There’s something quite remarkable about Koto City. One of the 23 special wards of Tokyo, Koto City is the result of a merger between Fukagawa and Joto Wards in March 1947. Over the years, the city has expanded through land reclamation from Tokyo Bay, making way for an increasingly urban landscape with high-rise residential and office buildings — a wonderful juxtaposition to the inland, which maintains a traditional vibe reminiscent of the Edo era.
Speaking of traditions, a cannot-miss annual event at Koto City is the Fukagawa Hachiman Festival, also known as the Mizukake Matsuri, or water-splashing festival. It’s held in mid-August every year at the area around Tomioka Hachiman Shrine, the largest Hachiman shrine in Tokyo established in 1627. One of the three major festivals of Tokyo, Fukagawa Hachiman Festival attracts hordes of locals and visitors every year. But once every three years, the festival scales up to become Hon-matsuri, the main festival, which involves 30,000 people dressed in happi – a traditional costume that harks back to the Edo era (1603 – 1868) – and over 300,000 spectators. This event is so massive, even the Emperor and Empress of Japan made an imperial visit to Fukagawa in the past! The next Hon-matsuri is happening this year in August, so do check it out if you are going to be in Koto City then.
Adding another layer to Koto City’s dynamic spirit is its people. A closely-knit community with a genuine commitment to improve and showcase their city to the world, their warmth and passion are palpable — an energy heightened by the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, what with most of the sporting venues being located at Koto City.
Over the next few pages, you will not only be able to take a peek at Koto City’s unique character that is a seamless fusion of old-school nostalgia and futuristic smarts, but also hopefully be touched by the kindness and kinship of the locals.
>>Read more about Koto Souvenir
(TEXT Tan Lili Photography Yutaka Toyoda)
Out Of The Shell
Dig in to this neighbourhood specialty of Fukagawa.
Koto City encompasses two main areas that merged in 1947: Joto and Fukagawa. During the Edo period (1603 — 1868), the latter, then a bustling shitamachi (downtown), was mainly occupied by fishermen due to its proximity to Sumida River. And this is where the story of Fukagawa-meshi begins.
See, back in the day, the fishermen did not have easy access to warm rice. By a stroke of creativity, they dreamed up the idea of heating up Asari clams from Sumida River in miso soup, then pouring the savoury broth over rice to keep it warm and palatable. This easy-to-prepare dish got so popular, it became a fast food of sorts for the fishermen.
At least that’s what the owner of Fukagawa Kamasho — one of the 25 shops in Fukagawa that serve Fukagawa-meshi — has heard; without any official written record, nobody knows for sure the origins of Fukagawa-meshi. But the one thing that’s guaranteed is the wonderful taste of this neighbourhood specialty at Fukagawa Kamasho. Founded in 1987, Fukagawa Kamasho was among the first three restaurants to set up shop in the area. Interestingly, while they had Fukagawa-meshi on their menu since day one, their main items were kamameshi (traditional Japanese rice dish cooked in an iron pot) and yakitori. As requests for Fukagawa-meshi started pouring in, the owner decided to turn this dish into one of their two specialty items; the other is Fukagawa-don, or braised rice with Asari clams.
So, what is it about these two specialty items at Fukagawa Kamasho that garnered the restaurant such rave reviews? Perhaps the more apparent reason is the generous amount of clams in every bowl, as you can see in the image of the Fukagawa-meshi on this page. Visitors would post images of these dishes on social media, which draws many curious patrons to the restaurant. But what ensures returning customers is the exquisite tastes of Fukagawa-meshi and Fukagawa-don. The former is fluffy rice braised with Shimeji mushrooms and a special broth of clam dashi, and of course topped with clams; the latter is a soup-based dish with rice, with the unique addition of a half-boiled egg — when stirred into the soup, the egg lends the dish a creamy taste, making it the perfect comfort food that’s hard to beat.
>>Read more about Koto Souvenir
The Heart of Koto City
Inerview
Mayor of Koto City
When Yamazaki – who became the Mayor of the city in 2007 – was studying in university, he made a noble commitment that would change not only his life, but also the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.
What made you decide to be a politician?
Back when I was a student in university, a friend casually mentioned Koto City was smelly.
He wasn’t wrong; at the time, Koto City had a dumping ground for garbage disposal. But his comment still shocked me. It was then I made it my personal mission to make my hometown beautiful again, and I figured the best way to achieve that would be to become a politician.
What are some of the changes you’ve observed in the past decade?
Year on year, we’ve been working tremendously hard to clean up the city, be it by planting more trees by the riverside and canals or by promoting green living among the locals. This green concept is very much adapted from Singapore’s — whenever I visit Singapore, the cleanliness of the city never fails to impress and inspire me. Moving forward, I hope to constantly improve Koto City’s image and transform it into a full-fledged green city. I also hope to improve the city’s infrastructure so as to reduce earthquake-caused damage.
