Oji - Charmed by Foxes and Cherry Blossoms

My name is James Farrer.

I'm a professor of sociology at Sophia University in Tokyo.

As part of my fieldwork, I head out into the city

and explore its diverse neighborhoods.

This time I'm visiting Oji,

an area in the north of the city that's famous for its cherry blossoms.

It's been one of Tokyo's prime "hanami"

flower viewing spots for about 300 years,

all thanks to a shogun who ruled Japan in the early 18th century.

I'll explore a riverside area that was once lined with restaurants,

and sample some traditional flavors passed down through the generations.

I'll also learn about a unique event

that's become a popular draw for international visitors,

a festival celebrating the fox.

So how did the fox become a symbol of this area?

Today I'm diving into the magical neighborhood of Oji.

"Dive in Tokyo"
Oji - Charmed by Foxes and Cherry Blossoms

Oji Station is located about 10 kilometers north of Tokyo Station.

A train line runs up and down the area,

while a river flows across to the east.

In the middle is a hilltop area famous for its cherry blossoms,

Asukayama Park.

On a morning in late March, I visit the park to see for myself.

It's pretty cool.

And it looks like

it's really in full bloom.

So it's a really nice time to come here.

And there's no rain, so it's amazing.

I feel pretty lucky.

I'm greeted by an array of cherry blossoms in all their glory.

The park is home to some 600 cherry trees,

one of the largest concentrations in all of Tokyo.

It seems I've picked the best day of the year to visit.

Wow, this looks great.

Now this looks like the kind of place when you think of hanami in Tokyo.

This is what you think about. You've got trees,

you've got grass, you've got hills.

If you come here in the middle of the day,

you're going to... Later this day, you're going to see people

putting their sheets on the ground, and then they're going to be out here with their

wine or sake. And this is usually the pattern.

People will be out here

and sitting underneath the cherry blossoms and drinking.

That's what hanami really is in Tokyo.

It's a bit early right now.

These guys are saving a spot.

What time did you get here?

7 a.m.!

Flower-viewing is a staple of spring.

It's simple, really.

The cherry blossoms bloom, so people gather beneath them.

This park has been a famous hanami spot for centuries.

Check out this 180-year-old woodblock print.

It depicts merrymaking on Asukayama mountain

under cherry blossoms in peak bloom.

So how did this place become a flower viewing destination?

It turns out a certain historical figure

chose this area to plant cherry trees.

To learn more about its history,

I head to Oji Shrine

which is where the neighborhood gets its name.

I've arranged to meet with an expert.

Hello, I'm James. Thank you for your time.

Kubono Kimiko is a museum curator well-versed in local history.

I ask her about who's responsible for the cherry trees on Asukayama.

Asukayama was originally just a wooded hill with many trees.

That changed in the early 18th century.

The shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune had 1,270 cherry trees planted there.

Essentially, he wanted to make it a leisure spot for the townspeople.

A place for recreation.

So why did the shogun Yoshimune set his sights on Oji?

The answer lies with Oji Shrine.

It's said that a Shinto deity from a famous shrine

in what is now Wakayama Prefecture

was invited to inhabit the shrine here.

As a native of Wakayama,

Yoshimune formed a particular attachment to Oji Shrine.

Upon becoming shogun, the finances of the shogunate

were in dire straits.

So he implemented reforms emphasizing frugality.

But recognizing the strain that placed on the townspeople,

it's said that he ordered the planting of cherry trees in Oji

to provide them with a flower-viewing spot for spring.

A monument honoring Yoshimune's achievements

was erected in Asukayama Park in 1737.

It can be seen in this old woodblock print depicting another hanami scene.

What would a typical outing have looked like?

And here's what hanami looks like today, 300 years later.

The spirit of celebrating the fleeting beauty of the cherry blossoms

is still alive and well.

Kubono-san says

there's another historically significant flower-viewing spot nearby,

so I ask her to lead the way.

This is Otonashi Water Park

which sits along a river that runs through Oji.

You can go for a quiet stroll along the valley

while observing the river's flow.

And there's cherry trees galore.

Kubono-san says this area used to be lined with restaurants.

In the Edo Period there used to be restaurants all along here.

Starting from Asukayama.

Restaurants?

Yes. At first it was just some tea houses.

But in the mid-to-late Edo period that changed.

You started seeing nice restaurants.

And with the river right there, diners would step outside.

They'd dip their feet and wade around.

This was a popular day trip destination.

They came out from the city center to visit this nature-rich garden town.

They came to enjoy good food by the river.

You also see Oji mentioned in the diaries of diplomats and so on.

Here's a drawing made by a British visitor around 1860

that clearly shows the restaurants along the river.

