Shibamata Tokyo Japan in 60 seconds
#shibamata #Tokyo #Japan #Taishakuten #Yamamoto-tei #torasan
Taishakuten Temple
Shibamata Street Food
Yamamoto-tei
Tora-san Museum
Shibamata (柴又) is a neighborhood in eastern Tokyo, not far from the Edogawa River which is the natural border between Tokyo and Chiba Prefecture. The town retains its old-school charm from yesteryear and is a perfect break away from modern Tokyo. One of the main attractions to see is the Shibamata Taishakuten Temple not far from the station.
The town is widely recognized by older Japanese as the hometown of Tora-san, the protagonist of a highly popular movie series, Otoko wa Tsurai yo (“It is tough being a man”), which was filmed from 1969 to 1995. There are several nods to the series like the bronze statues of Tora-san and his sister, Sakura, who greet visitors outside Shibamata Station.
The temple approach to Shibamata Taishakuten doubles as the town’s main shopping street. The quaint, meandering street is lined by many shops and restaurants that sell local specialties such as dango (skewered rice flour balls) and river fish. Some of the shops boast long histories and still maintain their traditional exterior designs, adding to the ambience of the street.
At the end of the approach stands the entrance gate of Shibamata Taishakuten Temple. Beyond the gate, there is a 500 year old, large pine tree which resembles a dragon in front of the temple’s Taishakudo Hall. Shibamata Taishakuten is famous for its wooden carvings which were made by the same artists who also contributed to the construction of Nikko’s Toshogu. Unlike the brightly painted carvings at Toshogu, Taishakuten’s carvings remain unpainted.