Ochanomizu is a college town with roots going back 200 years to an academy started by the Edo shogunate. Come along and see why the area is known for used books, musical instruments and curry.
Today, we visit Ochanomizu.
Home to several high-rise university buildings,
it has a college town vibe.
This area is full of students.
I feel at ease here. It's a nice environment.
The town's roots go back to an academy that existed here over 200 years ago.
A lot of old books. It's a cool area of town.
The streets are lined with businesses catering to the student population.
Casual, affordable eateries...
It's delicious.
And stores specializing in a diverse range of musical instruments.
You're starting to get it!
Just barely!
This time on "Dive in Tokyo," we explore Ochanomizu, a hub of learning.
"Dive in Tokyo"
Ochanomizu - A Lively Hub of Learning
Ochanomizu is located north of the Imperial Palace,
next to the Akihabara entertainment district.
The Kanda River runs through the northern part of the area.
The name "Ochanomizu" literally means "tea water."
It's a reference to the fact that centuries ago,
there was a local well that served as a water source for the shogun's family.
Hi, it's Kailene. Today, I've come to Ochanomizu.
The name of the town always intrigues me
and perhaps that's colored my impression of the area.
I've always thought of it as an area where intelligent
and culturally aware people congregate and the town itself is very cute.
Are my impressions correct? Come with me today to find out.
Kailene is originally from the state of Minnesota in the US.
She's been living in Japan for ten years.
She works as an illustrator
and has even released a guide to Japanese food culture
featuring her watercolors.
We head to a bridge over the Kanda River to meet our first guide.
Good morning!
Hasegawa Rei is a researcher of the local history.
What a view!
Beautiful, isn't it?
From up here you can see multiple train lines intersect.
Very picturesque.
Over there you can see universities. This area has an interesting history.
Tall buildings!
Yes.
Lovely!
Yes, this is the view from beside the bridge.
It's a very sudden drop down to the water.
Up until about four centuries ago, this area was a large hill.
- Right here?
- Yes.
In other words, this is an artificial river.
- It was made by humans?
- Exactly.
Here's a woodblock print of this area made back in the 19th century.
You can see the sheer cliffs.
Look at that!
Here's a map that shows what Tokyo looked like over 150 years ago,
back when it was known as Edo.
The Kanda River was dug to protect the city from flooding.
It also served as the outer moat of Edo Castle.
The idea was to make it difficult for attackers to reach the castle.
They made the cliffs rugged on purpose.
By hand?
They must have had hundreds, thousands of people digging!
I wonder how long it took.
Wow, what an incredible feat!
Just north of the Kanda River is a historic spot
dedicated to Ochanomizu's educational roots.
This is Yushima Seido.
Back in the days of Edo this site was home to an educational institution.
It was basically a school founded by the Edo shogunate
to educate the minds and spirits of samurai retainers.
Yushima Seido is actually a temple
that was originally built in 1690 to enshrine an ancient philosopher.
Look at that!
What a large statue!
This is a statue of Confucius, who founded Confucianism in China.
The reason why there's a statue of Confucius at this former school site
is that the Edo Shogunate promoted the study of Confucianism.
I see.
Confucianism emphasized the cultivation of morals.
The shogunate adopted the philosophy
as its official ideology to maintain social order.
In other words, it used it to legitimize the feudal system.
It established a Confucian academy on the grounds of Yushima Seido in 1797.
High-ranking samurai retainers gathered to study the Analects of Confucius,
as well as Chinese poetry and arithmetic.
Up ahead is the main hall.
Amazing!
Notice anything?
There's a Chinese vibe.
Yes, it's like we've been transported.
This is quite impressive!
Take a look at this illustration.
It shows this area back in the Edo days.
On the left side it says "academy."
The main hall was in the center, and the academy was on the left side.
Right around where that building is.
Today it's a college campus.
In the late 19th century, Japan entered a period of modernization.
The academy was closed, and a new school was opened to train teachers
and promote a modern education system.
This area became the birthplace of modern education in Japan.
That legacy continues into the present day.
- The roots of higher learning.
- Yes.
The Ochanomizu area is brimming with history and culture.
Heritage that stretches back to the days of Edo.
That's the charm of this place.
Each time you visit you're sure to make new discoveries.
Next, we head south of the Kanda River.
And make our way to the Holy Resurrection Cathedral,
informally known as Nikolaido.
This Orthodox cathedral was originally constructed in 1891.
I don't know what I was expecting when I came in here, but it's so beautiful.
All the decorations. And so spacious.
- Hello!
- Hello.
We're welcomed by Archpriest Michael Hideyuki Tainaka.
