Yanaka (Yanesen) guide: history, hidden spots and events nearby
A town of temples and alleys just north of the Ueno hills. Temples gathered here after the Great Fire of Meireki, and about 60 still stand. The temple town also holds the old-style Yanaka Ginza shopping street and the roughly 10-hectare Yanaka Cemetery. “Yanesen” stands for Yanaka, Nezu and Sendagi, a name spread by a local magazine launched in 1984.
Kyochika's tips
- Our recommendation: start at Nippori Station, walk through the temples and the cemetery, then go down the Yuyake Dandan steps into Yanaka Ginza toward evening and head home from Sendagi. It is a one-way, mostly downhill route where you can snack on deli food and finish by waiting for the sunset.
- The attraction here is less the big sights than the streetscape. Old earthen walls, a huge Himalayan cedar, a gallery that used to be a bathhouse: hunting for things that barely appear on maps is probably the best way to enjoy it.
Events near Yanaka (Yanesen) now and coming up
Within 1.5 km, nearest first. Checked against official pages.
- 26th Yanaka Antique Market
Nov 14 (Sat) – Nov 15 (Sun) · Enmeiin Temple (Nishi-Nippori) · 0.3 km · free - ASAKURA ZOO 2026
Jul 18 (Sat) – Dec 27 (Sun) · Asakura Museum of Sculpture, Taito · 0.3 km - Geikoten 2026 (Yanesen Town-wide Art & Craft Exhibition)
Oct 14 (Wed) – Oct 31 (Sat) · Yanaka, Nezu & Sendagi area (temporary HQ: Yuyusha) · 0.4 km - Nippori Dokan Festival
Oct 31 (Sat) · Nippori Station East Exit Event Plaza · 0.4 km - Arakawa Partner Cities Fair
Nov 1 (Sun) · Nippori Station East Exit Event Plaza · 0.4 km - Sunny Hall Rakugo No.439: Tatekawa Danko School
Nov 19 (Thu) · Nippori Sunny Hall Concert Salon · 0.5 km - Special Exhibition: Kanchoro Poetry Gatherings – Ogai's View of the Tanka World
Oct 10 (Sat) – Jan 11 (Mon) · Mori Ogai Memorial Museum · 0.5 km - 11th Japan-Austria Friendship Recital: A Gift from Vienna
Dec 2 (Wed) · Nippori Sunny Hall · 0.5 km - 17th Ohayo Rakugo: Katsura Yamato
Nov 17 (Tue) · Nippori Sunny Hall Concert Salon · 0.6 km - Utau Sunny Hall 2026 Autumn
Nov 16 (Mon) · Nippori Sunny Hall · 0.6 km - Nippori Blue-Sky Children's Festival
Nov 3 (Tue, holiday) · Nippori Minami Park · 0.6 km - Ashina PoP solo exhibition "Kehai wa buyon buyon"
Nov 3 (Tue, holiday) – Nov 8 (Sun) · Gallery KINGYO · 0.6 km · free
Visiting info
| Hours | The neighborhood is open any time. Shop hours on Yanaka Ginza vary by shop |
|---|---|
| Closed | Varies by shop on Yanaka Ginza |
| Admission | Walking is free. Asakura Museum of Sculpture: adults ¥500, elementary to high school students ¥250 |
| Asakura Museum of Sculpture | 9:30–16:30 (last entry 16:00). Closed Mondays and Thursdays (open on national holidays), plus about a week of temporary closure between October and December |
| Address | Yanaka Ginza: 3-13-1 Yanaka, Taito-ku / Yanaka Cemetery: 7-5-24 Yanaka, Taito-ku, Tokyo |
| Getting there | Yanaka Ginza: about 5 min walk from Nippori Station, about 3 min from Dokanyama Exit of Sendagi Station (Chiyoda Line). Yanaka Cemetery: about 5 min from Nippori Station |
Checked on 2026-10-27 against the official pages. Hours and fees can change; please check before you go.
Sources: GO TOKYO: Yanaka Ginza / GO TOKYO: Yanaka Cemetery (Japanese) / LIVE JAPAN「谷中銀座商店街」 (Japanese) / 台東区芸術文化財団 朝倉彫塑館 案内 (Japanese)
How did Yanaka become a temple town?
The name Yanaka (“in the valley”) is said to come from its position in the valley between the Ueno and Hongo plateaus (there are other theories). It first appears in records in 1559, as land held by Toyama Yakuro, a retainer of the Hojo clan. In the Edo period it became shogunate land and later belonged to Kan'ei-ji temple.
