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A Perfect Day in Tokyo 07/2020
Nature’s blessings nurtured along Tamagawa Josui
A Walk Along Tamagawa Josui Canal (Fussa City)
Near Kamijosui Bridge
Situated around 40 kilometers west of Tokyo Station, Fussa City lies between Tachikawa and Ome cities. With the Tama River and Tamagawa Josui on its western side, and the U.S. Air Force’s Yokota Air Base on its eastern side, is known for being a place with a variety of sights, where Japanese and Western cultures meet.
From JR Fussa Station west exit, walk down the shopping street for five to six minutes to come to Shukubashi-dori Ave., which has been developed to be easily accessible for pedestrians. Until the early days of the Showa era (1926-1989), it was popular as the city’s main road. Even today, many charming buildings remain as vestiges of that time, including a wooden church and the Kyu-Yamaju-Tamura family residence, a large Japanese-style house built during the Meiji era (1868-1912).
As you reach the end of the road, you will find Okutama-kaido Ave. and Tamagawa Josui running in parallel. Across the water is a large estate surrounded by a black boarded fence. It is one of two sake breweries in the city owned by a sake company that was established in 1822. The grounds of the estate are dotted with several structures listed as cultural properties, and if the gates are open, you can even enter. The sight of a large Japanese zelkova tree and a great brick chimney on the brewery that towers over its surroundings give the place a historical feel.
You return to Tamagawa Josui. This waterway was built on the orders of the fourth shogun of the Tokugawa dynasty, Tokugawa Ietsuna, to address the shortage of drinking water in Edo, modern-day Tokyo. It draws water from the Tama River in Hamura City, carrying it around 43 kilometers to Yotsuya in central Tokyo.
These days there is a path that runs along the canal, making it a place for rest and relaxation. The views from Kamijosui Bridge and Shimboribashi Bridge have a special beauty that you are sure to remember. Seeing the trees and greenery that line the banks of the canal reflected in the water as it gently streams by will surely bring a moment of peace to those who chance upon it.
A brewery that boasts nearly 200 years of history
Alight at Fussa Station on the JR Ome line and exit via the West Gate. Tamagawa Josui is a 10-minute walk.
Fussa Tourist Information Center “Kurumiru Fussa“
Phone: 042-530-2341
Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays and Thursdays (or the following day if a holiday falls on those days). A 5-minute walk from Fussa Station West Gate.
Website(External link) (in Japanese)