Sugamo, Tokyo: Jizo Dori Shopping Street Food & Culture Tour

Affectionately known as the “Harajuku for older ladies,” Jizo Dori is a shopping street in the retro neighborhood of Sugamo, packed with delicious shops and historic temples that draw people of all ages to its unpretentious, homey streets. On this tour, an experienced local will introduce you to popular Japanese sweets and snacks, temples, and other cultural points of interest in this unique local area.

After meeting your guide, you’ll hop on the Tokyo Sakura Tram, Tokyo's only remaining streetcar, for a nostalgic ride through the city to Sugamo. Your guide, a certified interpreter and sake taster, has lived in Sugamo for over 20 years and knows the area, especially the best places to eat and drink on Jizo-dori. Your guide will take you to a shrine of Taoist origins before visiting the popular Koganji Temple and learning about folklore and legends. Here, you’ll wash a statue of Kannon and wish for relief from any bodily pains and ailments, a daily cleansing ritual.

Then, it’s time to eat! From popular street stalls to tiny hole-in-the-wall eateries, you’ll visit and eat local snacks such as takoyaki (fried octopus dumplings), yakitori (grilled chicken skewers), and sweets like taiyaki (fish-shaped pancake with filling) and ice cream, or other seasonal specialties.

The culture tour continues at Shinshoji Temple, where you’ll learn about the Edo Roku Jizoson, the six compassionate Jizo guardians of Edo who are responsible for protecting children and travelers. For extra luck, make a wish before a statue of Fudo Myoo, one of the lords of light responsible for protecting the law of Buddhism.

Finally, the tour will end with dorayaki, the popular Japanese pancakes filled with sweet azuki bean paste. If you’re still hungry, your guide can point you to a fabulous local ramen shop or recommend other nearby eateries.