Sumida River by Water Bus: From Senso-ji Temple to Sumida Park, Hama-rikyu Gardens, and Ginza

This course takes you on a walk through Senso-ji Temple and Sumida Park, then on a water bus from Asakusa down the Sumida River to Hama-rikyu Gardens, where you get off and tour the gardens before walking to Ginza.

History and Regional Charm

This course traces the town of Edo, which developed alongside the Sumida River. According to temple legend, Senso-ji Temple began in 628 when two brothers fishing in the Miyato River—now the Sumida River—caught a statue of Kannon in their net. Across the river lies Sumida Park, once the site of a residence belonging to the Mito Tokugawa family; the embankment in front of it has been a cherry blossom spot known as "Bokutei" since the Edo period. Downriver, Hama-rikyu Gardens was once a villa of the Tokugawa shogunal family known as the "Hama Goten." Even today, seawater is drawn into the garden, changing the atmosphere of the pond with the rise and fall of the tide. Inside the garden is also the "Shogun Oagariba," where the shogun boarded and disembarked from boats. The final destination, Ginza, derives its name from the Edo shogunate's silver coin mint, the "Ginza." Following the flow of the river, you can feel the transition from Edo to the present day: from a temple town (monzenmachi) to the remains of a daimyo residence, a shogunal seaside garden, and a merchants' district.

Major Highlights

• ​Senso-ji Temple​​: Tokyo's oldest Buddhist temple, enshrining Sho Kannon Bosatsu as its principal image. Pass under the Kaminarimon gate with its large red lantern, walk along Nakamise Shopping Street, and head toward the Hozomon Gate with its large straw sandals and the main hall.
• ​Sumida Park​​: Opened in 1931 as part of the imperial capital reconstruction project following the Great Kanto Earthquake, it is Japan's first full-scale riverside park. It features a Japanese garden that makes use of remains such as a pond from the Mito Tokugawa estate, and Tokyo Skytree can be seen clearly from the southern lawn.
• ​Hama-rikyu Gardens​​: A garden with the dual designation of National Special Place of Scenic Beauty and National Special Historic Site. Crossing the 128-meter-long Otsutai-bashi Bridge over the tidal pond leads to the Nakajima no Ochaya teahouse.
• ​Ginza​​: In the Meiji period, a brick town was built here, and it flourished as a district introducing Western culture. The 4-chome intersection, where the SEIKO HOUSE clock tower stands, is said to be the face of Ginza.

Suggested Route and Duration

The estimated time required is around 5 hours. Visit Senso-ji Temple in the morning, walk from Kaminarimon along Nakamise Shopping Street, and head to the main hall. Sumida Park is located about 730 meters east-northeast of Senso-ji Temple, on the Sumida Ward side across the Sumida River. After walking around the Japanese garden's pond and lawn, cross back over the river and head toward the water bus boarding point in Asakusa. The boarding area is a 1-minute walk from Asakusa Station on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line.

From Asakusa, take the boat bound for Hama-rikyu. The travel time is approximately 35 minutes. Boarding tickets to Hinode Pier cannot be used to disembark at Hama-rikyu. Tickets bound for Hama-rikyu cannot be reserved in advance and are sold only from ticket machines at the Asakusa boarding area. The fare to Hama-rikyu includes admission to the garden. Inside the boat, announcements introduce uniquely colored and shaped bridges such as Azuma Bridge and Kiyosu Bridge. At present, Hama-rikyu serves only as a disembarkation point, and you cannot board a boat from here. Departures bound for Hama-rikyu are few per day, with days of suspension and unscheduled extra services, so check the schedule for the day of travel before planning your times. If there is no suitable boat, you can also take the subway to Shiodome Station or Shimbashi Station and walk to the garden.

The pier for disembarking is inside the garden. Nearby is the Shogun Oagariba, where the shogun boarded and disembarked from boats. Walk along the edge of the tidal pond, cross the Otsutai-bashi Bridge, and head toward the Nakajima no Ochaya teahouse. After exiting the garden, Ginza is about 1 kilometer to the north. Walk along looking at the shops on Chuo-dori street, the 4-chome intersection, and the "Monument of Brick Ginza" on a street corner, and depart from Ginza Station or Yurakucho Station.

Experience Summary

Travel by water bus down the river where a statue of Kannon is said to have been caught in a net, and disembark at the garden where the shogun once docked his boat. Trace by boat and on foot the route along which the people of Edo traveled between the river and the sea.