Today on "Dive in Tokyo," we visit Azabu.

The district boasts the highest concentration of embassies in Japan.

At the Finnish embassies,

we have usually something that most embassies don't have.

It's also an area of many slopes.

Atop this hill is a recently completed skyscraper.

Meanwhile, the lowlands are home to long-standing residential areas

and shops keeping handmade traditions alive.

Just grilled. That's the way to eat it.

Join us as we take a stroll around cosmopolitan Azabu.

"Dive in Tokyo"
Azabu - A Tale of Slopes and Embassies

The Azabu district is located to the west of Tokyo Tower.

The hilltops are prime residential areas,

while the lowlands are home to shops and other commercial establishments.

Hi there, my name is Brent Olian and, today, we are here in Azabu.

So, Azabu is known as a really international,

kind of upscale area of Tokyo.

I'm not quite sure why though.

So today, we are going to explore and see if we can find out why.

Brent is originally from Texas.

He's been living in Japan for seven years.

He works for a company that organizes international trade fairs,

and has been to Azabu a number of times in the past.

But this will be his first time to really take in the sights.

Now let's meet our first guide for the day.

- Hello!
- Hi! How do you do?

Nice to meet you. I'm Brent.

I'm Takayanagi. Welcome to Azabu.

Takayanagi Yukiko is the head of an NPO

dedicated to celebrating the local history and culture.

I'd like to show you a famous local temple.

It's called Zenpukuji.

It was founded 1,200 years ago.

- A very old temple!
- Yes.

- What a view!
- Isn't it?

Behind the temple is a high-rise condo built in 2002,

creating a striking contrast between tradition and modernity.

You can put your hands together to pay your respects.

There's a certain figure who had a deep connection to this temple.

Let me show you.

Take a look at this.

"On this spot, Townsend Harris opened the first American legation."

Townsend Harris was the first American consul general to Japan.

America's first legation in Japan

was housed here at Zenpukuji.

In 1854, Japan opened its borders to the world

following a long period of self-imposed isolation.

The ruling Tokugawa Shogunate designated Zenpukuji

as the site of the first American legation.

Harris slept in one of the inner rooms

and performed his duties in the main hall,

where the Buddha is enshrined.

Why set up a legation at a temple?

Temples in general have a lot of space.

Also, many were under the patronage of the Tokugawa Shogunate.

So the government introduced Harris to the temple.

It's surprising to hear that the legation was housed at a religious site.

Yes. You could say the temple was open-minded to accept them.

Just outside of the temple is another spot related to Harris.

This is it.

- Here?
- Yes.

Since 1818.

So 200 years!

This is one of Japan's oldest barbershops.

It originally specialized in traditional hairdressing.

Hello, I'm Nishihara. Welcome to my shop.

This is owner Nishihara Michio.

What's your connection to Mr. Harris?

My great-grandfather would go to the temple

to give Mr. Harris a shave.

Eventually he was asked to cut his hair as well.

Thing was, we were a hairdresser that tied traditional topknots.

At the time, Japanese men generally wore a "chonmage,"

a type of topknot commonly associated with samurai.

Hairdressers were largely unfamiliar with Western haircutting techniques.

So Nishihara's great-grandfather went down to Yokohama,

which was home to a foreign settlement,

and learned from a Western-style barbershop

so that he could cut Harris's hair.

He was able to transition the business from hairdresser to barbershop.

That's why our shop is now a little over 200 years old.

If Mr. Harris hadn't stayed here, our business might not have lasted.

So he learned those techniques at the right time.

Apparently, it was quite lucrative for him.

Good morning Mr. Seshimo. How are you?

I'm fine.

Every morning, the staff here practice their English.

What did you do in Maihama?

I went to Disneyland.

I had lunch with my friend.

It's to better serve non-Japanese speaking customers,

who make up 20% of their clientele.

I'll shave your neck now.

You are going to shave my neck here?

Thank you very much.

Everybody's good here.

Generally very friendly and very good at what they do.

So, it's a good barber.

Even after all these years,

the spirit of hospitality is as strong as ever.

This is a very cosmopolitan area. You see a mix of cultures.

The influx of new people keeps this area vibrant.

That's what's great about Azabu.

We continue on our tour of the neighborhood.

Brent, what does this place look like?

Well, I see the German flag and the European flag.

Is it an embassy?

That's right! It's the German Embassy.

They've got scenic pictures of Germany on the wall along this slope.

- Makes you want to visit!
- Yes!

This wall offers passersby a window into German culture.

The Azabu district is known for being home to many foreign embassies.

There are currently a total of 157 embassies in Japan,

and close to one third of them are in this area.

This magnificent structure that

resembles a palace is the Embassy of Afghanistan.

The entrance to the Embassy of France has a striking roof

whose design is inspired by the Japanese art of origami.

