周秀貴's Reviews

Yamamoto-tei

Yamamoto-tei is a stately residence blending modern Japanese architecture and a pure Japanese garden. While the residence is a classic modern Japanese house, its formal Japanese drawing room (Zashiki) draws inspiration from traditional styles of architecture, such as Shoin-zukuri or Sukiya-zukuri.

• Kita-Senju, Katsushika
• Museums

Yamamoto-tei is right next to the Tora-san Museum, just a 5-minute walk from Taishakuten Temple. The building itself is a century-old blend of traditional Japanese and Western styles. In the center of the garden, there are six rooms named after flowers, the moon, stars, wind, snow, and birds. The Phoenix Room is the most Western-style. Sitting on the tatami, looking out at the Japanese garden, pond, and flowing water with the trees—it feels like a giant landscape painting. It's so calming for both body and mind.

Kameya Honpo

Nearby Shibamata Taishakuten, you’ll find Kameya Hompo, a famous shop selling Dango, or flavored rice dumplings. It was a model for the Dango shop of Tora-san, the main character in the movie, “The Otoko wa tsurai yo (It’s Tough Being a Man)”.

• Kita-Senju, Katsushika
• Cafés

The mugwort dango 🍡 here has a texture similar to Taiwanese grass cakes. The main ingredients are mugwort and rice, and sometimes other flavors are added. But I still love the classic red bean dango the most. There are lots of shops nearby selling freshly made mugwort dango. Kameya Honpo has been open since 1927, so it's been around for 93 years. It'll be a century-old shop soon! 😊