Yokoamicho Park - Japanese Garden

Yokoamicho Park is known as Memorial Park for the Kanto Earthquake Disaster.
It has a Japanese Garden beside the Tokyo Memorial Temple.

It has a pond and a stream surrounded by many different kind of plants.

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<The Nearest Station>

Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)
JR Ryogoku station on Sobu Line

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Memorial Museum for the Kanto Earthquake Disaster

Many people who evacuated here after the Great Kanto Earthquake died due to fire in 1923. 38,000 people died here.

This museum was built in 1931 to show the disaster and reconstruction after the earthquake.Exhibitions include articles left after disaster, pictures, arts etc.

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<The Nearest Station>

Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)
JR Ryogoku station on Sobu Line

<Admission>

Free of Charge

Museum  9:00-16:30        Closed on Mondays

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Honjo Matsuzakacho Park

This park is a ruin of Kira's house.
He's the enemy in the most famous revenge story in Edo era.

He was killed by attack of 47 samurais who's load was punished to death (Harakiri) since he attacked Kira in Edo castle. Kira was injured at that time, and it's prohibited to use swords in Edo castle.

In the story Kira is described as a bad guy, but real Kira was a good load.

There's a well.
The attackers cleaned Kira's head which was cut off using water from this well.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Ryogoku station on Subu Line
Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)

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Kaishu Katsu's Birth Place

Kaishu Katsu is a politician at Meiji Revolution.
He was a Samurai to serve the last Shogun.

At the revolution war, he negotiated to save the city of Edo.

He went to U.S.A. by the vessel operated by Japanese crew for the first time.
He's the founder of Japanese Navy.

His birth place has monument at the corner of the park.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Ryogoku station on Subu Line
Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)

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Sumida Hokusai Museum

Sumida Hokusai Museum just opened on November 22 in 2016.
Hokusai Katsushika, world-renowned ukiyo-e (woodblock printing) artist, was born in Sumida city and he spent most of his 90 years life around here.

He created a large number of masterpieces and surprisingly most of the famous ones were drawn after he got 70 years old.

Shiny aluminum walls seem to be closed building but if you get into the slits, open windows are inside of the building. Actually this museum has four separate buildings though it doesn't look so from the outside appearance.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Ryogoku station on Subu Line
Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)

<Admission>

400 yen : General Exhibition
Special Exhibition varies by each exhibition.

9:30 - 17:30    Closed on Mondays, Year End and New Year Holidays

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Ekoin Temple

Ekoin Temple started to bury people who died in big fire in Edo in mid 17th century.
It has several different monuments/graves.
Sumo wrestlers related monument, animals monument and graves of famous persons.

The most popular one is a grave of Nezumi Kozo who is the most famous chivalrous thief in Edo era. Broken pieces of his grave stone are treated as good luck charms.

Currently, another stone to break in front of his grave stone.

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<The Nearest Station>

Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)
JR Ryogoku station on Sobu Line

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Yokoamicho Park

Yokoamicho Park was built and opened by Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 1930.
Many people who evacuated here after the Great Kanto Earthquake died due to fire in 1923.
38,000 people died here.

Tokyo Memorial Hall was built to remember the people who died in the earthquake and by bombing in World War II.

There's a museum to show the disaster and reconstruction after the earthquake.

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<The Nearest Station>

Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)
JR Ryogoku station on Sobu Line

<Admission>

Free of Charge

Museum  9:00-16:30        Closed on Mondays

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Kyu Yasuda Garden

Kyu Yasuda Garden is on the next block of Kokugikan.
This used to be a urban villa of one of feudal loads and purchased by Zenjiro Yasuda who is the founder of Yasuda financial group in Meiji era.

After his death, it's donated to city of Tokyo in Taisho era by his will.
Now it's managed by Sumida City after transferring from Tokyo.

The pond has a tide because the pond water used to be led from Sumida River.
Now, tide is controlled by a pump to avoid contamination.

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<The Nearest Station>

JR Ryogoku station on Sobu Line
Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)

<Admission>

Free of Charge

9:00-16:30
9:00-18:00  (Jun. through Sep.)

Closed on Dec. 29th through Jan. 1st

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Kokugikan

Kokugikan is Sumo Amphitheatre in Ryogoku.
15 days Sumo tournaments are held 6 times a year and 3 times are held here in January, May and September.

March tournament is held in Osaka, July tournament is held in Nagoya and November tournament is held in Fukuoka.

During tournament colorful banners with wrestlers name are displayed around Kokugikan.

This place is also used for concerts. At that time, sumo ring is taken away.

************************************************************
<The Nearest Station>

JR Ryogoku station on Sobu Line
Ryogoku station on Oedo Line (E12/Toei Subway)

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The latest 32 pictures of winner of the tournament are displayed in Kokugikan and old ones are returned to the winner and most of them are displayed in training room, his school etc.

Some of them are displayed in JR Ryogoku station.