Nezu: Hidden Gems with Tokyo Greeters

Tokyo’s Hidden Gems

Finding hidden gems in Tokyo is not hard; in a city as popular as this one is, there are many little neighbourhoods and districts that are rarely treaded upon by travellers. When visiting Japan on my own last summer, I decided to reach out to Tokyo Greeters, a volunteer-run tour service which is a part of the Global Greeter Network.

I was provided a tour guide by the name of Kimie and she very kindly took me on a tour around Nezu and Yanaka. This is an area of Tokyo that was so close to the hustle and bustle, but felt local and relaxed.

What did we do in Nezu and Yanaka?

Kimie took me to Nezu shrine, Daimyo Clock Museum, Yanaka Ginza shopping street and the Necomachi gallery in Yanaka.

Nezu shrine was a beautiful and peaceful place where I enjoyed my surroundings and Kimie’s great knowledge of the area. The Daimyo Clock museum was a super off-the-beaten-path attraction that I would have never known about if it had not been for Kimie. We walked through little forest paths to get there and although I did not take any photos of the clock museum, I’ll never forget it.

We then walked up a few flights of stairs to reach a cute cat gallery, featuring local artists who’ve created sculptures, prints, carvings, and canvases all about cats. I wanted to take those sculptures home with me…

 

Our last stop was Yanaka Ginza shopping street, where there was so much to browse and look at. We had shaved ice, potato croquettes and deep fried everything while walking around. Not the healthiest, but it was sure a fun experience!

I had an amazing time with Kimie and we developed a nice relationship. She even invited me to come talk to her high school class, which I happily obliged to do. The class was on the quiet side, but I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to visit a local Japanese high school and am thankful that Kimie offered me this opportunity. Thank you again, Kimie!

-Chewy