Meanwhile, the home of the European Union's delegation

features irregularly-shaped balconies,

representing the diversity of Europe.

This architectural variety contributes to the area's distinctive character.

Why are there so many embassies in Azabu?

Let me show you something.

This map shows what Azabu was like around the mid-19th century.

You can see many large plots of land.

These were all samurai residences.

The white areas of the map represent residential estates.

At the time,

Azabu was home to large mansions and villas belonging to samurai.

But following the collapse of the shogunate,

the new government confiscated the land

and allocated lots to diplomatic missions.

Embassies were built on former samurai estates.

Yes, essentially.

- Fascinating!
- Indeed.

What's it like living here?

I like the international atmosphere of the neighborhood.

Walking around, I hear people speaking different languages.

It's part of the local charm.

One of the local embassies was gracious enough to allow us to film inside.

So, something you probably notice

are those Japanese tiles on top of the wall.

They look quite old and probably have been there for quite a while.

We've come to the Embassy of Finland,

which sits on the site of a former samurai residence.

(Embassy of Finland)

- Hi, there. Brent.
- Hey. Nice to meet you.

I'm Reetta. I'm the press counselor here at the Embassy of Finland.

This tree is really interesting.

It looks Japanese to me.

The tree has certainly been here longer than the Finnish Embassy.

They've been maintaining this oak tree

and the outer wall to preserve the atmosphere of the neighborhood.

An embassy is representative of one country in another,

but it's also a little bit of a window

or a showcase of what the country looks like,

or that's at least what we hope to do with our representative areas.

That is what looks to me to be very Finnish,

or at least my impression of Finland.

The furniture includes iconic pieces of Finnish design

with an abundant use of wood throughout the interior.

So at the Finnish embassies,

we have usually something that most embassies don't have.

So can you guess what it is?

Um... Cafe?

So, we have a sauna at the embassy.

That's incredible. A sauna in the... Oh, wow.

Can I take a little peek?

Yes, please do.

Oh, that smells so good.

But it's a bit too hot for me right now.

I'd invite you to maybe try throwing a bit of "löyly."

Löyly refers to the act of throwing water on the hot sauna stones.

The resulting steam raises the humidity, which promotes sweating.

It's a place where the ambassador would invite guests.

And for us, Finns, and the embassy,

sauna is also a natural, traditional way for us to show hospitality,

sort of "omotenashi."

So the embassy is located, of course, in Azabu.

What is your impression of the Azabu area?

Azabu certainly has an international flair,

but at the same time, it has,

you know, very strong historical Japanese roots.

So I don't mean it as a cliche,

but I think it has the best of both worlds.

It's a good mix of both worlds.

It's a good mix of both worlds, yeah.

Next, we head to the Azabu-Juban shopping district,

which is a 15-minute walk away.

This soba place right here,

it says it's been in business for 200 years.

It's the oldest establishment in this area.

This next shop has been a local fixture for 70 years.

Check it out, they are making some kind of sweets I think.

They specialize in "imagawayaki,"

a traditional cake-like treat stuffed with filling.

These streets are lined with roughly 300 businesses, both new and old.

The neighborhood originally developed and flourished

as a temple town around Zenpukuji,

and adjacent to the samurai residential area.

What I'm really liking is that "tanuki" over there.

I'm going to go check them out.

A Japanese racoon dog greets customers

in front of this 95-year-old rice cracker shop.

Welcome!

Hello! I'm Brent.

Pleasure to meet you!

Owner Hinaga Haruki makes crackers the traditional way,

by roasting them by hand over a grill.

His movements are swift and fluid.

Here you go!

Oh, wow.

That is a really nice smell.

It's perfectly kind of grilled.

Oh, yeah.

Are hand-roasted rice crackers common?

Well, it's not exactly efficient...

Why do you continue to roast by hand?

For one thing, I grew up watching my father do it.

But also, there's a shop nearby that makes "taiyaki" cakes by hand.

There's a restaurant serving handmade soba noodles.

The businesses here understand the value of handmade things.

- It's part of the local character.
- Yes.

This is my favorite rice cracker shop around here.

I always stop by when I'm in the area.

Since 1967, local business owners have been coming together

to organize a summer festival.

It's been an important occasion

for strengthening the bonds of community.

Today, the event has become a summer Azabu staple

that draws large crowds.

Making things by hand may not help in terms of short-term profits.

But my hope is it helps residents feel an attachment to their community,

and it gives visitors a sense of nostalgia.

Next, we head to another popular local shop.

This shop has been selling artisanal indigo-dyed products for 48 years.

It's run by American expat Amy Katoh,

who moved to Japan in the 1960s.

She has a passion for Japanese indigo-dyed textiles,

and her store is a treasure trove of traditional crafts with a modern twist.

These are "tenugui," which are hand towels.

And we did one to celebrate Azabu-Juban.

The item features an illustration of Azabu-Juban subway station.

