Tokyo Jujo Akabane Walking Tour

Jujo Ginza shopping district entrance arch

Explore the Local "Non-touristy" Side of Tokyo: Jujo and Akabane Walking Tour

Feel the buzz and discover the old and new Tokyo!

Overview

Spend 3.5 hours exploring the historic shopping districts of Jujo and Akabane, two of Tokyo's most authentic neighbourhoods, hidden from the usual tourist trail.

Gathering at JR Jujo Station, you stroll into the Jujo Ginza Shopping District, recognised alongside Togoshi Ginza and Sunamachi Ginza as one of Tokyo's three great old shopping streets. With over 500 shops selling prepared foods, fresh produce, clothing and everyday goods, the scale of the arcade is matched only by its remarkable cheapness: croquettes for 30 yen, yakitori skewers for 50 yen, socks for 50 yen. Each store actively promotes district-wide events, fostering a genuine community feel that has all but vanished from central Tokyo. Locally-based shopkeepers know their customers by name, and there is a closeness between seller and buyer that defines the experience.

You can enjoy takeaways and light snacks on the spot, immersing yourself in a shopping street with a calm, old-town atmosphere where the residents emote a style of life rarely seen today. Passing through the adjoining Jujo Fujimi Ginza arcade, a further five-minute walk brings you to Shimizuzaka Park, a quiet green oasis surrounded by trees. The park features a 52-metre roller slide, open lawns, a pond and benches, where you can pause and enjoy the snacks purchased moments before in the bustling streets.

After the break, a fifteen-minute walk leads to Inatsuki Castle Ruins, a fifteenth-century fortification built by Ota Dokan at an altitude of 21 metres above sea level. Ota Dokan is renowned as the architect of Edo Castle; his statue stands here and the precincts are opened to the public on the 26th of every month following the date of his death on July 26th. Beyond the precincts lies a graveyard where old tombstones contrast quietly with modern apartment blocks, a meditation on Tokyo's layered past.

Continuing on, you arrive at Akabane Station in about ten minutes, where Akabane Ichibangai unfolds from the north exit. Akabane prospers as a gateway to northern Tokyo and offers exceptional access: only 15 minutes to Ikebukuro (no transfer), 20 minutes to Shinjuku, and 25 minutes to Shimbashi. While the east entrance features recently renovated buildings, the traditional drinking lanes remain firmly entrenched, famously branded the city of Senbero from the saying that for 1,000 yen ("sen" yen) you can get thoroughly drunk.

This area is defined by an intimate, deep atmosphere: Akabane Ichibangai, a lively drinking heaven; OK Yokocho, with its nostalgic mood; and Silk Road, each lane with its own personality. As dusk turns to evening, you can enjoy a few drinks with your guide before the tour concludes, and we are happy to set you in the right direction. Streets with such distinctive shops, eateries, and drinking spots are rare in Tokyo, and only Akabane can deliver this complete Senbero experience.

Details

❖ Pick-up at JR Jujo Station

15:00

Meet your English-speaking guide at the north ticket gate of JR Jujo Station, the starting point for an afternoon of immersive walking through two of north Tokyo's most authentic neighbourhoods.

❖ Jujo Ginza Shopping District

15:00 - 16:00 (1:00 h)

Step into Jujo Ginza, counted alongside Togoshi Ginza and Sunamachi Ginza as one of Tokyo's three great old shopping streets. The covered arcade holds over 500 shops selling prepared foods, fresh produce, clothing and everyday goods, all at strikingly low prices. Croquettes for 30 yen, yakitori for 50 yen, socks for 50 yen: special price tags appear at every storefront. The shopkeepers know their customers by name, and the closeness between seller and buyer gives the arcade its unmistakable old-town character. Enjoy takeaways and light snacks on the spot as you walk.

❖ Jujo Fujimi Ginza & Walk to the Park

16:00 - 16:20 (20 min)

Pass through the adjoining Jujo Fujimi Ginza arcade, a quieter extension of the main shopping district where local life unfolds away from the central bustle. From here, a five-minute walk leads to Shimizuzaka Park, threading you through residential lanes that reveal how Tokyoites actually live, far from the tourist circuits of Shibuya or Asakusa.

❖ Shimizuzaka Park

16:20 - 16:40 (20 min)

Pause at Shimizuzaka Park, a quiet green oasis surrounded by trees. Children play on a 52-metre roller slide, and the open lawns, pond and benches make this a favoured gathering place for neighbourhood residents. Enjoy the snacks you purchased in the arcade as you immerse yourself in a space just aside from the vibrant atmosphere of the shopping streets, a moment of stillness inside the city.

❖ Inatsuki Castle Ruins

16:55 - 17:25 (30 min)

After a fifteen-minute walk, you reach Inatsuki Castle Ruins, a fifteenth-century fortification built by Ota Dokan, the warlord renowned as the architect of Edo Castle. The ruins sit at an altitude of 21 metres above sea level. His statue stands on the grounds, and the precincts are opened to the public on the 26th of every month following the date of his death on July 26th. Beyond the precincts lies a graveyard where old tombstones contrast with modern buildings, a quiet meditation on Tokyo's layered past.

❖ Walk to Akabane

17:25 - 17:35 (10 min)

A ten-minute walk through quiet temple grounds and residential lanes brings you to Akabane Station. Along the way, the contrast between weathered cemetery stones and freshly built apartment blocks captures the everyday rhythm of this overlooked corner of Tokyo.

❖ Akabane Ichibangai - "Senbero" Drinking District

17:35 - 18:30 (55 min)

Emerging from the north exit of Akabane Station, you enter Akabane Ichibangai, a sprawling drinking quarter with extraordinary access to central Tokyo: 15 minutes to Ikebukuro (no transfer), 20 minutes to Shinjuku and 25 minutes to Shimbashi. The traditional drinking lanes remain firmly entrenched here, famously branded the city of Senbero from the long-standing saying that for 1,000 yen ("sen" yen) you can get thoroughly drunk. Explore the intimate Akabane Ichibangai lively drinking heaven, the nostalgic OK Yokocho, and Silk Road, each with its own distinctive character. As dusk turns to evening, enjoy a few drinks lightly with your guide before the tour concludes.

❖ Tour Concludes at JR Akabane Station

18:30

The tour ends at JR Akabane Station, from where you have excellent access back to your hotel via the JR Saikyo, Keihin-Tohoku or Tohoku Main Lines. Your guide is happy to help you board the correct train and set you in the right direction.