Senju in northeastern Tokyo developed 400 years ago as a post town providing lodging for travelers. We explore this historic area and meet the people and places at the heart of the community.
Today on "Dive in Tokyo,"
we visit the Senju district in the north of the city.
It flourished for centuries as a post town providing lodging for travelers.
We'll explore the streets and take in the area's historic charm.
We'll also visit a fish and seafood market
patronized by many of Tokyo's food professionals.
Umami flavor that comes out, it's so, so good.
The deeper we go down the narrow streets, the more there is to discover.
What encounters await today?
Join us as we explore Senju.
Senju is located about 10 minutes north of Ueno Station by train.
Nestled between the Arakawa River and Sumida River,
it's served as a key transportation hub for centuries.
Hi, I'm Saskia, and today I'm here in Senju.
Honestly speaking, I don't really know that much about the town
other than the fact that it has a really nice fireworks festival in summer.
So I'm really excited to figure out what else this town has to offer.
Let's find out.
Originally from Belgium,
Saskia is a researcher of kimono culture and fashion
at a university in Tokyo, where she also teaches.
Oh, I think we found it.
Our first stop is a shopping street with roots
going back 400 years to the Edo period.
The town of Senju developed around this historic road.
Oh, this is really nice. There's actually these lanterns
and ukiyo-e everywhere.
Traditional decorative touches like these
evoke the atmosphere of old Tokyo...
That's really cute too!
As do these illustrations along the street.
This is the place.
Senju Machi-no-Eki. Let's go in.
Really nice.
This tourist information center is housed
in a 100-year-old former fishmonger's shop.
Hello!
I'm Saskia.
Welcome to our town!
Our first guide for the day is Ichihara Fumio.
He's the president of a group of locals working to preserve and promote
Senju's history and culture for future generations.
See the three pictures up there?
Katsushika Hokusai depicted Senju in these three ukiyo-e prints.
The woodblock print artist Hokusai
produced these landscapes around the 1830s.
It's said he visited the Senju area quite frequently.
Let's go!
Ichihara will take us on a local history tour.
This street was part of the old Nikko Kaido route.
It served as a pilgrimage path to the Nikko Toshogu Shrine.
I see.
Nikko Toshogu enshrines Tokugawa Ieyasu,
the founder and first shogun of the Edo period.
The Nikko Kaido was one of five major routes
the shogunate built to connect the capital to the rest of the country.
The first post town along the route was called Senju-juku.
This is Senju Ohashi bridge.
Senju Ohashi! I see. It's magnificent!
Nihonbashi is over there. Senju-juku was on this side.
Senju Ohashi was built over the Sumida River in 1593
to facilitate traffic in and out of the city center.
This was the first bridge built over the Sumida River.
When it came time to name it, they just called it "Ohashi", big bridge.
The bridge became a vital link between the capital
and the Kita-Kanto and Tohoku regions to the north.
The Senju-juku post town was established next to it in 1625.
Post towns were tasked with providing lodging
and transporting luggage along the routes for feudal lords and others.
The one at Senju developed into a bustling logistics hub.
By the mid-19th century, it had a population of about 10,000.
As you can see, we have land-based traffic
as well as river-based traffic.
This was a busy junction.
And so, Senju-juku prospered. It was a distribution center.
The town of Senju flourished thanks to Senju Ohashi.
So we look to this bridge as the town's creator.
That's wonderful.
We return to our walk along the old Nikko Kaido.
The width of this road is just as it was in the Edo period.
Government officials used this path.
So it was carefully made and maintained.
There is an old house coming up.
Oh?
From here to the end of the block, this used to be one giant estate.
- The whole block?
- Yes.
Wow!
The Yokoyama Family House was built in 1860.
The Yokoyamas were in charge of providing packhorses
for transporting goods and luggage to the next post station.
They were also a wholesaler of recycled paper sourced from nearby farmers.
The sunken entrance elevated the customer
and signified that the family was at their service.
Hello! We're coming in!
What do you think?
This is amazing!
This is where they did business back in the Edo period.
This was the reception area.
Many of the family's valuables are now displayed at a local museum,
but some objects remain.
A calligraphy piece by a former prime minister
who was a relative of the family.
Various everyday items.
Can you guess what this is?
I have no idea!
They're pickled plums!
Whoa!
130 years old!
Are they edible?
Yes, but they're off limits!
Wow, that's incredible!
We continue down the old Nikko Kaido.
How cute!
It's the cat from Hiroshige. Look!
So cute. I love it.
Here? There's a path?
Wow, this is a passageway?
It opens up a bit. Interesting!
- This path leads to the other side.
- Ah, I see.
Look behind you...
What's this?
In the old days, houses in Senju all had a storehouse in the back.
When I was younger, there were about 60 remaining.
Now there's just a handful left.
