Shibamata
Shibamata
4
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.0
127 reviews
Excellent
34
Very good
67
Average
24
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2
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hfot2 🌸🍁🌸
Vermont7,692 contributions
Nov 2019
We have been meaning to come to Shibamata on several prior visits to Tokyo and we are very pleased that we finally got here. Now that we know how easy it is to visit and what wondrous sights the town offers, we will definitely return for more.
The Taishakuten Temple carvings attracted our attention online but there is so much more to the town. The nostalgic ambience of old Tokyo alone makes the visit worthwhile.
There were many Japanese visitors on the day we visited, but we only saw one other Western couple. The town perhaps is a bit further from Tokyo than many are willing to travel or perhaps it is just off the tourist radar.
The Taishakuten Temple carvings attracted our attention online but there is so much more to the town. The nostalgic ambience of old Tokyo alone makes the visit worthwhile.
There were many Japanese visitors on the day we visited, but we only saw one other Western couple. The town perhaps is a bit further from Tokyo than many are willing to travel or perhaps it is just off the tourist radar.
Written October 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rich7075
San Francisco, CA240 contributions
May 2023 • Couples
Shibamata was on my list of places to visit. I had read that it’s a popular one day excursion from Tokyo. It was about an hour’s train ride from Tokyo. Upon arriving at Shibamata Station I could immediately feel that I was transported to old Japan.
In addition I was delighted to find out that Shibamata was the hometown of the famous long running Japanese drama series Tora-san. It was my Mother’s favorite Japanese series to watch while I was growing up. Of course I would occasionally watch episodes with her so seeing a statue of Tora-san was very nostalgic for me. In addition walking through the main street from the station was fun with all the various shops, restaurants and street food vendors. The street led to the Taishakuten Daikyoji Temple. The front entrance gate is massive and the architecture is so impressive.
This is truly a worthwhile day excursion from Tokyo. Such a cool retro experience offering food, souvenir shopping and a historic temple all in one visit.
In addition I was delighted to find out that Shibamata was the hometown of the famous long running Japanese drama series Tora-san. It was my Mother’s favorite Japanese series to watch while I was growing up. Of course I would occasionally watch episodes with her so seeing a statue of Tora-san was very nostalgic for me. In addition walking through the main street from the station was fun with all the various shops, restaurants and street food vendors. The street led to the Taishakuten Daikyoji Temple. The front entrance gate is massive and the architecture is so impressive.
This is truly a worthwhile day excursion from Tokyo. Such a cool retro experience offering food, souvenir shopping and a historic temple all in one visit.
Written March 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
979midiy
Sydney, Australia92 contributions
Feb 2020 • Friends
If you know the movie series 'Otoko wa tsurai yo'( Tora-san is the main character's nickname), you would enjoy this town more. 48 movies over 26 years, you know how popular this series was and still is. The statues, the museum and shops after the movies make much more sense.
Written April 4, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
横澤 豊
Azumino, Japan228 contributions
Apr 2024 • Couples
I went there, fascinated by Tora-san's town.
Starting from Shibamata Station, Nakamise-dori, Taishakuten, Tora-san Memorial Museum, Yamada Yoji Newseum, Edogawa embankment, etc., everything was just as it was in the Tora-san movies, and I was thrilled.
Although some of the buildings have been updated with the times, the laid-back atmosphere of the Showa era was still there, and I enjoyed it very much, feeling nostalgic.
Starting from Shibamata Station, Nakamise-dori, Taishakuten, Tora-san Memorial Museum, Yamada Yoji Newseum, Edogawa embankment, etc., everything was just as it was in the Tora-san movies, and I was thrilled.
Although some of the buildings have been updated with the times, the laid-back atmosphere of the Showa era was still there, and I enjoyed it very much, feeling nostalgic.
Written April 9, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
J&S_Singapore
Singapore, Singapore6,175 contributions
Jun 2016 • Couples
Take it as a day trip from Tokyo if you intend to visit this laid-back and nostalgic town, as it takes at least 3 hours to appreciate it well. We took the metro from Asakusa 浅草 to takasago station. Here it is a direct route on Keisei Kanamachi line [金町線] to Shibamata station (KS50 I think…).
Starting at Shibamata Station 柴又駅 one will see at the plaza a bronze statue of Tora-san [寅さん] who stars in the 1968 drama series. From here it will be a 200-meter walk along the lively Taishakuten Sando 帝釈天参道 to the Taishakuten Temple, an icon of Shibamata. It is lined with traditional edo-styled wooden buildings on both sides, several tea houses and sweets shops, some used during the filming of the Tora-san movies. The approach is always lively as the shops selling tourist goods and traditional Japanese foods or snacks add so much jazz and jive. We bought and tried out much samples!