You’re also an advisor to the head of the Tokyo Olympic Organising Committee.
Yes, this is a very exciting time for us. Our brand concept for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games is called “Sports & Supports Koto City in Tokyo”, which essentially encapsulates the spirit of Koto City – a sports hub, wonderful greenery, and passionate, down-to-earth residents. The last of which is a culture that’s been maintained and nurtured since the Edo era (1603 – 1868); I hope our visitors will experience this human warmth
when they are in our city.
Takayuki Shiina
CEO of Glass-Lab
He may be young, but Shiina is a shrewd businessman with his heart and mind set on bettering his hometown. We find out more about what he does when he’s not busy fronting his family business in glass manufacturing.
Tell us more about what you do.
I’m an entrepreneur specialising in marketing. I’ve been supporting my father and brother in our family business that is traditional glass manufacturing; they are the craftsmen, I’m the go-to marketing person, representing my family to speak with other companies for potential collaboration opportunities. I also act as a marketing consultant to promote the local community — I hope to be able to bridge the gap between the new residents and the older ones in Koto City.
How do you plan to bridge the gap?
One of the events I came up with is a monthly gathering called Kou Talk. Around 30 to 50 people attend this talk, which involves discussions on upcoming plans and projects within the neighbourhood. It’s a fantastic way to connect both sides and foster a sense of community spirit.
What made you decide to become so actively involved in the local community?
I belong to a local association that handles all matsuri-related news and events. The association in this district comprises 50 members, of which only 10 are younger than me. This doesn’t bode well for the future of our area, that’s why I’m hoping to change that by constantly looking out for opportunities that promote Koto City.
Koto City seems to be getting a lot of attention lately, thanks to Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
It has. I’ve already started to learn English in order to better receive guests from overseas! But at the same time, we do need to think ahead for fear of entering a bubble economy, especially when Koto City is a relatively newly developed area. We should make plans to sustain global interest post-Olympics.
>>Read more about Koto Souvenir
A City of Festivals
The Fukagawa Mizukake Matsuri isn’t the only festival Koto City is renowned for. Steeped in tradition that harks back to the Edo era (1603 – 1868), Koto City plays host to a melange of festivals throughout the year, creating a constant celebratory buzz that permeates the city.
春 – Spring
Among the top-visited places in Tokyo, Kameido Tenjin Shrine is a rare gem that presents a different floral scenery every season. Established in 1661, it enshrines Michizane Sugawara, a scholar of the 9th century who is widely worshipped as the god of learning. For this reason, the shrine attracts many students during exam periods, who visit to pray for wisdom. The sceneries you can see in Spring are also the most anticipated ones — Ume (plum blossoms) and Fuji (wisteria) Festivals. During the months of February and March, the shrine comes alive with pretty plum blossoms, while later on, it gets awash in cascades of lavender blooms dangling from 15 wisteria trellises.
One thing you will notice when you visit Koto City is the sheer number of canals running across the city. Linked to Tokyo Bay as well as Sumida and Arakawa Rivers, these canals served an important role for the once-prosperous lumber industry during the Edo period. Today, they make one of the best viewing spots of cherry blossoms — whether you are jogging along the pathway or onboard one of the specially arranged tour boats, you will be able to see the breathtakingly pretty cherry blossoms lining the canals.
夏 – Summer
Summertime in Japan is synonymous with fireworks — every weekend between July and August, you are bound to see amazing fireworks shows colouring the skies. This year’s Fireworks Festival at Koto City marks its 34th celebration, and it will be held some time in early August at Sunamachi Mizube Park, near the Arakawa River. Go early to reserve your spot; around 300,000 spectators are anticipated to turn up!
秋 – Autumn
Kiba, whose name translates to lumberyard, is an area in Koto City once famed for lumberyards and warehouses. During Kiba-no-Kakunori, or square log rolling, watch raftsmen perform Japanese folk art as they balance on floating logs while performing incredible stunts.
Kameido Tenjin Kiku Festival
More of an exhibition of sorts, the Kiku (chrysanthemum) Festival features potted chrysanthemum flowers of different varieties, shapes, colours and sizes. Why is it so popular? The answer is in the numbers — in 2016, the festival displayed a whopping 500 pots in front of the main shrine! How’s that for a spectacle?
With its distinctive architectural design that resembles four inverted pyramids, the Tokyo Big Sight — Japan’s largest convention and exhibition venue — is impossible to miss. The ultra-modern centre is furnished with high-tech features and amenities, making it the top of choice for hosting large-scale international events. Tokyo Big Sight will be a prominent venue for the upcoming Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Until then, it will continue to host shows like Tokyo Motor Show and Comic Market — the former is a biennial showcase of world debuts that attracted 812,500 visitors in 2015; and the latter is Japan’s most popular comic convention that attracted 530,000 visitors across three days last year!
