known for its ‘Monja Street’, a thoroughfare lined with specialised eateries competing for the hearts and minds of sticky soul food lovers. However, you won’t have to do much exploring to realise that this artificial island certainly merits a visit even if you’re not a monja convert. With beautiful scenery, top-class dining and a fascinating mix of old and new, Tsukishima is one of Tokyo’s most interesting neighbourhoods.
As was mentioned above, this island in the Sumida River is actually man-made, constructed in the late 1800s from earth dug up during the dredging of Tokyo Bay. As part of its industrialisation drive, the Meiji government designated the island as an iron-working area. For decades, getting to Tsukishima required taking a boat, and a permanent connection to the mainland was only established in 1940 with the completion of Kachidoki Bridge. Tsukishima also eventually came to absorb the natural island of Tsukuda, known for its fishermen since the 1600s. Tsukudajima now forms the northern part of the area and hosts some of the neighbourhood’s oldest buildings and shops, often tucked in among the many ultra-modern high-rises.
To get in, take either the Yurakucho or the Oedo line to Tsukishima Station, and don’t wait too long to visit: the Olympics-related redevelopment that’s gathering pace in nearby Toyosu may well erase some of Tsukishima’s charm sooner rather than later.