Kubono-san says that one of these still operates as a food stall.

Intrigued, I ask her to point me in the right direction,

and I set off to find it.

When I arrive at the location,

I'm greeted by a long line of people

who have come to enjoy the cherry blossoms.

It seems they're here to buy a popular Japanese dish

that makes the perfect hanami snack.

After a 30-minute wait, it's my turn to order.

- Here you are.
- Looks wonderful! Thank you.

How long have you been in business?

Let's see... I believe... about 370 or 380 years.

That's incredible!

We were founded in 1648.

Is that right. I'm glad I came today. Thank you!

So, I'm looking forward to this. I'm kind of curious.

This is something that people have done for a long time.

I open the box to find a large "tamagoyaki,"

a Japanese-style rolled omelet.

It's been their signature dish for centuries.

I can't wait to take a bite.

It's sweet and savory.

Yeah, I could see why people would eat this.

I mean, it's something that... You really feel

it's sort of a timeless taste, right?

Just egg

and savory broth and sugar.

Good.

From the serene setting to the tasty food,

the Oji hanami experience is truly wonderful.

Next, I pay a visit to another local establishment with a long history.

Hello. Pardon me. What kind of shop is this?

We specialize in Japanese confectionery.

This is the 4th-generation owner, Ishinabe Kazuo.

I ask for their signature dish.

This is "kuzumochi," a jelly-like dessert

made by steaming fermented wheat starch.

- Can't forget this.
- Ah, brown sugar syrup!

It's topped with roasted soybean flour and brown sugar syrup.

Time to dig in.

Now this is tasty!

It's got a firm texture.

And it's got like... The taste of the syrup is a lot like,

kind of molasses we used to have back in the American south.

And then the "kinako," it's a soybean powder,

but almost a kind of peanuty flavor. It's kind of addictive.

I like to collect woodblock prints of the Oji area.

Ishinabe-san is a history buff,

as well as a collector of ukiyo-e woodblock prints depicting Oji.

He says he's got almost 50.

I ask him to show me a few of his favorites.

I see some waterfalls.

There was a gorge and a river fed by smaller streams.

I believe they formed waterfalls like the ones you see here.

Do these exist today?

These ones here are gone.

Ishinabe-san tells me

there used to be a dozen waterfalls like this around Oji.

Today, just one remains at a nearby park.

I ask him to point me towards it.

And with that, I'm off.

Okay, this looks like a park.

All right.

So this says "Nanushi no Taki Koen"

which is the "Waterfall of Nanushi Park."

So let's take a look.

Beyond the gate, the grounds are lush with trees.

Wow, this is a gorgeous place.

There's a pond here. You can see the...

We're in the middle of the flower-blooming season.

You can see the "sakura" over here on the water.

And it's just a beautiful, natural scene

right in the middle of the city with all the sounds of a forest.

Past the flowering blossoms, I venture deeper into the park.

Well, I can hear a sound. It sounds like something.

Well, there it is.

I can finally see it. That's the waterfall.

Well, that's an impressive sight.

I can imagine in the summertime when it's hot,

this is like a perfect place to be.

It's a... Cool air is coming off this water.

And it would probably be nice to get in here,

but it says "Don't get in the water" so I'm not going to do it.

The Oji captured in these old block prints of local waterfalls

can still be found within this patch of forest.

From the park I return to Oji Station to explore the nearby streets.

There, I come across a stone monument.

Okay, so it says "Yoshi Hassho no Hi."

So, this is a monument to the beginning

of Western paper making in Japan.

On the information board is a painting of Oji

at the time in the late 19th century.

And this is, obviously, Asukayama

where I was just doing cherry blossom viewing.

And this is during the cherry blossom season so this is like a real tourist spot.

And then they have built, obviously, papermaking factories down here.

The painting depicts Asukayama Park in full bloom.

In the foreground is a group of buildings

with smoke rising from their chimneys.

This is the Western-style paper mill that opened in 1875.

It was built by one of Japan's most influential industrialists,

Shibusawa Eiichi.

After returning to Japan from a research tour of Europe,

he decided to establish a paper company and built a mill here in Oji.

Today, Shibusawa is remembered as one of the architects

of modern Japanese society.

In fact, starting 2024,

he'll be the new face of the 10,000 yen note.

So why did he decide to build a paper mill in Oji?

To learn more, I visit the nearby Shibusawa Memorial Museum.

Hello. Thank you for your time.

I'm greeted by museum director, Kuwabara Kouichi.

Is this Shibusawa-san?

Yes, this is Shibusawa Eiichi.

Shibusawa was born in 1840, at the end of the Edo period.

