Hidden Tokyo: A Guide to Yanesen ( Yanaka, Nezu & Sendagi )
Historic Streets & Parks
Stroll through Yanesen’s nostalgic streets and quiet parks. The retro scenery, wooden houses, and tree-lined lanes reveal the charm of old Tokyo.
📍Address: 3-13-1 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
🚃Access: 5 min walk from Sendagi Station (Chiyoda Line) or Nippori Station (JR/ Keisei Line)
Yanaka Ginza Shopping Street
Most visitors come to Yanaka Ginza with at least a rough picture in mind—maybe that classic view from Yuyake Dandan or the nostalgic storefronts often highlighted in guidebooks. But the real street is far more ordinary than its reputation suggests, and that’s precisely where its charm lies. For locals, it’s simply a neighborhood shopping lane, not somewhere you’d cross Tokyo just to see. Yet travelers often find its unpolished rhythm refreshing: everyday snacks, casual greetings between neighbors, and a pace that feels genuinely lived-in.
Think of it as a “no-need-to-go, but glad-you-came” kind of spot—a slice of real Yanesen that quietly stays itself.
👉 Learn more from our “Living in Yanesen” column.
💡Tip: Early mornings reveal shopkeepers chatting as they set up, and evenings bring a warm, lived-in atmosphere you won’t see in guidebooks.
Yanaka Cemetery
Yanaka Cemetery offers one of the calmest walks in the neighborhood, especially in spring when its cherry trees form a beautiful tunnel of blossoms. For the rest of the year, it remains a quiet, open space rather than a major sightseeing spot—simple, reflective, and very local in feeling. Many residents enjoy it as a peaceful route between nearby cafés and streets. If you’re already visiting Ueno Sakuragi Atari or stopping by Kayaba Coffee, it’s a pleasant place to wander. But if your time is limited, it’s also a spot you can comfortably leave for another visit.
💡Tip: The cemetery originally served as the burial grounds of neighboring Tennoji Temple, a history still echoed in its layout.
📍Address: 7-5-24 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo
🚃Access: 6 min walk from Nippori Station (JR/Keisei Line)
⏰Opening hours: Always open
Ueno Park
Ueno Park is famous across Japan for its spectacular cherry blossoms, drawing huge crowds and lively evening hanami parties. But for locals, the park's charm goes far beyond spring. Hydrangeas brighten Shinobazu Pond in the rainy season, followed by vast lotus blooms in July, and stunning ginkgo foliage in autumn. It’s perfect for a morning run, a quiet stroll, or a full day of culture—home to top-tier museums, the zoo, and Tokyo University of the Arts. Bordering Yanaka, this park is a cultural hub as much as a green oasis.
💡Tip: Visit early in the morning for the most peaceful, “local” atmosphere.
📍Address: 5-20 Ueno Park, Taito-ku, Tokyo
🚃Access: 3 min walk from Ueno Station, 10 min walk from Nezu Station (Chiyoda Line)
⏰Opening hours: Always open