Can you tell me about the paintings over there in the back?
That's called an iconostasis. The paintings depict Christ and Mary.
An iconostasis is a wall
that separates the main body of the church from the altar area.
It features an arrangement of icons that depict the life of Jesus Christ.
This is my first time in an Orthodox church.
Why Ochanomizu?
This used to be the site of a fire station.
The high ground made it the ideal location.
It offered great visibility.
The property was purchased by a Russian bishop named Nicholas,
who was sent to Japan to spread the Orthodox faith.
He built a cathedral featuring a tall, domed roof.
The unusual sight quickly became a Tokyo landmark.
How is Ochanomizu?
This area is very accessible.
And the local atmosphere is different from a business district like Otemachi.
It's the perfect location.
Nikolaido is not only an important religious site,
but a timeless symbol of the neighborhood.
Next, we head to a nearby street lined with university buildings.
This is Chuo University's.
Nihon University.
It's like a campus city of different universities.
Ochanomizu boasts a high concentration of universities.
Eight institutions have facilities scattered throughout the area.
Back in the Edo days, the streets were lined with samurai residences.
As Japan modernized in the late 19th century,
their estates were replaced with schools
dedicated to the study of Western legal systems.
At the time, government bureaucrats also served as teachers,
and Ochanomizu's central location made it a convenient place to gather.
Over time, the law schools evolved into full-fledged universities,
and their number grew.
How's Ochanomizu?
It's a beautiful neighborhood.
You're surrounded by fellow students. It's a comfortable environment.
What are the perks of a student town?
You can go around trying different cafeterias!
Some schools open their cafeterias to the public.
We decide to visit Meiji University.
It was originally founded as a law school in 1881.
They have a museum in the basement
where they display items they've collected for research.
- Hi there, nice to meet you.
- Hello.
Our guide is curator Hibi Kayoko.
This is the Criminal Materials Department.
The exhibit shows how criminals
were caught, interrogated, and tried back in the Edo days.
Polearms such as these were used to apprehend suspected criminals.
It's lined with spikes.
Not to hurt the suspect, but to keep them from grabbing it.
Interesting.
Take a look at the picture at the top.
It shows the criminal in the middle being captured by a group of people.
Notice how they're using polearms instead of katanas.
The tools may look fearsome.
But they were designed to restrain rather than injure.
I see!
We usually picture samurai wielding a katana.
Right. In dramas and movies they're always depicted in battle.
But when apprehending a suspect, they wouldn't draw their swords.
Samurai police interrogated suspects
and carried out punishments on convicted criminals
in accordance with the shogunate's rules.
- What's this?
- Any guesses?
That looks like a head-sized hole.
They'd put the criminal into the box with their head sticking out.
Display them in public as punishment, to serve as a lesson to others.
Criminals were often publicly shamed to serve as a warning to others.
The purpose of this exhibit is to get people to think about the law.
To show the forms of punishment practiced throughout human history.
Visitors tend to come out of curiosity,
but as they look around, they find not everything is as they expected.
I had the wrong impression about some things myself.
I learned a lot!
Next, we meet with a student at Meiji University.
- Hello!
- Good afternoon.
Takeno Naoyasu is a third-year student studying local governance.
He's also the leader of a student group at the university.
What does your group do?
We're working to liven up Ochanomizu!
The group is active in community development,
such as helping out at events organized by the local shopping district.
They're especially passionate about a certain food-related project.
There's a local event to decide the best curry place in town.
We're actively involved.
Why curry?
This area has many curry joints.
Ochanomizu and the surrounding areas
are home to as many as 400 curry restaurants,
with lines forming outside the most popular ones.
It's said the dish became a local staple
because students could eat with one hand while reading a book in the other.
Takeno takes us to the oldest curry restaurant in the neighborhood,
which he's been meaning to check out.
Welcome!
Hello!
When did this place first open?
We've been here since 1924. This is our 100th anniversary!
You said you attend Meiji University.
We have customers who first came here decades ago as students.
They grew fond of our curry
and kept coming back even after they graduated.
Professors come too.
And multiple generations of families!
Wow!
Here's our pork curry.
Looks great!
He recommends ladling the curry over the rice little by little.
Let's eat!
- It's delicious.
- Yeah?
Their curries are a shade darker than average and have a pleasant spiciness.
They're made by creating a secret sauce from a blend of dozens of spices,
which is then simmered with meat and vegetables for over ten hours.
This is a lot of rice!
We make it a point to serve hearty portions of rice.
We're aware that students are on a limited budget.
So we want them to get their fill.
