From Nakano Broadway to Arai Yakushi Baisho-in Temple and Nakano City Tetsugakudo Park

History and Regional Appeal

To the north of Nakano Station, three distinctive places from different eras and with varied characters are linked by a walkable route.

The oldest among them is Arai Yakushi Baisho-in Temple. It was founded in Tensho 14 (1586). According to legend, the bough of an old plum tree emitted light, and the principal image emerged from a hollow in the tree, giving rise to the name Baisho-in (literally "plum-illuminating temple"). In Kan'ei 6 (1629), the daughter of the second Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Hidetada, is said to have been cured of a severe eye disease after prayers to this principal image. This story spread throughout Edo, and the temple gained widespread devotion as a "Yakushi of the eyes." Yakushi Ai Road, the street leading to the temple, has long flourished as a bustling temple town (monzenmachi).

In Meiji 37 (1904), the philosopher Inoue Enryo constructed the Shiseido hall, enshrining four great sages: the Buddha, Confucius, Socrates, and Kant. This marked the beginning of what is now Nakano City Tetsugakudo Park.

Later, in 1966 (Showa 41), beyond the shopping arcade north of Nakano Station, Nakano Broadway opened as a combined complex of shops and residential apartments. Triggered by the 1980 opening of Mandarake, a secondhand bookstore specializing in manga, specialty shops catering to passionate hobbyists gathered here, and it came to be known as a "sacred ground of subculture."

From a Showa-era commercial building to a temple venerated for eye healing, and on to a park laid out by a Meiji-era philosopher—this course lets you savor the cultural depth of Nakano.

Key Highlights

• ​Nakano Broadway​​: Across five levels from the B1 floor to the 4th floor, specialty stores gather offering manga and anime goods, secondhand books, retro toys, and video games. In recent years, stores dealing in antiques and luxury wristwatches have also lined the halls. A major charm is the coexistence of local shops rooted in the neighborhood since its opening alongside niche collector shops.
• ​Arai Yakushi Baisho-in Temple​​: A temple belonging to the Buzan School of Shingon Buddhism. Its principal icon is an extraordinarily rare dual-sided image in Japan, featuring Yakushi Nyorai on one side and Nyoirin Kannon on the other. Being a hidden Buddhist image (hibutsu), it is unveiled to the public only in the Year of the Tiger. Hakuryu Gongensui, fresh water welling up within the grounds, is said to be the origin of the place name "Arai" (new well). On the 8th, 18th, and 28th of every month, the "Hachi-no-Ichi" fair is held.
• ​Nakano City Tetsugakudo Park​​: Featuring 77 structures, stone statues, paths, and points named after philosophical concepts, collectively known as the "Seventy-Seven Sites of Tetsugakudo." Highlights include Jikuko, where historical buildings like the Shiseido and Rokkendai gather, and the paired gardens of Yuibutsuen (Garden of Materialism) and Yuishintei (Garden of Idealism), which represent concepts of "matter" and "mind." The main gate, Tetsurimon Gate, is also called the "Yokaimon" (Specter Gate), featuring statues of a Tengu and a ghost flanking the entrance. It is a designated National Place of Scenic Beauty.

Recommended Route and Duration

The recommended duration is approximately 4 hours. From the North Exit of Nakano Station, served by JR lines and the Tokyo Metro Tozai Line, pass northward through Nakano Sunmall Shopping Street, a 224-meter-long covered arcade; Nakano Broadway lies directly beyond. It is about a 5-minute walk from the station.

Walking about 570 meters north from Nakano Broadway brings you to Arai Yakushi Baisho-in Temple. Head north through Yakushi Ai Road, which has long flourished as a temple town. Adjacent to the temple is Arai Yakushi Park, where cherry blossoms bloom in spring. Photography is prohibited within the temple grounds, so please put cameras away and worship quietly.

Nakano City Tetsugakudo Park is about 1.2 kilometers northeast of Arai Yakushi Baisho-in Temple. By entering through Tetsurimon Gate, viewing the historic structures on Jikuko, and then walking through Yuibutsuen and Yuishintei, you can trace the development of Inoue Enryo's thought in sequence. In spring, around 100 cherry trees bloom in the park, continuing into the row of cherry trees along Nakano-dori Avenue. For the return journey, it is a 12-minute walk to Arai-yakushi-mae Station on the Seibu Shinjuku Line, or a 13-minute walk to Ochiai-minami-nagasaki Station on the Toei Oedo Line.

Experience Summary

A Showa-era commercial building offering a treasure-hunt atmosphere, a temple rooted in plum legends and eye healing, and a philosophical park guarded by statues of a Tengu and a ghost at its gate. All are connected in a continuous walking route north of Nakano Station. Enjoy shopping, temple prayer, and thoughtful contemplation all in a single day.