Discover The Real Tokyo: An Authentic Sunday in Sumida

Heading to the crowds of Asakusa? Just a short hop away lies a peaceful, hidden side of Tokyo with a true old soul.

Join me for a journey into Tokyo’s “Back Garden”!

Come explore the real neighborhood soul of Sumida Ward — where 90-year-old Showa-era charm meets community-driven spaces, and I’m here to share the hidden stories of the neighborhood I call home.

We start with craft coffee at a tiny neighborhood café in Hikifune, then wander through Kirakira Tachibana Shopping Street — a covered arcade that has been running for nearly 90 years. It feels like stepping into a 1960s film set: third-generation fishmongers, wooden storefronts unchanged since the Showa era, and a pace of life that Tokyo hasn't fully erased yet.

Lunch is at Paradise Shokudo (Taverna Paradiso), a quirky curry spot housed in a renovated old building — a perfect example of Tokyo's kominka saisei (old-building revival) culture.

* Since the shop is cozy with only 12 seats, we might pivot to another local favorite if it's full.

Then we pick up bread from Hato-ya, a bakery founded in 1912, and head to Campus Common — a community open space in Kyojima — for a relaxed picnic and casual ping pong on the grass.

This is the Japan I love, unfiltered, local, and full of soul, and it’s exactly the kind of journey I want to lead you on :)