As a big eater, I think that's great!
I get it!
You know this community well. What is Ochanomizu's charm?
There are a lot of businesses here, and that draws in visitors.
People going around, shopping, enjoying the neighborhood.
I love that atmosphere.
Nearby is a neighborhood brimming with secondhand books.
Coming to old bookstores is like treasure hunting. It's very exciting.
These are great!
These streets are lined with some 130 bookstores.
As more universities opened in the area in the late 19th century,
the number of businesses dealing in secondhand books also increased.
They've long played an important role in the local learning ecosystem,
buying used textbooks from students,
and then selling them to others at a low price.
Kailene decides to visit a store
specializing in rare and used foreign language books.
It's strange to come to a place like this in Japan for me.
The shelves are filled with books on philosophy,
works of classic literature, and many other genres.
- Hello.
- Nice to meet you.
Kitazawa Ichiro is the third-generation owner.
I love going to used bookstores.
But usually, they sell Japanese books.
I feel it's rare to find this kind of atmosphere in Japan.
We get that a lot from customers.
I find it quite surprising!
Interesting!
This store was founded in 1902
as a wholesaler providing books to university libraries and research labs.
Over time, it began to specialize in secondhand foreign books.
Customers would come to us looking for certain books.
And we would try to find what they were searching for.
It would take at least three months, maybe even half a year.
In the days before the Internet,
Kitazawa would pore over catalogs
and contact overseas publishers directly to obtain requested books.
He went to great lengths to make customers happy.
Kailene asks Kitazawa to recommend some books for her.
Look at that!
- Interesting, right?
- I like it.
You can see a mix of cultural influences.
I'm interested in illustrating Japan between the 1910s and 1950s.
- Oh?
- I'm doing research.
This is great!
Here's one that's quite popular.
Now that looks interesting!
A must-have for inbound travelers!
"Quaint Customs and Manners of Japan."
This is a good one.
This guide to Japanese culture was published 70 years ago.
Kitazawa says that these days,
books like this are popular among international students
who are learning about the country.
These days you can buy books online or through mail order.
But people still come to bookstores. Why is that?
Well, my theory is...
They all love books, of course.
But I think many also love bookstores.
Just looking for one particular book is not so interesting.
The fun lies in searching for book A, and not being able to find it...
but then you discover book B.
I know what you mean!
You see it and it piques your interest. That's the joy of bookstores.
There's an area several minutes away
that's home to stores that specialize in a different category of items.
Musical instruments...
including every kind of guitar you can imagine.
There are over 40 stores selling a wide range of instruments.
One even has an in-store workshop where you can learn to make your own guitar.
They have students of all ages and walks of life.
You have to really think through what you're making.
There's a real sense of accomplishment.
Ochanomizu is a town of musical instruments.
I've been coming here since I was a student.
It's the place of my youth.
Here it is.
Kailene decides to visit a specialty instrument store.
Welcome!
Hello, I'm Kailene.
So your store specializes in...
accordions... and harmonicas!
This store has been in business in Ochanomizu for over 80 years.
They specialize in what are called "aerophones,"
a class of instruments that generate sound
mainly through the vibration of air.
- I don't know how to play.
- You'll be fine!
I have no idea how to hold it.
Just press some buttons and pull the bellows open.
Here goes nothing!
You can't see the buttons.
Right.
There are markings on them.
This button with the divot is "C."
In other words, "Do."
- You're starting to get it!
- Just barely.
Why Ochanomizu?
Ochanomizu is a student town, for one.
We wanted to start a business in front of Meiji University.
When this business first opened,
there was only one other instrument shop in town.
But that all changed in the mid-20th century.
Back in the '50s...
there was a movement called "The Singing Voice of Japan."
- The Singing Voice of Japan?
- Yes.
Performances were often accompanied by an accordion.
The Singing Voice of Japan was a social and political movement
where young people organized choir circles
to sing songs about the working class and appeal for peace.
Then in the '60s we had the electric guitar craze.
Guitars and bass guitars became popular.
Thanks to those trends people came to Ochanomizu to buy instruments.
That, in turn, led to an influx of musical instrument stores.
What's it like running a business in this neighborhood?
Recently we get a lot of international customers.
From students to older adults, we get customers of all ages.
- You get people of all walks of life.
- Yes.
That was fantastic!
That may be my favorite!
Visiting Ochanomizu, I was surprised and charmed
by the variety of contradictions you can find in this area,
from the youthful student culture
to the old bookstores and restaurants with history.
While seemingly different, all these cultures have a root in education.
The next time you visit Tokyo, be sure you too can learn in Ochanomizu.