The alleys here slope away from the main road
to help drain rainwater outwards.
They're also useful passageways for residents.
Next, we head to the former wholesale district,
which was the most prosperous part of the old post town.
There were many large wholesalers here.
I see.
Let me show you what it's like.
The family that lives here ran a business
manufacturing and selling medicine up until 2010.
An interconnected building stretches across the property.
It's huge.
You can really feel that it's from an old period. Wow.
At post towns, the land was divided up into strips along the thoroughfare.
Families were assigned different roles depending on the size of their plot.
Further south along the old Nikko Kaido
is a stretch that was once home to many fruit and vegetable markets.
This says "fruit wholesaler."
This one says "vegetable wholesaler."
There were greengrocers and fruit sellers lined up...
from there all the way to the end there.
All in a row.
This was the marketplace. We called it the "yacchaba."
Senju's yacchaba was officially recognized as a public market in 1735
and remained active until the mid-20th century.
Vegetables and fruit were brought in by producers
from the surrounding areas and supplied throughout old Tokyo.
The market grew exponentially in the early 1900s,
and reached its peak in the mid-1930s.
During its heyday, wholesalers along the Nikko Kaido
held auctions in front of their stores.
Ichihara takes us to a former wholesaler of lotus root.
This is Nakajima-san.
- Hello, I'm Saskia.
- Hello!
Our family business started about 300 years ago.
300 years!
- At this location?
- Yes.
- Right here?
- Yes.
That's incredible!
These stones were paved over a century ago, I believe.
They helped keep our vegetables cool and fresh.
In the days before refrigerators,
local sellers kept their produce laid out on stones like these.
Here's a long-standing seller of an heirloom vegetable
known as "Senju negi."
These green onions were a staple of the yacchaba market.
But only discerning wholesalers and intermediaries
were allowed to sell them.
Even today, only the ones sold at the local auction
can be called Senju negi.
I've been doing this for 60 years.
These are sweet when cooked.
You want this part to be nice and firm.
See how this is shiny? That's what you want.
We move on to another business that's been here
since the heyday of the yacchaba market.
Here it is.
Good afternoon!
- May we enter?
- Come in!
This shop, founded in 1873,
produces a variety of ingredients for traditional simmered dishes.
It's run by Kogawa Kazuhisa and his wife.
Want to try some "tokoroten"?
May I?
I'll prepare some now.
Yes, please!
Tokoroten is made by boiling seaweed to extract a viscous liquid,
which is then cooled until it congeals.
The resulting jelly is formed into noodles,
which are dressed in either a sweet or savory sauce.
Tasty!
It has this really nice chewiness to it.
Remember what this area was like in the old days?
I do.
Like that house there...
Yes, it used to be a vegetable market.
- It was like our playground.
- Yes!
My mother grew up during the yacchaba's heyday.
As a kid she couldn't cross the street because it was so crowded!
- You couldn't see across.
- Exactly.
The neighborhood looked after its kids.
If you were naughty, a grown-up would slap you on the bottom and say,
"Watch out, karma's going to get you!"
This town made me who I am.
I'm glad I grew up here.
Although the yacchaba market is no more,
Senju's long history as a distribution center continues at Adachi Market,
which is run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Once every two months, it's opened to the public.
I didn't know that they had a wholesale market except for Toyosu in Tokyo.
And apparently, it has a long history. Really cool.
This is Tokyo's second largest wholesale fish and seafood market
in terms of volume.
They handle a large amount of popular staples such as horse mackerel.
Here's a 190-kilogram bluefin tuna that was auctioned off hours earlier.
The market is home to many intermediate tuna wholesalers.
Good morning!
- Thank you for your time.
- My pleasure.
So many fish!
Yes!
This is splendid alfonsino. Great for sashimi and simmered dishes.
Wow!
This is Asian sheepshead wrasse.
So big!
My mom was a florist.
Growing up, I'd go with her to the flower market.
So this atmosphere feels nostalgic to me.
Our guide, Ouchi Rieko, comes from a family
that's been working at this market for generations.
Here is a special knife used to break down whole tuna.
Longer than you imagined, right?
It's the same length as me. Look at that!
We use this one to cut through bones.
Want to hold it?
It's quite heavy.
Many of the people here have been working at this market for decades.
Ouchi takes us to meet the market's most popular draw.
Good morning.
Nagauchi Junko has been keeping accounts at this fishmonger for many years.
I'm 90 years old.
How wonderful.
Any memories of the market you can share?
Back in the day you'd see old workers running around naked, hauling cargo.
I remember thinking, what a place!
I bet!
It used to get so crowded that you couldn't see your neighbor.
Wow.
In the morning the market was buzzing with activity.
May we see your face?
All right, this is me!
You look fabulous!
What's it like working alongside such a veteran?
Every day is a shiny day!
That's fantastic!
