Tokyo Curiologue

A Familiar Streetscape Begins to Fade Since late June 2026, a quiet but significant change has been unfolding in the heart of Asakusa, Tokyo. On Denpoin-dori, a beloved side street the dismantling of a long-standing row of small shops has begun. Visitors to the area will now find shutters permanently rolled down, with some sections already undergoing demolition. The distinctive streetscape that has delighted generations of travelers is slowly fading away. Denpoin-dori is a narrow street that runs in front of Denpoin, a sub-temple of Senso-ji. It has long been known for its tightly packed, narrow-fronted shops, some barely wider than a doorway.  For decades, around thirty merchants sold everything from kimono and traditional zori sandals to souvenirs and Japanese sweets. Together, they created a picturesque and nostalgic atmosphere reminiscent of old Edo-style row houses, or nagaya. Connecting Nakamise-dori—the famous approach leading from Kaminarimon Gate to Senso-ji Temple—with Ho...

Coloring Tokyo's Rainy Season On a rainy June 19th, at the quiet Chokokuji Temple in Asakusa, Tokyo, clusters of potted hydrangeas were in full bloom.  The temple grounds host a hydrangea market every year during this season, with colorful potted hydrangeas filling the space. Under the heavy, overcast skies of the rainy season (tsuyu), their vibrant blues and deep purples offer a striking contrast to the gray day. After enjoying the hydrangeas at Chokokuji, I took a walk toward Sensoji. Along the way, I began noticing hydrangeas growing here and there—not in pots this time, but blooming from the ground along streets, in temple grounds, and in small corners of the neighborhood. In Japan, this is the season when hydrangeas—known in Japanese as ajisai —quietly reclaim the corners of shrines, temples, streets, and parks, bringing a serene elegance to the early summer landscape. Though the rain falls steadily, it is the perfect backdrop. The hydrangea is a flower born for the rain—a qu...