HISTORICAL WALK (Ogikubo)

Carly and Rob are creatives from New Zealand. Carly works as a graphic designer in central Tokyo while Rob is a freelance illustrator. They love exploring new areas of Tokyo (especially Suginami) and discovering the many aspects of Japanese culture. Ogikubo is home to many unique shrines, parks, and eateries, as well as some beautiful historical spots that many tourists are yet to discover. This walking guide will help you create your own unique impression of vibrant Ogikubo!

They decided to start the afternoon off with bellies full of delicious Tokyo-style ramen from the famous Harukiya before venturing off towards the historical Amanuma Hachiman shrine. Carly and Rob also decided to go to Suginami Historical Museum, a charming shopping street called Kyokai Dori, and a popular soy donut shop. Later they checked out the Meiji Emperor’s Gate before rounding out the day with a visit to the zen-inspired Otaguro Park. Let’s see how Carly and Rob spend their time in Ogikubo!

SEIKO RYOKAN TRADITIONAL INN

If you’re lucky enough to be staying at this beautiful Japanese Inn, this is the perfect place to start your walk from. Seiko is the only traditional Ryokan accommodation along the Chuo line, so it’s well worth a visit. The spacious inn comes complete with traditional tatami flooring, a Japanese-style bath area and a lush courtyard which you can view while enjoying a traditional breakfast.

But don't worry-- If you’re not staying at Seiko Ryokan, you can easily start and finish this walk at Ogikubo Station.

Price:

from ¥6,000/night
Address:
3 Chome-38-9 Ogikubo, Suginami, Tokyo 167-0051
Distance from Station:
8 minutes from JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station, South Exit
Phone:
03-3391-0606 (A little English OK)
Open:
Check-in 4:00pm, Check-out 10:00am, Front Doors lock by 12:00am
Communication:
The owners only speak a little English.

HARUKIYA RAMEN

First we went to Harukiya Ramen, which along with Harukiya Honten in Ogikubo is basically responsible for Tokyo-style ramen. This is a huge claim to fame, so if you are a ramen fan it is worth coming to Ogikubo just to eat here! Setting up shop in 1949, Ramenya Harukiya has been serving up fresh and delicious dishes to locals for decades. Delight your tastebuds with the sardine-based broth and enjoy the shop’s most popular noodle dish that includes wontons. The friendly staff will help you find a seat where you can watch them enthusiastically prepare your order using hand-made noodles. Located only 2-minutes from Ogikubo Station’s North exit, we made sure not to miss out on this unforgettable meal, and you shouldn't either!

Price:

around ¥1000
Address:
1 Chome-4-6 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
2 minutes from JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Phone:
03-3391-4868 (Japanese only)
Open:
11:00am - 9:00pm daily
Website:
http://www.haruki-ya.co.jp/english/ (external link)
Communication:
Some staff can speak a little English only

AMANUMA HACHIMAN SHRINE

With the taste of ramen still tingling on our tongues, we set out north towards Amanuma Shrine. After a five minute walk, you will find yourself at the peaceful shrine’s entrance. Wander up the steps and wash your hands with cool, fresh water using the traditional wooden cups on handles (which is done traditionally to purify before prayer). The historical site is over 400 years old and will have you admiring the wooden craftsmanship found throughout. If you’re feeling adventurous, be sure to grab your fortune on paper for 100 yen and ask one of the friendly staff to help you decipher the meaning!

Price:

FREE
Address:
2 Chome-18-5 Amanuma, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
8 minutes from JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Phone:
03-3398-2514 (Japanese only)
Open:
24 hours
Website:
http://amanumahachiman.jp/ (external link)
Communication:
Some staff can speak a little English

SUGINAMI HISTORICAL MUSEUM

After taking a short 5-minute walk west from the shrine, we came across the Suginami Historical Museum. This peaceful park area has a fantastic fountain and pond located outside the museum’s entrance. If you’re lucky enough to visit during Spring, you can catch baby ducklings enjoying their new home! Once inside the museum, you can interact with traditional Japanese toys such as hand puppets, and the Japanese cup-and-ball called "kendama", which gave us quite a bit of challenge and entertainment. Head upstairs to check out the latest exhibition related to the culturally-rich area of Suginami. We loved the shellfish exhibition; bright colours and intricate patterns made for some memorable photos.

Price:

FREE
Address:
3 Chome-23-1 Amanuma, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
9 minutes from JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Phone:
03‐5347‐9801 (Japanese only)
Open:
9:00am - 5:00pm, Closed on Mondays, the 3rd Thursday of every month, and National Holidays
  • no-smoking

KYOKAI DORI SHOPPING STREET

We continued west for another 5 minutes to discover the unique shopping street called Kyokai Dori. Here you will find locals shopping for weekly groceries and chatting happily to shop owners. Need something for family and friends back home? A selection of boutique and souvenir stores are available to choose from. We decided to take a moment or two to browse what’s on offer before heading south, back towards the train station. One place we enjoyed in particular was a honey specialty store, selling jarred honey from all around the world!

Address:
Just north of JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station
Distance from Station:
Begins only 2 minutes from JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Website:
http://www.kyokai-dori.com/ (external link)

IKKYU SOY DONUTS

Feeling a little peckish after the day’s discoveries, we were more than ready to try some healthy soy-based donuts from Ikkyu Donut shop. Located 1-minute from Ogikubo station’s north exit, check out a masterful display of donut preparation unfold before your eyes. Sourced from a mountain village factory in the prefecture of Yamagata, you absolutely can't miss out on the subtle and delicious flavours offered at Ikkyu Donuts. The donuts are only slightly sweet, perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. We also found a refreshing selection of fruit smoothies to enjoy to complete our snack-stop.

Price:

Donuts are ¥170 each
Address:
1 Chome-6-4 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
1 minute from JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station, North Exit
Phone:
03-3220-1072 (Japanese only)
Open:
11:00am - 7:00pm, Closed Mondays (& Tuesdays in the event Monday is a national holiday)
Website:
http://www.ikkyudonut.com/ (external link)
Communication:
Some staff can speak a little English

THE MEIJI EMPEROR'S GATE

To really feel the history of Ogikubo, we ventured 5 minutes southeast to the huge wooden Emperor’s Gate. The former building used to be a rest stop for the Meiji Emperor when he visited the area in the 1880's. We wandered around the gate taking photos and pausing to contemplate how the area would’ve looked 130 years ago.

Price:

FREE
Address:
4 Chome-30-16 Ogikubo, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
4 minutes from JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station, South Exit
Open:
24 hours
  • no-smoking

OTAGURO PARK

Otaguro Park is stunning any time of the year, but it’s particularly lovely in autumn. We can’t wait to go back to see the gingko trees lining the entrance to the park, and the dramatic red foliage of the maple trees hanging over the pond. The park is built on the site of the old estate of music critic Moto Otaguro. His office is open as a museum and there is also a traditional tearoom onsite.

This was the perfect spot to relax in the late afternoon; watching koi fish in the pond and listening to the wind in the trees-- it's just a very peaceful Japanese garden among the history of Ogikubo.

After this peaceful stopover, it's a perfect location to make your way back to the ryokan, or simply head back to the station or contemplate your options for dinner. More Ogikubo ramen, perhaps?

We hope you enjoyed reading about our walk through Ogikubo – you should definitely check out these interesting spots!

[updated November 2018]

Price:

FREE
Address:
3 Chome-33-12 Ogikubo, Suginami, Tokyo
Distance from Station:
8 minutes from JR/Tokyo Metro Ogikubo Station
Open:
9:00am - 5:00pm, open later during Autumn Light-Up event