A half day walk-and-eat tour in the Sumo town of Ryogoku! Don’t miss the historical sites, museums, and foodie destinations. Vol. 1

【CONTENTS】

• My recommended local snacks in Ryogoku when you feel peckish!
• The historical temple, Eko-in, closely linked with sumo.
• Semi-Western style sweets; Ryogoku anpan
• Let’s go to museums near Ryogoku Kokugikan!

My recommended local snacks in Ryogoku when you feel peckish!

Kazenokura is a shop that sells baked doughnuts and minced meat cutlets, and is a 2-minute walk from the West exit of Ryogoku station. Sumo wrestlers periodically stop at this shop to get minced meat cutlets. You can find quick snacks to stave off your hunger.

This shop has 10 kinds of baked doughnuts (165 yen each), Japanese croquette (95 yen), Ryogoku minced pork cutlet (185 yen), and Ryogoku pork loin cutlet (250 yen).

I got the Ryogoku pork loin cutlet the shop staff recommended. I was impressed with the juicy meat and the flavor of ingredients even though it wasn’t just immediately cooked. I didn’t need any seasoning for it. The owner said its made by hand with 65% pork loin and 35% onions. I definitely want to try one right out of the cooker on my next visit. I also tried a purple yam doughnut. It had a soft texture and a natural sweetness. Baked doughnuts are healthier than fried doughnuts, aren’t they?

You will see some statues of Sumo wrestler posing on Kokugikan street, continuing on from Ryogoku Station. They are good photo spots for tourists.
There is also a Ryogoku tourist information center near those statues. If you have no plans for sightseeing in Ryogoku, drop by here to get tourist information and maps.

I met two women from England on this street. They just arrived in Tokyo that day and it’s their first time visiting Japan. They said “We wanted to come to Japan for long time and we have no plans.” “Where should we go in Tokyo?” I was surprised that they didn’t plan their trip. They wanted to see a Grand Sumo tournament at the Ryogoku Kokugikan, but couldn’t because its the off-season now. I answered their questions about tourist information in Tokyo.

The historical temple Eko-in, closely linked with sumo.

Eko-in temple is close to Ryogoku station. This temple was built in 1657. In the same year, the biggest fire in Japanese history occurred, the Great Meireki Fire. It destroyed about two-thirds of Edo city and about 100,000 people perished. After the fire, Eko-in has become a place where the victims of disasters, not survived or claimed by family or relatives, as well as animals, are laid to rest.

Eko-in is also known as the spiritual home of sumo, since tournaments began being held here from 1768, until the first Ryogoku Kokugikan, or Ryogoku sumo stadium was built in 1909.
There is a big stone monument called Rikizuka that provides comfort to past spirits of Sumo stable masters.

The another highlight of this temple is the grave of Nezumikozo. He was a legendary thief like Robin Hood. He stole from Japanese feudal lords and wealthy merchants to give to the poor. Whether that was true or not though, Japanese people love this legend.

He is said to have special luck for escaping from the police during the Edo Period. People consider him a lucky man and still visit his grave to share in his good luck.
There are also graves for animals such as dogs, cats, birds, horses, and even fur seals. You might see some cats relaxing in this calm temple.

Semi-Western style sweets; Ryogoku Anpan

After I left the temple, I went to the bakery SAINT ETOILE, famous for Ryogoku Anpan.

Have you ever had anpan? Anpan is round soft bread with sweet red bean paste, and its a popular bread-snack in Japan.

Ryogoku anpan (165 yen), which is the top selling product in this shop, contains smashed sweet red bean paste called tubu-an and is branded a sumo wrestler. Another popular product is

Ōedo anpan (165 yen), with strained sweet red bean paste called kosi-an. The common anpan doesn’t contain whipped cream inside, but Japanese and Western style anpan like this have become popular in recent years. The price is reasonable and it is good for breakfast or snacks.

Let’s go to museums near Ryogoku Kokugikan!

●Journey of Tokyo from the Edo Period to modern times; The Edo-Tokyo Museum
The Edo-Tokyo Museum, with its novel design, is near Ryogoku Kokugikan (Ryogoku sumo stadium).
Before you enter this museum, take a look at the bronze statue of the shogun Ieyasu Tokugawa placed on a leafy walking trail behind the museum. He governed Japan during the Edo period. This statue sitting on a pedestal shaped turtle as a deity of water, is modeled after Ieyasu when hunting hawks. It’s a little bit surreal.
The Edo Tokyo museum introduces history and culture from the Edo period to modern Tokyo by showcasing original objects and replicas. You’ll be amazed at the faithful exhibits representing life in the Edo cityscape. You can touch some of exhibits and take photos with them!

Samurai, Kabuki, Sushi. Let’s experience old Tokyo at the Edo-Tokyo Museum！【江戸東京博物館】

●Feel the history of Sumo! The Sumo museum
Ryogoku kokugikan is a sumo stadium and most people know this if they are sumo fans. When grand sumo tournaments aren’t held, this place is very quiet. The Sumo Museum is on the first floor in Ryogoku Kokugikan and there is no entry fee.

The Sumo Museum is a compact museum, but you can see interesting exhibits such as Ukiyo-e, an ornamental apron of a sumo wrestler in the Edo Period, and photographs of sumo successors. Please note that photography is prohibited in this museum!

• Spot name：
• Address：First floor of Ryogoku Kokugikan, 1-3-28 Yoko-ami Sumida-ku Tokyo
• Opening hours：10:00am-4:30pm（Last admission:4:00pm）
• Closing dates： Saturday, Sunday and National Holidays in Japan
• Price:Free（During the Grand sumo tournament held in Tokyo, you need to show your sumo tournament admission ticket）
• Website：http://www.sumo.or.jp/EnSumoMuseum

●Japanese master artist of ukiyo-e, Hokusai Katsushika; The Sumida Hokusai museum
Katsushika Hokusai (1760-1849) was born in the present-day Sumida Ward during the Edo Period, and is one of the most famous of all Japanese artists.

The Sumida Hokusai museum will open on the 22^nd of November 2016, and will be dedicated to him. This museum will introduce to visitors, the works of Hokusai and his disciples. His works from the Peter Morse collection and the Muneshige Narasaki collection, who were experts of Hokusai, are worthy of special mention. Can’t wait to see his works that had a great influence on European artists!

I will introduce some more places to go in Ryogoku in my next article.
I hope you’ll be looking forward to it. Talk to you then!

⇒A half day walk-and-eat tour in the Sumo town of Ryogoku! Vol.2