Historical Walk in Shinagawa -泉麻人が行く!東海道さんぽ(英語版)-
Ok, we just gotta to Shinagawa station. Now we got to find some really interesting spots.Right next to the station. Lot of really nice heritage of Shinagawa.
NA Tokaido is one of the main street in Japan since 400years ago.Especially around Shinagawa area, There remains many Japanese traditional shops.Geta and Tatami makers, traditional Japanese food shops and so on.Today, Japanese popular personality Asa
to izumi show us some historical and interesting spots in Shinagawa.
NA With Asato Izumi, Shinagawa heritage!
We just walking right under the train. We are following in the foot step of Mr. Izumi,who is Tokyo specialist.He show us the some favorite spots in Shinagawa.
This is one of faster bridges in Japan for trains.After the train starting from Shinagawa station,Then when from here are on works, this was the first bridge they built.Still this is the favorite spots for viewer who loves the Train. Come and take pi
ctures.If we stand and look at some of the special one.
This is old map of the area. And I think a red line is the Tokaido.That was the major road to Edo.Edo was the old imperial in Tokyo.
And the area that we are going to is called Shinagawa shuku. Shuku means the place to stay.Everyone one day came and visited, shogun, and They were stay in this area.There had been lot of the hotels, ryokans.
NA In this shop, we can buy one of the famous traditional Japanese foods.
This place is very famous for something called, Mitarashi Dango.Which is made with soy sause and sugar.And we gonna try the speciality Dango.
So this is the famous dango, made with the rice flower,And the sauce is the speciality of this shop.It’s very dark. They use lot of sauce.
And taste is very good.Umm.
Old light poles. So now we are only 7.3m above sea level.If you go down you can see the sea.
NA Beside tokaido, the pacific ocean had been spread until about 70 years ago.And then, the sea was reclaimed by construction of the Tokyo bay.There are some reminders of that.
This is the place where old boats come in and anchor.Tsuribune which means fishing boat.So actually you could go and then…make reservation to go out on a fishing boat.That is very kind of retro sceanery.Shinagawa is back ground, and this very quite
very looking.
This is the next stop on our root.It’s a traditional I Osenbei shop.Usually it’s made from a rice that been pounded to paste.
One of the speciality here is called Shinagawa Maki.Shinagawa meaning this area off course.Maki means to wrap-around.Nori (seaweed)wraps it around the Osenbei.
NA The Cultivation of seaweed was flourishing in Shinagawa. until the construction of Tokyo bay.This Osenbei tells us the history of Shinagawa.
It’s almost like walking in a labyrinth.This tiny tiny areas. Where people live.And looks like Izumi found something. A well.
NA Although Shinagawa is big city, old lifestyle is still remains.
It’s amazing small little valley.With Mikan trees, Japanese mandarin.This is traditional Japanese Setta and Geta shop.Where old people who were coming to Edo,from far away, they usually bought new shoes.Because, emm…you looked at person’s shoes,You c
ould see what kind of status they were.So ot was very important to wear beautiful new looking shoes. And used to be 10 shops like this but.This only one last now.
This is the Meguro river. It’s also beautiful sceanery here.And old greenery is temple(shrine).
NA There are many shrines and temples in Shinagawa about 40 of these around Tokaido.
So this is the famous soba restaurant,noodle restaurant, called Yoshida.And they are still making noodle, so the last 160 years.Let’s get in!
NA TENSEIRO means Soba with Tempura.Seasonal vegetables and fishes are deep-fried.
These are menu boards from beginning of the Showa Periode. Maybe about 80years old. Regular soba was about 15 sen.
This small collections of stones are grate stones.Is where the…execution grounds.Used to be, in the Edo periode.And between 100~200 people were executed here.This is the very spot.
So these are true locations where they were actually being, criminals are being executed.This is called Hiaburi, literally means that people areset on fire.
So this is the end of the tour. We walked about 5km from Shinagawa station.It’s so close to Shinagawa, so get out, walk! especially a like this weather is beautiful.Get out your hotel room and experience heritages of Shinagawa!
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