Do take time to explore Taishakuten柴又帝釈天 Temple which is at end of this street. Be marveled by the graceful Niten-mon Gate guarded by towering wooden sculptures. Within the premise there are pine tree and a spacious area spotted with smaller shrines and statures. Get some good-luck charm and souvenirs from a shop too.. Pay a fee of 400 yen and you got to access the boardwalk around the temple gardens and koi pond, and also inside the main temple where there are these amazing wood carvings decorating the walls.
Walk another 15 mins away is the Yamamoto-tei, the residence of Einosuke Yamamoto, founder of the Yamamoto Plant, We were unlucky on a Saturday afternoon as it was closed for some reno/repair work! So not stroll along the much-mentioned garden. The Tora-san Museum is a must-go too and it actually replicates the film series (It’s Tough Being a Man). Also on display are costumes, Tora-san’s suitcase, screenplays, and videos. Just across the street is the Yoji Yamada Museum.
After walking further it will be the Edogawa River which has large fields on each bank. A relaxing walk here will definitely rejuvenate your tired soul…we did not try the ferryboat.
To us Shibamata is one of those few places where you can get away from the usual hustle-bustle of the modern Tokyo. We are quite frequent traveler to Tokyo so we are looking towards less touristy places. Shibamata with its preserved townscape reminiscent of old downtown Tokyo definitely is a draw. It has not appeared on much tourist guidebook yet but definitely worth the visit to experience this traditional.
Starting at Shibamata Station 柴又駅 one will see at the plaza a bronze statue of Tora-san [寅さん] who stars in the 1968 drama series. From here it will be a 200-meter walk along the lively Taishakuten Sando 帝釈天参道 to the Taishakuten Temple, an icon of Shibamata. It is lined with traditional edo-styled wooden buildings on both sides, several tea houses and sweets shops, some used during the filming of the Tora-san movies. The approach is always lively as the shops selling tourist goods and traditional Japanese foods or snacks add so much jazz and jive. We bought and tried out much samples!
Do take time to explore Taishakuten柴又帝釈天 Temple which is at end of this street. Be marveled by the graceful Niten-mon Gate guarded by towering wooden sculptures. Within the premise there are pine tree and a spacious area spotted with smaller shrines and statures. Get some good-luck charm and souvenirs from a shop too.. Pay a fee of 400 yen and you got to access the boardwalk around the temple gardens and koi pond, and also inside the main temple where there are these amazing wood carvings decorating the walls.
Walk another 15 mins away is the Yamamoto-tei, the residence of Einosuke Yamamoto, founder of the Yamamoto Plant, We were unlucky on a Saturday afternoon as it was closed for some reno/repair work! So not stroll along the much-mentioned garden. The Tora-san Museum is a must-go too and it actually replicates the film series (It’s Tough Being a Man). Also on display are costumes, Tora-san’s suitcase, screenplays, and videos. Just across the street is the Yoji Yamada Museum.
After walking further it will be the Edogawa River which has large fields on each bank. A relaxing walk here will definitely rejuvenate your tired soul…we did not try the ferryboat.
To us Shibamata is one of those few places where you can get away from the usual hustle-bustle of the modern Tokyo. We are quite frequent traveler to Tokyo so we are looking towards less touristy places. Shibamata with its preserved townscape reminiscent of old downtown Tokyo definitely is a draw. It has not appeared on much tourist guidebook yet but definitely worth the visit to experience this traditional.
Written July 26, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
HotEarth
Melbourne, Australia680 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
This place very well sits among the top of my favourite place to visit in Tokyo despite it not being well known! There is a beautiful temple here with many intricate wood carvings around it and an extraordinarily beautiful Japanese garden where you can walk shoeless around it through covered path and buildings. Behind it is an old hisoric house with a beautiful garden. An interesting old town with some shops and restaurants lining it leads from Shibamata station to these two places. I would rank it my top place to visit in Tokyo!
It appears that most of the tourists here are locals!
Regular commuter trains are the most convenient means to get here.
It appears that most of the tourists here are locals!
Regular commuter trains are the most convenient means to get here.
Written September 4, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
KC930
Hong Kong, null, Hong Kong86 contributions
Oct 2016 • Solo
Went to Shibamata in mid-October and I regret not setting aside more time for it.