He traveled to France and to other European countries.

He founded the First National Bank, which was Japan's first modern bank.

And through that bank he went on to found close to 500 other companies.

500! That's incredible!

I ask Kuwabara-san why Shibusawa set his sights on Oji.

His paper company pioneered the industry in Japan.

And it had a large-scale, modern factory.

He wanted it to be in a place where the general public could behold it.

So he built it by the tourist resort of Asukayama Park.

- So everyone could see it.
- Exactly!

And one more thing.

In Europe he saw how newspapers were mass printed on Western paper.

He realized that in order to have an educated public,

you needed to publish newspapers and get information out to people.

By doing that you could enlighten the public.

And in turn, empower more people to lead Japan's industry.

Ah, I see!

Kuwabara-san tells me there's another nearby spot associated with Shibusawa

that I should go see, so we decide to go check it out.

Wow, what an impressive building!

Yes, this was part of the Shibusawa residence.

So he lived in there?

This isn't a residential building.

It's like a library. Shibusawa's private library.

He built it to house his books.

Oh. Wow!

In 1901, Shibusawa moved into this vast property

of over 25 thousand square meters.

What remains today is the building

that housed Shibusawa's collection of books.

This room here was used as a parlor for receiving guests.

One feature immediately catches the eye.

The custom-made stained-glass windows.

Shibusawa's family crest was the oak leaf.

The windows feature an oak leaf design.

This is also where Shibusawa entertained his foreign guests.

Here's a photo from 1927 that shows him meeting Chiang Kai-shek.

He made Oji his base of operations for 30 years, starting in his 60s.

He passed away in 1931 at age 91,

but this bronze statue continues to watch over the city of Oji.

I decide to check out a shrine next to the old residence.

(Nanasha Shrine)

Inside, I encounter a cut-out of Shibusawa.

- I'm James.
- I'm Wada. Pleased to meet you.

I ask senior priest Wada Takayuki, about the cut-out.

We want kids to become familiar with Shibusawa.

Around here they learn about him in grade school.

We made the cut-out so kids can meet him and take photos.

This shrine is actually known for an object related to Shibusawa,

a hanging scroll featuring the names of the enshrined deities,

handwritten by the man himself.

Look closely and you can see his name on the bottom left.

Wada-san tells me many history buffs

come to the shrine to see this scroll.

After all, it was written by this great man.

It might be strange to say they come to see him.

But many come to pay their respects while holding him in their hearts.

Perhaps they come to receive strength from his spirit.

To round out my visit to Oji,

I head back into town to look for some souvenirs.

Oh, wow. There's a whole bunch of these fox masks here.

Intrigued, I head inside.

Wow, they have a lot of different kinds of fox masks here.

I mean, different colors and different shapes.

Hello.

It's quite a sight, isn't it?

Yes, there are so many!

These are all fox masks.

This is Oi Hideaki, an expert in the local fox lore.

I ask him about the significance of these masks.

Oji has long been associated with foxes.

There's a hackberry tree by the shrine right there.

It's said the foxes would gather there to pay their respects!

Oji has a long tradition of fox lore.

The animals once populated the mountains around the town.

It's said that on New Year's Eve,

they'd gather under the hackberry tree where they were joined by foxes

from throughout old Tokyo and the surrounding areas.

Together they would make their first shrine visit of the new year.

Oi san offers to show me their fabled meeting place.

The foxes would gather here on the 31st - New Year's Eve.

This is the hackberry tree.

3, 2, 1!

In honor of that legend,

the neighborhood has been holding a fox-themed event

to welcome the new year since 1993.

At the stroke of midnight, festivalgoers dressed as foxes

begin parading through the streets.

Before the pandemic, about 20,000 people

from far and wide attended the event every year.

One of the highlights of the procession is this giant fox mask.

It's offered to the deity at Oji Inari Shrine,

the oldest shrine in the neighborhood.

There, local children take to a sacred stage to dedicate a fox dance.

It's a New Year's event that truly brings the community together.

And finally, what better way to wrap up my day in Oji

than with one last visit to see the glorious blossoms at Asukayama Park?

Okay, so this is the top of the mountain.

And it's all 25.4-meters high.

So it's not exactly a Mount Everest here.

But this is a mountain.

And it's really one of the amazing things about this little mountain is that

even in the 18th century, people would come here as tourists.

We always think of tourism, it's something that's kind of modern,

but a lot of foreign tourists would come to this mountain

and there were many, many things to see.

And they could go to cherry blossom viewing,

they could buy a mask, they could participate in the parade.

So this is a place where, even if you're not from here

and you don't know that much about the history,

you're actually part of the history in this little town.

So it's a good place to visit.