From Shimbashi to Nezu Museum (La Ruta del Museo Nezu, Tokio)

Download

Trail photos

Photo ofFrom Shimbashi to Nezu Museum (La Ruta del Museo Nezu, Tokio)

Author

Taigaa001

1,472 57 783

See more trails from this author

Trail stats

Distance: 4.12 mi
Elevation gain: 289 ft
Technical difficulty: Easy
Elevation loss: 253 ft
Max elevation: 181 ft
TrailRank: 62
Min elevation: 21 ft
Trail type: One Way

Coordinates: 155
Uploaded: November 25, 2018

Be the first to clap

7 comments

near Uchisaiwaichō, Tokyo (Japan)

Viewed 1613 times, downloaded 0 times

Trail photos

Itinerary description

Shimbashi station is often used to transfer to metro line from Yamanote Line. Tourist to Tokyo Station often experience the difficulty of transfers to metro station because most of the closest metro stations are far away from the station. From Shimbashi Station thanks to Ginza line the transferiing to metro is much much easier.
This September I tried taking Ginza line to get to Nezu Museum noted for the great Japanese landscape garden. Omote-sando Station is the closest metro station for the museum. It is also the metro station to get to Omote-sando Hills and Harajuku area. Omote Sando is literaly translated as Main Approach. The road was built right after Meiji Shrine was completed to serve as its Main Approach. Now thanks to Omote Sando Hills and adjoining fancy shops, Omotesando is now associated with upscale fashion. The street between Omote-sando Station and Nezu Museum has become another fancy shopping street nicknamed as "luxurious street" lined with who's who of brand shops such as Prada and COS. Nezu Museum recently renovated the main building but the garden remains unchanged except for some barrier-free slopes.
Recommended routes
Museum Building...Nezu Cafe...Broad Trail...Hibaishi (Tenjin-god Shrine) ...Yakushido
...Mount Potalaka...Visiting four tea houses...Back to Museum

Waypoints

Shimbashi Station (Estacion de Shimbashi, Linear Tokaido)

Exit from Ginza ticket barrier.

Sotobori-dori Street

Broad street running close to Shimbashi Station is called Sotobori Street so named because it runs at the former outermost moat of Edo castle. To get to Ginza Line station go under the elevated train tracks of Yamanote/Tokaido Main/Shinkansen Lines.

Ginza Line Shimbashi Station #8 Exit

Exit #8 is the closest entrance to Tokyo Metro Ginza Line station.

Metro Shimbashi Station Ticket Barrier (Linear Ginza Estacion de Shimbashi)

From Ginza Line Shimbashi Station take the train bound for Shibuya. Go to platform #1.

Omotesando Station

Omote-sando Station is often used to enjoy shopping around Omotesando and Harajuku area. This time, however, I walked toward the opposite direction to Harajuku and Meiji Shrine. South side of Omotesando Station used to be quiet place but now the street is lined with world-famous brand shops. To get to Nezu Museum exit from A5 exit.

A5 Exit

As you see from the uploaded photos, the road to Omotesando Hills and Harajuku is down-sloped while the road to Nezu Museum is slightly tilted upward. Photo #4 Viewing from A5 Exit to the start of Omote Sando with a huge stone lantern. Omote Sando (literally Front Approach) is the broad road built in 1919 to serve as the main approach to Meiji Jingu Shrine.

Omatsu Inari Shrine

Omatsu (literally a large pine tree) Inari Shrine is a fox shrine is so named because there use to stand a large pine tree near the shrine.

Prada Aoyama

Prada is one of the most well-known boutique brands. Its Aoyama shop was designed by Herzog & de Meuron and was completed in 2003.

COS Aoyama

COS is one of the major apparel brands based in London. Its first Japanese branch was opened on November 8, 2014 in Minami-Aoyama area.

Yoku Moku

Yoku Moku established in 2009 is one of the confectionery brands in Japan with 160 shops in Japan alone. The shop is best known for its cigar cookies. Its headquarter shop is located in Aoyama. The shop also has a cafe.

Intersection

Nezu Museum is nearly there about 100 meters away. And you can have great view of Ropponngi Hills Mori Tower, almost one kilometer from there.

Photo ofNezu Museum Entrance (Entrada al Museo Nezu)

Nezu Museum Entrance (Entrada al Museo Nezu)

The museum building built in 2009 looks still new. The building designed by Kengo Kuma gives you nice transition from urban Tokyo to old and rural Tokyo luring you into the art and the nice garden.

Photo ofNezu Museum Outside Garden (Jardin Exterior)

Nezu Museum Outside Garden (Jardin Exterior)

The garden trail starts from the Museum located on the hilltop then you go down to the lower ground to the valley and pond area. The exterior garden of the museum has lawn ground and some nice lanterns.

Nezu Cafe

Nezu Cafe stands on the higher ground on the garden overlooking the woods of this nice garden. It is a nice dining space before stepping into the other side of the Museum.

#8 Hibaishi: A Tenjin Shrine

After having lunch at Nezu Cafe, I began the walk from the broad paved trail to lure you into the densely wooded area with a pond, the trail goes from upland to lowland with the level difference of 10 meters. In Tokyo such minor valley is often being incorporated into a great landscape gardens. Such parks and gardens are rare spaces in Tokyo where you can feel the untamed nature and landform. According to museum pamphlet this Shinto-Buddhism hybrid shrine is called Hibaishi, a type of Tenjin Shrine enshrining Sugawara-no-Michizane based upon the legend he flew to China after he became a Tenjin god.

Yakushido

Yakushido is one of the halls for Buddhist temple enshrining Bodhisattva of Medicine, known as Bhaisajyaguru. I am not sure if this hall has something to do with neighboring Buddhist temple Chokokuji Temple. As Chokokuji has no Yakushido in its temple grounds it is a possibility. The entrance of the hall is guarded by a pair of Korean civil servants statues.

Photo ofHotarakasan (Mount Potalaka, Monte de Potalaka)

Hotarakasan (Mount Potalaka, Monte de Potalaka)

The hill named Hotaraka may have derived from Sanskrit word Potalaka the sacred mountain where Bodhisattva Avalokiteśvara also known as Kannon-bosatsu resides. Its neighboring Buddhist Temple Chokokuji Temple also has the temple nickname of Hodasan with the same word origin.