On the market grounds are some eateries open to the public.
Saskia decides to check one out.
Welcome!
Greetings.
The fish at the market looked so good I had to come try some!
We get our fish fresh every day. You've come to the right place!
Saskia orders the tuna rice bowl.
Handa Hideyuki worked as an auctioneer
at Adachi Market for over 30 years.
He opened this restaurant in 2012.
He knows better than anyone where to go for quality fish.
I know all the intermediaries.
I've been here for over 40 years total.
I can hop over and buy whatever I need.
You have a good relationship.
I like to think so, but who knows what they think!
- Look at that!
- Enjoy!
Sushi rice topped with a generous amount of lean "akami,"
medium-fatty "chutoro," and tuna mince, all sourced that morning.
Oh, wow, the weight.
Because it's so thick, it's actually really heavy.
Really, again, that umami flavor that comes out, it's so, so good.
This is delicious!
So satisfying!
I'm glad you like it.
Next, we visit a drinking district full of local character.
This area is really like a maze, too. I love it. Look at that.
Okay, let's go right here.
These alleys are lined with old houses
that have been renovated into trendy restaurants and cafes.
Oh, there's another... It's another storage room.
Wait. Is this a cafe in a storage room? How cool!
Welcome!
What a nice place.
- Is that an old storehouse?
- Yes.
Wow, really?
This used to be a pawnshop.
A pawnshop!
This building was originally constructed in 1924.
The shop and the storehouse were separated by these iron fire doors,
which are 30 centimeters thick.
40 years ago, Owada Kimiko's mother closed down the business.
Owada thought it'd be a shame to tear down the building,
so she opened a coffee shop.
Their most popular menu item is "taiyaki,"
a fish-shaped pancake filled with red bean paste.
Oh, it's really sweet.
Owada's place paved the way for others
to set up shop along these backstreets.
Next, we meet up with a man who hopes to preserve Senju's old buildings.
Hello, I'm Saskia. Thanks for your time today.
Nice to meet you.
Tsurumaki Toshiharu is a first-class licensed architect.
He and his colleagues are working to survey old buildings in the area.
Senju holds a special place in his heart.
We ask him to take us to his favorite spot.
- Is this it?
- Yes.
Pretty cool, right?
This tunnel?
This is wild!
You feel like you're entering a different world.
I hear a train coming...
Don't tell me...
No way!
Whoa!
Scary!
- An up-close view!
- Wow.
Senju is gradually being redeveloped,
but there remains a good number of old buildings.
This 80-year-old traditional house survived World War II air raids.
Tsurumaki and his colleagues use the second floor as a base of operations.
Hello.
Welcome!
The members of Senju Iemachi come from diverse backgrounds,
but they're all committed to preserving the town's traditional charm.
- Ah, I saw similar lanterns around town!
- Right.
Very cool.
Tell me about this group's activities.
This group started about 10 years ago.
We've been surveying old buildings.
Our purpose is to explore Senju's unique identity.
I love how this town is like a mosaic of old and new.
If the old parts continue to disappear, that will change the local character.
I want the town to evolve while preserving its past.
Any ongoing projects you can tell me about?
This is an old eye doctor's clinic built in the mid-20th century.
Two years ago, there were talks about demolishing it.
So we started a project to dismantle and reconstruct it in a different spot.
The clinic had been built in the center of town
reusing parts collected from old buildings.
Many Senju residents were eager to see it preserved.
We all came together to start a crowdfunding campaign,
and collected 23 million yen from over 1,200 backers.
- Amazing, right?
- Incredible!
The building is scheduled to be reconstructed by the Sumida River in 2026.
Once it's restored, we hope to make it an attraction.
A place of interest for international travelers.
- I'll come check it out for sure.
- Please do!
Lastly, we head to a spot where the group has managed
to preserve a piece of a time-honored public bathhouse.
It's over here.
Here?
At this temple?
What could it be?
There it is.
That up there?
We were able to transfer a part of the bathhouse's roof to this temple.
The 95-year-old Daikokuyu bathhouse
had to close down due to a lack of successors.
Fans far and wide lamented the loss,
and Tsurumaki's group worked with the community
to preserve part of the roof.
It's been seamlessly integrated
onto the main worship hall of this Buddhist temple.
We had new ceiling paintings made by an illustrator who works in Senju.
I see a cat taking a bath!
Adorable, isn't it?
What does Senju mean to you all?
It's a town where people can share an appreciation for buildings.
It's like a treasure chest containing a jumble of different things.
This roof is a great example of how this community comes together.
It supports people who have ideas.
Thank you for your time today.
Our pleasure!
I didn't know that much about Senju before visiting,
but it was a wonderful experience to discover
that the city connected and still connects
people, things and information.
I'm looking forward to see how the people of Senju
will protect and continue the city's fragments of the past into the future.