Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
222
with wood blocks. Some of the designs are
the family's own creations; others are taken
from family crests used by samurai and
members of the court and worn on
kimono and armor. The shop is open daily
from 10am to 6pm.
As you continue in the same direction (east), on the
next block on the left side you'll find:
$ Daienji
Located at 3-1-2 Yanaka, opposite the
grade school and recessed back from the
street, this temple is famous for its chry-
santhemum fair and honors ukiyo-e mas-
ter Harunobu, one of Edo's most famous
artists; and Osen Kasamori, who worked
at one of the many teahouses near Tennoji
in the 1760s and achieved fame when
Harunobu singled her out as a model for
many of his portraits. A copy of Haruno-
bo's portrait of Osen hangs in the small
guardhouse to the right at the entrance to
the temple grounds, where an English-
speaking older man is usually on hand to
give brief explanations of Daienji, which
has the distinction of housing a Buddhist
temple and a Shinto shrine under one
roof. The larger stone marker is a monu-
ment to Harunobu; the smaller one to the
left is Osen's.
Cross the street at the crosswalk, turn left to con-
tinue walking in the same direction you've been
going, and take the first right (beside the traditional-
looking elementary school with an old-fashioned
clock). Turn left at the end of the street, and after a
couple minutes, to your right, at 2-1-27 Yanaka, will
be the:
% Daimyo Clock Museum (Daimyo
Tokei Hakubutsukan)
Tucked inside an overgrown garden, this
one-room display of clocks and watches
from the Edo Period (1603-1867) features
about 50 examples taken from the muse-
um's extensive collection (displays change
annually). On display are huge free-stand-
ing clocks, sundials, alarm clocks, pocket
watches, and small watches that were
attached to obi (the sash worn with a
kimono). The first clock was brought to
If all you want is a drink, straight
ahead at the stoplight is Petticoat Lane,
2-35-7 Sendagi ( & 03/3821-8859 ), a
tiny coffee shop open daily 11am to mid-
night. A minute's walk farther on the
right-hand side past Isetatsu (see below)
is L Rampo, 2-9-14 Yanaka ( & 03/
3828-9494 ), a cozy coffee shop packed
with knickknacks, kitsch, and folk art. It
offers soft drinks, coffee, and beer; jazz
plays softly in the background. Open
every day except Monday from 10am to
8pm. Look for the wooden COFFEE SNACK
sign above its door.
If you take a right at the stoplight mentioned above,
to your right you will soon see:
! M Kikumi Sembei
You can't miss it—look for the beautiful,
130-year-old wooden building, with its
traditional open-fronted shop selling Japa-
nese crackers. It's definitely worth a photo.
You may even want to buy some of its
square-shaped sembei. It's open Tuesday to
Sunday from 10am to 7pm (3-37-16
Sendagi; & 03/3821-1215 ).
Just beyond the cracker shop is Sendagi Station.
Unless you're ready to call it quits, however, turn
around and head back in the opposite direction,
passing the stoplight and the noodle shop listed
above. Almost immediately on your right will be a:
@ Sento
The sento, or public bathhouse, is easily
recognizable by its shoe lockers in the
entryway and by the chimney rising in the
back. Although on the decline, public
bathhouses still serve as important gather-
ing places, especially for those without
private tubs.
Farther along, on your right on a corner, is:
# N Isetatsu
Isetatsu, 2-18-9 Yanaka ( & 03/3823-
1453 ), sells items made from Japanese
paper, including paper fans, papier-mâché
objects, and boxes. Founded in the mid-
1800s and run by the Hirose family for
four generations, it specializes in chiyo-
gami, handmade decorative paper printed
8
 
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