Temples began gathering here after the Keian era (1648–1652). In the land reorganization after the Great Fire of Meireki in 1657, temples from around Nihonbashi were moved to Yanaka, and about 60 of them remain. One encyclopedia describes Edo-period Yanaka as “98 temples in the eight blocks of Yanaka.”
In 1874, part of the grounds of Tennoji temple, damaged in the Boshin War, became a public cemetery: today's Yanaka Cemetery. The old streets, which escaped large postwar redevelopment, became known as “Yanesen” through the local magazine Yanaka, Nezu, Sendagi, launched in 1984.
Sources: コトバンク「谷中」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「観音寺築地塀」 (Japanese) / 東京都建設局「谷中霊園の現況」 (Japanese) / 現代ビジネス「「谷根千」夕焼けだんだん」 (Japanese)
Why is Kanto's tallest five-story pagoda gone?
Inside Yanaka Cemetery is the site of Tennoji's five-story pagoda. Built in 1644, it burned in the Gyoninzaka fire of 1772 and was rebuilt in 1791. Made of zelkova and about 34.18 m tall, it was the tallest five-story pagoda in the Kanto region. It survived the fires of the Battle of Ueno in the Boshin War and is known as the model for Koda Rohan's novel The Five-Storied Pagoda.
On July 6, 1957, the pagoda burned down in an arson double suicide. All that remains are 49 granite foundation stones (the central one about 90 cm square), now a Tokyo historic site. Timber from the surviving lower part was used to build the Bishamon-do hall in 1961.
Sources: ニッポン旅マガジン「天王寺・五重塔跡」 (Japanese) / コトバンク「天王寺」 (Japanese)
Who rests in Yanaka Cemetery
Yanaka Cemetery, about 10 ha with about 7,000 graves, holds the 15th shogun Tokugawa Yoshinobu, industrialist Shibusawa Eiichi, politician Hatoyama Ichiro, painter Yokoyama Taikan, Kawakami Otojiro of the “Oppekepe” song, actor Hasegawa Kazuo, and yokozuna Tokonohana and Kashiwado.
It also holds the grave of Takahashi Oden, called the “poison woman of Meiji.” She was arrested for murder in 1876 and executed, and Kanagaki Robun wrote about her.
Sources: ニッポン旅マガジン「谷中霊園」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「天王寺・五重塔跡」 (Japanese)
Yanaka: “graves and lotteries”
Tennoji was famous for its temple lotteries and was counted, with Yushima Tenjin and Meguro Fudo, among Edo's “three great lotteries.” One encyclopedia sums up temple-packed Yanaka as “graves and lotteries.”
Tennoji was originally the Nichiren temple Kannoji; it converted to the Tendai school in 1698 and was renamed Tennoji in 1833.
Sources: コトバンク「谷中」 (Japanese) / コトバンク「天王寺」 (Japanese)
The house and studio Asakura Fumio designed himself
Sculptor Asakura Fumio (1883–1964) set up a home and studio in Yanaka in 1907, and most of the current buildings date from extensions in 1935. The courtyard is mostly water, with five large stones named for the Confucian virtues of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom and trust.
Gardening was compulsory at his sculpture school, and students grew vegetables on the roof garden. Asakura loved cats and kept many; one room displays his cat sculptures. It became a national Place of Scenic Beauty in 2008 and reopened on October 29, 2013 after about 4.5 years of restoration.
Sources: 文化遺産オンライン「旧朝倉文夫氏庭園」 (Japanese) / インターネットミュージアム「朝倉彫塑館」 (Japanese)
Tokyo's oldest Seven Lucky Gods pilgrimage
The Yanaka Shichifukujin pilgrimage grew up naturally from the Edo period, and Nippon Tabi Magazine calls it the oldest in Tokyo. All seven stops are temples, including Bishamonten at Tennoji and Jurojin at Choanji, ending at the Benten-do on Shinobazu Pond in Ueno.
Temple seals (goshuin) are given only during the opening period, January 1 to 10.
Sources: ニッポン旅マガジン「谷中七福神」 (Japanese)
Once a town of chrysanthemum dolls
Yanaka's gardeners dressed figures in chrysanthemum blossoms to show off their flowers, and the Dangozaka chrysanthemum dolls were an autumn favorite until 1910. Since 1984, the Yanaka Kiku Matsuri has revived the tradition.
Sources: Japan Tourism Agency multilingual commentary database: Yanaka Kiku Matsuri
Getting there by taxi and bus
🚕 Taxi
- Nippori Station South Exit (textile-district side) taxi stand Ekitan's exit guide lists a taxi stand and bus stops at the South Exit (textile-district side). Yanaka Cemetery and Yanaka Ginza are within walking distance of Nippori.
