Where Basho Left Edo | Minami-Senju and the Old Road North

Before Tokyo became the city we know today, Senju was one of Edo’s most important gateways to northern Japan. In this morning walk through Minami-Senju, I follow traces of the old road north — from historic shrines and Senju Ohashi Bridge to the place remembered as the beginning of Matsuo Basho’s journey in Oku no Hosomichi. In 1689, Basho arrived in Senju from Fukagawa and began his long journey through northern Japan with his companion Kawai Sora. His departure from Senju became one of the most memorable scenes in Oku no Hosomichi. This area also appears in the world of Katsushika Hokusai. One of the works in his famous Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji depicts the landscape once known as Senju, showing just how different this part of Tokyo looked during the Edo period. Along the way, I visit Susanoo Shrine, founded according to tradition in 795, cross the historic Senju Ohashi Bridge, and follow the remains of a place where highways, river transport, travelers, and history once came together. Today, Minami-Senju may look like an ordinary part of modern Tokyo. But beneath the streets are traces of a much older city — a gateway where people once left Edo and began their journeys north. The walk continues beyond Senju Ohashi. In the next episode, I will follow the old Nikko Highway into Kita-Senju, once the heart of the Senju post town. Location Minami-Senju / Senju, Tokyo, Japan Walking Route Tokyo Station → Ueno Station → Minami-Senju Station → Enmeiji Temple / Kozukappara Execution Ground → Hie Shrine → Kumano Shrine → Susanoo Shrine → Senju Ohashi Bridge → Oku no Hosomichi “Yatate Hajime” Monument → Hokusai’s Senju View of Mount Fuji → Hashido Kashi — Old Senju River Port → Toward the old Senju-juku post town Video DJI Osmo Pocket 4P Photography OLYMPUS PEN Lite E-PL5 M.ZUIKO DIGITAL 14–42mm F3.5–5.6 Morning is a time for beginnings. From the quiet, the world begins to move again. This world is beautiful. That’s why I walk in the morning. #Tokyo #Japan #MinamiSenju #MatsuoBasho #Hokusai #Edo #TokyoWalk #JapanTravel #4K