Just like stepping back in time. The soul of traditional Tokyo. Ancient Edo preserved in amber.
Such are the received-wisdom stereotypes about the Yanasen triangle -- the shitamachi districts of Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi. The tourist-office cliches would have you believe this area is stuck in a prewar (or even pre-Meiji) time warp. That's wishful, lazy, patronizing thinking. It's also patently untrue.
Certainly, enough old architecture has survived intact among the narrow back alleys and temple graveyards to give Yanasen a distinct atmosphere all its own. This is no theme park, though. What makes it so interesting is the way people here reconcile the old with the modern-day -- the way chef Etsuko Yamada does at Nezu Club.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.