- Nippori Station East Exit taxi stand There is also a taxi stand and bus stops at the East Exit (the same exit as the Nippori-Toneri Liner and Keisei Line).
🚌 Bus
- Yanaka Ginza / Yomise-dori (谷中銀座・よみせ通り) Taito City loop bus Tozai Megurin (Ueno Park / Misakazaka round-trip route) On Yanaka Ginza / Yomise-dori, as the stop name says
- JR Ueno Station Park Exit (JR上野駅公園口) / Ueno Station Iriya Exit (上野駅入谷口) Boarding points for Tozai Megurin on the Ueno side; it passes Ueno Park and the Tokyo National Museum on the way to Yanaka Right outside the station gates
Other ways to get around
- Tozai Megurin (Taito City loop bus) Flat 100 yen, IC cards such as Pasmo and Suica accepted. Runs daily 7:32 am to 7:32 pm. In Yanaka it serves the cemetery entrance, Misakazaka and Yanaka Ginza.
- B-guru (Bunkyo City community bus), Sendagi-Komagome route 100 yen per ride; every 20 min on weekdays, every 30 min on weekends and holidays. Handy if you start from the Sendagi side. Check stop names on the B-guru map.
Yanaka's lanes are narrow and walking from the station is the norm. The buses charge a flat fare, payable in cash (100 yen) or with an IC card. RIDE. The rear-left door opens automatically, so do not pull it yourself. You can also book a taxi by app: GO works in English with foreign phone numbers and cards, Uber books licensed taxis in Tokyo, and since early 2026 visitors can call S.RIDE taxis through DiDi in the 23 wards and nearby.
Sources: Tokyo Metropolitan Government: Accessible Tourism (Ueno/Yanaka) (Japanese) / Ekitan: Nippori Station exits (Japanese) / Japan Experience: Tozai Megurin Bus Yanaka / Bunkyo City: B-guru community bus (Japanese) / Norikae NEXT: Yanaka Ginza / Yomise-dori stop (Japanese) / Lonely Planet: guide to taking a taxi in Japan / Tabimania Japan: How to Use Taxis in Japan (2026 Guide) / Japan Taxi Apps for Tourists (Oct 12, 2026)
Our suggested route
- Nippori Station Leave by the West Exit and walk up into the temple town.
- Tennoji and the pagoda site The temple of Bishamonten on the Seven Lucky Gods route. Just south, along Sakura-dori in Yanaka Cemetery, are the pagoda's foundation stones. (about 20 min)
- Sakura-dori in Yanaka Cemetery Walk south along the avenue of Somei-yoshino cherry trees. (about 15 min)
- SCAI THE BATHHOUSE and the Himalayan cedar South of the cemetery: the gallery in a former bathhouse and the big tree at the junction in Yanaka 1-chome. (about 20 min)
- Kannonji's wall and the Asakura Museum Pass along the tile-and-clay wall to Asakura Fumio's house and studio. (about 60 min)
- Yuyake Dandan to Yanaka Ginza Look down on the shopping street from the top of the 36 steps, then go down and snack your way along. Finish at Sendagi or Nippori Station. (about 30 min)
We found no source giving walking times, so the times are our estimate. If you go inside the Asakura Museum, allow half a day (about 3 hours). The museum is closed on Mondays and Thursdays.
Sources: ニッポン旅マガジン「谷中霊園」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「天王寺・五重塔跡」 (Japanese) / 地球の歩き方「谷根千散策」 (Japanese) / 美術手帖「SCAI THE BATHHOUSE」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「観音寺築地塀」 (Japanese) / 台東区芸術文化財団 朝倉彫塑館 案内 (Japanese) / LIVE JAPAN「猫の聖地「谷根千」フォトスポット3選」 (Japanese)
What to see by season
| January 1–10 | The Yanaka Seven Lucky Gods pilgrimage. Temple seals are given only in this period |
|---|---|
| Spring (cherry blossoms) | Somei-yoshino trees along Sakura-dori in Yanaka Cemetery (108 of the cemetery's 248 large trees are Somei-yoshino). Near Tennoji survive Ukon cherry trees, famous here in the Edo period |
| Early August | Yanaka Ginza's summer festival |
| Autumn | Yanaka Kiku Matsuri (chrysanthemum dolls, potted chrysanthemum sales, food stalls and a parade) |
| Evening (all year) | Sunset over the shopping street from the top of Yuyake Dandan |
Sources: ニッポン旅マガジン「谷中七福神」 (Japanese) / 東京都建設局「谷中霊園の現況」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「谷中霊園」 (Japanese) / GO TOKYO: Yanaka Ginza / Japan Tourism Agency multilingual commentary database: Yanaka Kiku Matsuri / LIVE JAPAN「猫の聖地「谷根千」フォトスポット3選」 (Japanese)
Yanaka Ginza or Ameyoko?
