Tokyo Weekender - October 2017

AREA GUIDE
Words by Paul McInnes. Photographs by Stephan Jarvis
If you don’t have time to escape the city to (overrated)
spots such as Enoshima, then Tsukuda is ideal as a
getaway within the metropolis
AN INNER-CITY ESCAPE
Tsukuda isn’t exactly a physical place. It’s
more of an idea, a utopia, an idyll. Separated,
by means of a simple road, from neighboring
Tsukishima – home of the much-loved
monjayaki – Tsukuda is like no other place in
Tokyo. Tranquil, relaxed and on the Sumida
River, the tiny island ebbs and flows along
with the nearby water. Five minutes from
Tsukiji and Ginza, which are literally across
the water and a stone’s throw away from
places like Hatchobori and Monzen-
Nakacho, it’s a magical hideaway with
pockets of enchantment.
Tsukuda was originally a natural sandbank
at the mouth of the river. The land was
built upon and expanded, in early Edo times,
by fishermen from Osaka who were invited
to the area by legendary shogun Tokugawa
Ieyasu. The area played host to a famous
ferry service to and from the mainland and
for people coming to pray at the island’s
Sumiyoshi Shrine. The ferry service was
discontinued in 1964 – the year of the first
Tokyo Olympics, as Tsukuda Bridge was
finally completed.
TRADITIONAL TASTES
Tsukuda is the birthplace of tsukudani – a
salty, sweet preserve of ingredients such as
fish, shrimp, shellfish and seaweed which
have been simmered in soy sauce, mirin,
sugar, and salt. It’s often accompanied by
rice. There are still a few tsukudani shops
in the area such as oldest, Tenyasu, and
Tsukuda-gen Tanakaya, which both date
back to the early 19th century. There is also
Yamamoto Shouten, a cute, traditional ice
cream and sweet shop as well as a general
store which sells alcoholic and non-alcoholic
treats. Many amateur fisherman in the area,
as well as some domestic tourists, seem to
love nothing more than a strong chu-hi or
beer to accompany them as the scorching
summer heat meets the early evening sunset.
8 | OCTOBER 2017 | TOKYO WEEKENDER