Katoh opened the store in her 30s

after she and her family moved to the Azabu neighborhood.

So 48 years ago,

I'm assuming there probably weren't many foreign-owned businesses.

No, none.

People were more open-minded than I would have thought they would be

because it is such an old, traditional neighborhood.

I was surprised.

I think it's a melting pot.

And I think it's always been.

This is a place where people come together,

I think the most comfortably and naturally.

Another key characteristic of Azabu is its complex topography,

marked by many hills and valleys.

Our next guide knows the local terrain and its history.

Hi there!

Hello, I'm Konishi.

I'm Brent. Nice to meet you.

Konishi Masaaki is Azabu born and raised.

He gives walking tours of the area.

- You can see this area has many slopes.
- They're everywhere!

There's another over there, too.

There are over 40 slopes in Azabu.

Their names can tell us about the past.

What's this one called?

This is Daikokuzaka.

Here we have Daikokuten.

The slope is named after Daikokuten,

the deity of fortune and prosperity that is enshrined at this temple.

We've reached the top of the slope.

This is a famous spot for slope enthusiasts.

This hilltop sits at the confluence of four slopes

Daikoku, Kurayami, Tanuki, and Ipponmatsu.

That's Ipponmatsuzaka.

Ipponmatsu means "lone pine."

This slope is a local landmark

that was featured in a 100-year-old Tokyo guidebook.

Tanukizaka was home to many Japanese racoon dogs.

And Kurayamizaka got its name from the dense cover of trees

that keep it enveloped in darkness.

Everywhere I look there are slopes. Why are there so many?

The ocean used to be nearby.

The Azabu area is located on the eastern edge of the Musashino Plateau,

where the terrain slopes down toward the coastal lowlands.

Its contours have been carved by thousands of years

of rain, wind, and sea erosion.

With all these hills, we also have low-lying areas.

Let me show you.

Konishi takes us downhill into one of the valleys.

There's a tiny stream here.

If you follow this down, it flows into the Furukawa river.

Furukawa flows through the south side of Azabu

and then out to Tokyo Bay.

Up until a century ago, it was used as a transport route.

There used to be a dock in this area

that merchants used to carry goods into town.

Konishi takes us to a place

that can tell us more about the local merchant culture.

I see some Japanese elements on the exterior.

So, this is actually a condominium.

On the first floor of this modern residential building

is a set of traditional lattice doors.

- Good morning.
- Hello.

Architect Yamaoka Yoshiya owns the building.

This space here used to be a medicine shop.

He's restored the interior of his family's old shop.

His ancestors made house calls to local samurai

to sell items such as medicine, rice, and charcoal.

They ran the family business out of their home

which was a traditional residence.

This is where Yamaoka grew up.

When he rebuilt the house as a condominium,

he decided to preserve the first floor.

This is a combined staircase and chest.

Wow, look at that!

It's a practical solution for a compact space.

It's stairs but they've got storage inside the stairs.

This is genius.

What is this?

Care to take a guess?

A bed?

Growing up, my siblings and I loved climbing up there.

Let me show you.

Oh, it can be moved!

This was a place of business.

So this was a security measure.

They could look to see who it was through here.

If it was someone they knew, if they knew it was safe...

they let them in.

They could enter through here.

And the idea was...

you couldn't get in wearing a katana.

You had to take it off.

I see.

If you had a katana at your waist it would get caught.

Yamaoka says places like this have all but disappeared from the area.

Why did you decide to preserve this space?

Generations of my ancestors did business here.

And as I was growing up, this was a very lively area.

But it's lost that over the years. So I suppose it's partly nostalgia.

Even if I'm the last one, I want to preserve part of that legacy.

My hope is that this building inspires people.

That it can develop into something that can contribute to the community.

You could say this shop has been a witness to local history.

It's imbued with memories.

These spaces are invaluable pieces of our local heritage.

Yamaoka's place is a living testament to the area's rich history.

Lastly, we asked Konishi to show us his favorite local spot.

This area still has some traditional wooden townhouses.

Regular townsfolk lived here, as opposed to samurai.

That character remains today.

This old-fashioned residential area still has a few houses

that were built back in the 1940s.

Konishi's favorite spot lies just beyond.

If you turn around here and look out,

you can see the old townscape and the new.

That tall building is Roppongi Hills.

It was completed about 20 years ago.

It's a view that captures Azabu's past and present.

What do you love about Azabu?

From eye level I can enjoy views of the low-lying areas.

And as I climb to higher ground, the view opens up.

Walking around, I can see the old and the new,

and take in how the town is changing.

So, we've been up, down, and all around Azabu.

And it really, truly, is a melting pot of different cultures,

different eras, different people, in a really natural way.

And I think that's what draws in people from all over Japan, and the world.

And I know I had a really good time

seeing how it's changed throughout history.

And I'm really excited to see how it changes going forward.