Yanaka Ginza has about 70 shops along about 170 m; Ameyoko has about 400 shops along about 500 m. Yanaka Ginza is a neighborhood shopping street running since around 1950; Ameyoko is a market born from a black market, linking two stations.
Our take: for slow walks through temples and alleys and small bites of deli food, Yanaka; for bustle and food from many countries, Ameyoko. Nippori and Ueno are two stops apart on the Yamanote Line, so Yanaka in the late afternoon and Ameyoko in the evening works too.
Sources: LIVE JAPAN「谷中銀座商店街」 (Japanese) / 東洋経済オンライン「谷中銀座《夕焼けだんだん》」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「アメ横」 (Japanese)
Nearby: combine with
- Nezu Shrine About 5 min walk from Nezu Station. Its main hall and gates date from 1706 and are Important Cultural Properties. The path of vermilion torii gates at Otome Inari is the highlight.
- Ueno Park Yanaka continues northwest from the Ueno hills. The Seven Lucky Gods route ends at Benten-do on Shinobazu Pond in Ueno Park.
- Ameyoko Two stops from Nippori to Ueno on the JR Yamanote Line.
Sources: LIVE JAPAN「猫の聖地「谷根千」フォトスポット3選」 (Japanese) / コトバンク「谷中」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「谷中七福神」 (Japanese)
Little-known spots
- Yuyake Dandan is in Arakawa Ward
- The 36-step stairway down to Yanaka Ginza, “Yuyake Dandan” (Sunset Steps), actually has an Arakawa Ward address: 3-13 Nishi-Nippori. Its name was chosen through a public call by the Yanesen magazine.
- The Himalayan cedar
- A neighborhood symbol at a three-way junction in Yanaka 1-chome. Before the war, the grandfather of the owner of nearby Mikado Pan bakery grew it in a flowerpot. It now has a trunk about 3 m around, stands about 20 m tall and is estimated to be 80 to 90 years old.
- Kannonji's earthen wall
- A 37.6 m wall of alternating layers of roof tile and clay, a registered Tangible Cultural Property. Two brothers of the temple's 6th abbot were among the 47 Ronin of Ako.
- A gallery in a bathhouse
- SCAI THE BATHHOUSE is a contemporary art gallery that opened in 1993 in Kashiwa-yu, a public bathhouse with 200 years of history. Open 12:00–18:00; closed Sundays, Mondays, holidays and between exhibitions.
- Daimyo Clock Museum
- Clocks made by clockmakers employed by Edo-period feudal lords, collected by the potter Kamiguchi Guro: wall clocks, tower clocks, pillow clocks and inro clocks.
- Pagoda foundation stones
- Near Sakura-dori in Yanaka Cemetery, the 49 foundation stones of the burned pagoda remain in place.
Sources: LIVE JAPAN「猫の聖地「谷根千」フォトスポット3選」 (Japanese) / 現代ビジネス「「谷根千」夕焼けだんだん」 (Japanese) / 地球の歩き方「谷根千散策」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「観音寺築地塀」 (Japanese) / 美術手帖「SCAI THE BATHHOUSE」 (Japanese) / ニッポン旅マガジン「天王寺・五重塔跡」 (Japanese)
FAQ
What are the opening hours of Yanaka (Yanesen)?
The neighborhood is open any time. Shop hours on Yanaka Ginza vary by shop
How much does Yanaka (Yanesen) cost?
Walking is free. Asakura Museum of Sculpture: adults ¥500, elementary to high school students ¥250
How do I get to Yanaka (Yanesen)?
Yanaka Ginza: about 5 min walk from Nippori Station, about 3 min from Dokanyama Exit of Sendagi Station (Chiyoda Line). Yanaka Cemetery: about 5 min from Nippori Station
How did Yanaka become a temple town?
The name Yanaka (“in the valley”) is said to come from its position in the valley between the Ueno and Hongo plateaus (there are other theories). It first appears in records in 1559, as land held by Toyama Yakuro, a retainer of the Hojo clan. In the Edo period it became shogunate land and later belonged to Kan'ei-ji temple.
What are some little-known spots in Yanaka (Yanesen)?
Yuyake Dandan is in Arakawa Ward, The Himalayan cedar, Kannonji's earthen wall, A gallery in a bathhouse, Daimyo Clock Museum, Pagoda foundation stones.