Hamamatsucho
Outline
With monorails arriving from and departing for Haneda Airport, Hamamatsucho Station is one of Tokyo's major gateways. Sandwiched by big towns like Shimbashi to the north and Shinagawa to the south, and with a 40-floor World Trade Center Building, this area is both a business district and a sightseeing district.
Head west from Hamamatsucho Station and you will find Zojo-ji Temple (the temple of the Tokugawa Family of the Edo Shogunate), Shiba Park with its flowers that bloom throughout the year, and the symbolic Tokyo Tower. On the east side are Kyu-Shiba-rikyu Gardens and Takeshiba Pier, which is a terminal for passenger ferries to Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands. To the south is Hinode Pier, a terminal for water buses. And on the north side you will find the huge redeveloped area of Shiodome Shio-site.
Sightseeing spots
Zojo-ji Temple is the head temple of the Jodo sect of Buddhism and was built in 1393. It prospered as the temple of the Tokugawa Family. The Vermillion Gate entrance remains as it was when first constructed and is designated as a cultural asset of national importance. Its tranquil atmosphere lets you forget that you are in the center of a metropolis. This location also offers a good view of the nearby Tokyo Tower.
Tokyo Tower, standing 333 meters tall, was built in 1958 and was the highest self-standing iron tower in the world until surpassed in March 2010 by Tokyo Sky Tree, which is under construction in Tokyo's Sumida ward. Tokyo Tower offers splendid views from a large observation deck at 150 meters, and from a special observation deck at 250 meters. Mt. Fuji and the Boso Peninsula can be seen on clear days, and the night views are also spectacular. The tower also houses a popular wax museum and the Tokyo Guinness World Records Museum. The tower's illuminations change with the seasons to fascinate people whenever they visit.
Shiba Park is one of the oldest parks in Japan, and along with four other parks (Ueno, Asakusa, Fukagawa, and Asukayama) it was officially designated as a park for the first time in 1873. Here you can enjoy walking while viewing the big camphor, zelkova and gingko trees. The Maruyama burial mound, at 110 meters long, 64 meters in diameter and 22 meters wide, is one of the largest burial mounds in Tokyo and is designated as a historical part of the city.
Atago-yama, a hill that stands just 26 meters high, was painted in ukiyoe and was a famous place to enjoy moon and cherry blossom viewing during the Edo period. At the top of the hill is Atago Shrine. NHK Broadcast Museum, the world's first museum specializing in broadcasting, was opened in 1956. Here you can learn about the development of radio and TV broadcasts through equipment and videos on display.
At Kyu-Shiba-rikyu (Old Shiba imperial villa) Gardens you can find the remains of the home of Ohkubo Tadatomo, a political leader of the Edo Shogunate around the late 17th century. It is a typical daimyo garden and has been open to the public since 1924. Saiko no Tsutumi, a stone levee connecting the pond and Nakajima island, resembles So-levee at Lake Sai in Hangzhou, China. Other must-see attractions include the rock gardens in Nakajima and as many as 300 black pines.
The huge Hama-rikyu (Hama imperial villa) Gardens are typical of the Edo period. Built and renovated by several shoguns, the current garden was completed under the 11th shogun. Shioiri no Ike, a tidal pond, is a pond which carries nearby seawater. This is the only pond of its type in Tokyo, and you can enjoy different scenery depending on the tide conditions. Matcha, or green powder tea, is offered at a teashop on Nakajima island in the center of the pond. There are two wild-duck hunting sites here, which were used in the Edo period. Various flowers such as peonies, ume plum flowers and cosmos attract visitors throughout the year.
New Pier Takeshiba includes the Takeshiba Terminal for ferries to Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands, and Tokyo Bay cruise ships arrive and depart here. There is a 450 meter promenade along the coast where you can enjoy walking and taking in pleasant views of Tokyo Bay amid the sea breeze. In the evening, the illuminated scenery of the Rainbow Bridge, Odaiba, and buildings of Tsukudajima is breathtaking. On the "Vingt et un" cruise, another recommendation, you can have dinner while enjoying a view of Tokyo Bay from the sea. Water buses to Asakusa, Odaiba and Harumi arrive and depart at nearby Hinode Pier.
Shiodome Shio-site is a new sightseeing location in Tokyo. This redevelopment project began in 1995 and the area turned into a modern city complex in 2004, with skyscrapers home to hotels, restaurants and shops. These buildings are connected by underground walkways and pedestrian decks. There are many places to see, including Caretta Shiodome, a permanent Shiki Theater, Panasonic Living Showroom Tokyo, and Nippon Television Tower. Old Shimbashi Station was built in Shiodome when Japan's first railway was launched from here to Yokohama in 1872. The reproduction of the old Shimbashi Station building can be seen here.
Souvenirs
Local specialties produced in Izu Islands and Ogasawara Islands can be bought at a shop in Takeshiba Terminal. These remote islands off Tokyo have different surroundings and both produce attractive local products.
Access
From JR Tokyo Station to JR Hamamatsucho Station: 6 minutes by Yamanote and Keihin-Tohoku lines.
Other stations nearby: Daimon Station on Toei Asakusa Line, Onarimon and Shibakoen stations on Toei Mita Line, Daimon and Shiodome stations on Oedo Line, and Shiodome, Takeshiba and Hinode stations on Yurikamome Line.
Tokyo Convention & Visitors Bureau
http://www.tcvb.or.jp/en/
