❖ Meet at JR Minami-senju Station

15:00

Your guide will meet you at the JR Minami-senju Station ticket gate at 3:00 pm. From here we set off on a three-hour walking journey through Sanya and Yoshiwara, two of Tokyo's least-visited yet most historically layered neighbourhoods.

❖ Ekoin Temple & Kozukappara Execution Grounds

15:05 - 15:30 (25 min)

Our first stop is Ekoin Temple, a Buddhist site with a sombre history. It served as the final resting place for those executed at the adjacent Kozukappara Execution Grounds, one of the three principal execution sites of the Edo period. It is estimated that more than 200,000 people, including criminals and political dissidents, were buried here.

❖ Enmeiji Temple & Kubikiri Jizo

15:35 - 15:50 (15 min)

A short walk brings us to Enmeiji Temple, home to the Kubikiri Jizo ("Neck-Chopping Guardian"), a large stone statue erected in 1741 to offer spiritual comfort to the souls of those executed at Kozukappara. The figure's name reflects its location directly beside the execution site. Standing over three metres tall, the statue holds a haunting yet peaceful presence. For history enthusiasts, the spot is doubly significant: it sits near where the first anatomical dissections in Japan were performed, marking the dawn of modern Japanese medicine.

❖ Tamahime Inari Shrine

15:55 - 16:10 (15 min)

Continuing through the backstreets we arrive at Tamahime Inari Shrine, a distinctive spiritual spot woven into the community life of Sanya. While it follows the traditional Inari form, dedicated to the deity of harvest and prosperity, it is best known for the "Shoes Fair" held here twice a year. The fair reflects the neighbourhood's history as a centre of leather crafting and shoe manufacturing. The shrine's atmosphere is authentic and unpretentious, a glimpse into the daily life of shitamachi (old downtown) Tokyo that most travellers never see.

❖ Inariya, the Sanya Flophouse

16:15 - 16:25 (10 min)

Inariya is an iconic doya (flop-house) of the Sanya district, known among locals as the "Ghibli House" for its extraordinary exterior, completely engulfed in thick, untamed ivy. For a staggering 1,700 yen per night, it offers a raw glimpse into the authentic life of Sanya's workers. The wooden interior is divided into cramped, three-tatami-mat rooms resembling a rustic capsule hotel, with no air conditioning and only the most basic necessities. While unmistakably modest, it remains a rare living monument to the grit and history of old Tokyo's underbelly. The tour passes the exterior; it is a must-see for travellers seeking the city's most unconventional cultural layers.

❖ Iroha Shopping Arcade & Tomorrow's Joe Statue

16:30 - 16:50 (20 min)

The Iroha Shopping Arcade is a nostalgic, retro shotengai that feels like a time capsule from the mid-twentieth century. Its claim to fame is its deep connection to the legendary boxing manga Ashita no Joe ("Tomorrow's Joe"), set in this very neighbourhood. A life-sized statue of Joe Yabuki stands as a symbol of the area's gritty determination. Walking through the arcade lets you feel the atmosphere of the high-growth postwar era, blending pop culture history with local community character.

❖ Yoshiwara Area Walkabout

16:55 - 17:25 (30 min)

Exploring the heart of the former Yoshiwara district reveals hidden architectural and historical gems. We begin at Mikaeri-yanagi (the "Looking-back Willow"), where patrons would hesitantly glance back at the quarter before leaving. Nearby you can still see remnants of the Ohaguro-dobu, the black-water moat that once enclosed the district, marked today by historic stone walls.

❖ Yoshiwara Shrine

17:30 - 17:45 (15 min)

Yoshiwara Shrine is a consolidation of several smaller shrines that once stood within the pleasure quarter. Historically it was a place where the Oiran (high-ranking courtesans) and other women of the district came to pray for beauty, art, and business success.

❖ Yoshiwara Benzaiten

17:45 - 17:55 (10 min)

Adjacent to the shrine, the Yoshiwara Benzaiten is a striking site dedicated to the goddess of water, music, and art. It is famous for a vivid, large-scale mural and its association with the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923; a pond on the grounds served as a tragic refuge for many during the fires that followed.

❖ Asakusa Naniwa

17:55 - 18:00 (5 min)

Asakusa Naniwa is a legendary taiyaki (fish-shaped cake filled with red bean paste) shop that has reached cult status among Tokyo foodies. Known for its "natural" baking method, in which each cake is baked individually in a heavy iron mold, it produces a thin, crispy shell and a rich, flavourful filling. The shop's devotion to traditional craftsmanship mirrors the artisan culture of the surrounding districts. A hot taiyaki here is the perfect way to close a long walk, offering a sweet taste of Asakusa's enduring culinary heritage.

❖ Conclude at Tsukuba Express Asakusa Station

18:00

The tour concludes at the Tsukuba Express Asakusa Station, from which you can easily continue your evening into greater Asakusa or return to your hotel by metro.