The walk from Shibamata Station to Taishakuten temple was fairly short but enjoyable. Cute old-school toy shops and the skewers/yakitori shop at the corner (near-ish the station) is a must-try! I had the momo (chicken leg) and tsukune (Japanese meatball) - both were really good.
At Taishakuten, be sure to see the wood carvings (take off your shoes, walk up the steps to the temple and turn right to go around the temple (instead of entering the temple) and you will see a window selling tickets at 400yen.The entrance to the wood carvings area is to the left of the window). In the wood carvings area, most of the explanations have an English translation.
Yamamoto-Tei was closed (I believe for renovation), so I headed over to the Tora-san Museum (although I have never seen the film). Tickets are 500yen for both the Tora-san Museum and the Yamada Yoji Museum across the street. Note that there are no English explanations in both - however a bit to my surprise I still enjoyed it (at least the Tora-san Museum)! There are cute recreations of various scenes of old Tokyo from the film and I had fun taking pictures and inspecting each showcase.
After you exit Yamada Yoji Museum (a lot smaller and perhaps relatively less interesting for me because it's mostly about the films made by the director Yamada Yoji which I'm afraid I haven't seen any, and again no English explanations), walk along the footbridge and up the steps to have a nice view of the river - and a huge expansive recreational area for locals and you see kids running around or playing soccer or cycling. Very nice place to relax/daydream - had I set aside enough time for my excursion to Shibamata!
I think Shibamata is a nice place to go - if you have loads of time in Tokyo, or are staying nearby. It's a very different experience from the more commercial/touristy places in Tokyo and I enjoyed it.
The walk from Shibamata Station to Taishakuten temple was fairly short but enjoyable. Cute old-school toy shops and the skewers/yakitori shop at the corner (near-ish the station) is a must-try! I had the momo (chicken leg) and tsukune (Japanese meatball) - both were really good.
At Taishakuten, be sure to see the wood carvings (take off your shoes, walk up the steps to the temple and turn right to go around the temple (instead of entering the temple) and you will see a window selling tickets at 400yen.The entrance to the wood carvings area is to the left of the window). In the wood carvings area, most of the explanations have an English translation.
Yamamoto-Tei was closed (I believe for renovation), so I headed over to the Tora-san Museum (although I have never seen the film). Tickets are 500yen for both the Tora-san Museum and the Yamada Yoji Museum across the street. Note that there are no English explanations in both - however a bit to my surprise I still enjoyed it (at least the Tora-san Museum)! There are cute recreations of various scenes of old Tokyo from the film and I had fun taking pictures and inspecting each showcase.
After you exit Yamada Yoji Museum (a lot smaller and perhaps relatively less interesting for me because it's mostly about the films made by the director Yamada Yoji which I'm afraid I haven't seen any, and again no English explanations), walk along the footbridge and up the steps to have a nice view of the river - and a huge expansive recreational area for locals and you see kids running around or playing soccer or cycling. Very nice place to relax/daydream - had I set aside enough time for my excursion to Shibamata!
I think Shibamata is a nice place to go - if you have loads of time in Tokyo, or are staying nearby. It's a very different experience from the more commercial/touristy places in Tokyo and I enjoyed it.
Written October 16, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mabinho
Seville, Spain1,438 contributions
Jan 2020
Made famous by the Tora-san movies, the main street of Shibamata preserves old school Tokyo charm, with traditional buildings, shops, snacks, and souvenirs. Close to the railway station, where you are greeted by the statues of Torasan and his sister.
Written January 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kwan F
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia36 contributions
Oct 2019 • Friends
Decided to see the less travelled less touristy side of Tokyo - Shibamata. Two changes on the subway then change to the regional rail Keisei line. The main road has traditional houses and the businesses along that road comprises of traditional artisan trades eg. Dango sweets, handmade biscuits, pickles, preserved seaweed, tatami maker, and a very old temple. And a most interesting celebrity is a veteran Japanese actor Taro-san from 1930’s. His first film was shot in this town and to commemorate him almost all souvenirs have his image (even on pancakes and biscuits). There is even a museum featuring him.
Written October 31, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
chutotoro
364 contributions
Nov 2018 • Couples
This is a quiet neighbourhood town with a short shopping street leading to a shrine. It is at least half an hour of train away from the city. We noticed visitors were mostly Japanese probably due to the movie Tora San. Shopping street sells mostly torayaki, senbei made by the shop owners, dango and other street snacks. Try the kusa dango, it had a fragrant after taste. We also visited the surrounding areas as such the park leading to Yagiri no watashi and Yamamoto house. It was a nice change from the places full of foreign tourists.
Written November 11, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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