Great food, warm locals add to top hanami experience in Tokyo’s Edogawa City

Great food and hanami, Japan’s cherry blossom viewing parties, go hand-in-hand in Tokyo’s Edogawa City where foodies and those with a penchant for the pink petals can find both in abundance.

Drawing from the waters of the Arakawa and Edogawa rivers Edogawa City, in the east of metropolitan Tokyo, boasts a number of great spots at which to enjoy the spring cherry blossoms and the hanami parties that they bring. Perhaps none more so than at Komatsugawa Senbonzakura, a remarkable riverside stretch of around 2km of cherry blossom trees, over 1,100 in number.

(Over 1,100 cherry trees make Edogawa City's Komatsugawa Senbonzakura one of the top hanami spots in Tokyo)

Komatsugawa Senbonzakura (Komatsugawa Promenade with 1,000 Cherry Trees) invites hanami-goers into a stroll along the banks of the Arakawa, through tunnels of brilliant blossoming cherry trees where gaps might reveal views to the west and the towering presence of Tokyo Skytree.  

BBQ spots and the adjacent Ojima Komatsugawa Park, meanwhile, provide space to spread out near the sakura for a few hours while families can let young children loose on the park’s climbing frames.

(A stroll under the cherry trees of Komatsugawa Senbonzakura in Tokyo's Edogawa City)

The Komatsugawa Senbonzakura experience though, really comes into its own as you stroll among the cherry blossoms. The pleasant walk from Higashi-Ojima Station heading north under the trees that line the west banks of the Arakawa not only takes in perhaps one of the best (and most underrated) of Tokyo’s cherry blossom spots but is also a great way to work up an appetite to dive into Edogawa’s food scene.

The cherry blossoms end at Komatsugawa Bridge from which it’s an easy walk northwest to Hirai Station where a number of bars, restaurants and other eateries await to serve appetites made hungry after the hanami experience.

The area here reflects Edogawa’s warm, welcoming food scene that keeps the best of the shitamachi good old days, of friendly locals and community spirit, and fuses it with fun, creativity, skill and an open-mind to further dispel the once held myth that the best of Tokyo’s food was to be found closer to "Yamanote" -- a term referring to wealthier, central areas of the capital -- rather than shitamachi areas like Edogawa.

For a taste of the vibrant and colorful present of Edogawa’s food scene, as well as a glimpse into its potentially fusion and fun-based future, hanami goers will find much to enjoy at Hiyoko Purin, where proprietor / chef Takashi Terashima might hesitantly label his warm and colorful eatery a “ramen shop” despite appearances.

“Although it’s not always the case in recent years, ramen shops have tended to come in reds, blacks ... they have a hard image, I think,” said Terashima explaining his store’s concept and warm yellow interior. 

“I wanted to get rid of that and create an image that, for example, even a woman eating alone would feel comfortable to come into.”

In fact, Edogawa resident Terashima almost seems to delight in an image so far removed from the typical steam, grit and grease of more familiar ramen joints. Wanting a name to compliment the store’s yellow interior he came up with the Japanese for a baby chick, “hiyoko,” and instead of matching it with ramen (“That seemed strange.”) he went for “purin” (Japanese pudding), reflecting his passion for the popular dessert. 

“Even after a year and a half in business, some customers are still surprised to enter the store and discover that it’s a ramen place.” 

The name isn’t entirely abstract though with both ramen and pudding on the menu at Terashima’s eatery.

(Hiyoko Purin's komatsuna-men)

And what ramen? In particular the komatsuna-men catches the eye (on accounts of its striking green color, which has drawn diners from as far as Canada just to try it).  

The dish takes its name from primary ingredient komatsuna, a Japanese spinach for which Edogawa City is celebrated as the origin of the ingredient -- komatsuna is named after the area of Edogawa City in which it was first grown, Komatsugawa.  

Picked locally (straight from the field, soil and all) Terashima mixes and blends the nutritious and delicious leafy vegetable with soy milk and the traditional dashi to come up with a broth that is light and frothy, almost like a healthy power shake. Wanting to add a further accent to the dish, Terashima has added cumin and mustard seeds, olive oil, and cayenne peppers to bring the heat and give the ramen a delightful, exotic twist complimenting toppings that include crushed almond, paprika, and braised pork.  

This is ramen but not as you might have known it and is a testament to Terashima’s desire to create a healthy ramen dish that "doesn’t come with the heaviness,” and in a broader sense appears to reflect his feelings about the Edogawa area as a whole, “It’s Tokyo, but not really like Tokyo, in a good way.”

(Husband and wife team at Hiyoko Purin ready to welcome diners in Tokyo's Edogawa City)

The komatsuna-men was added to the menu at Hiyoko Purin as part of a komatsuna-based stamp rally event in Edogawa City. It’s now a menu staple sitting alongside shiro ramen (white ramen), a favorite among the locals and itself a healthy soy milk-based dish topped with super foods like sweet potato, sesame, paprikas and more crushed almond. 

As for the pudding part, you’d better get here early to snatch up one of Terashima's 20 homemade "jikasei" desserts, served in beautiful Arita porcelain cups, that are made available at Hiyoko Purin on weekdays only. They invariably sell out.

The future looks bright (and yellow) and varied for Hiyoko Purin, with Terashima casting his creative eye and sense of fun toward dishes like the Osaka-born spice curry, New York bagels, soup and we can’t wait to find out what else. 

In the meantime, Hiyoko Purin should be a perfect compliment to time spent under Edogawa’s cherry blossom trees -- colorful, friendly, and fun.

Hiyoko Purin on YouTube, produced by Edogawa City:

Cherry blossom viewers wanting to take their Tokyo hanami celebrations into the evening hours (and someplace warm) should head for izakaya and local favorite Matchan where proprietor Kiyoshi Mori ensures that everyone is extended the kind of warm welcome that reflects Edogawa’s shitamachi roots. 

Over 130 menu items at Matchan match the izakaya’s cozy Showa-era clutter and also ensure that there’s something for everyone here, including cocktails at the bar-counter.

Local favorites include fresh sashimi (the day’s catch carefully selected at market), motsu no kushiyaki (hearty grilled-meat skewers) and a collection of original tare dipping sauces all handmade with the love and care of a specialist but served to diners at prices they can afford (most of the menu items here hover around 300 yen).

(Motsu no kushiyaki, fresh sashimi, and sake at Edogawa izakaya Matchan)

“We don’t take a systematic approach, it’s about people-to-people,” said Mori, explaining the “Matchan” style of doing business.

“We’re in an era of systems and machinery but we want to avoid that and approach customers on a face-to-face level.”

(Matchan proprietor Kiyoshi Mori behind the counter of his izakaya in Tokyo's Edogawa City)

An Edogawa native Mori has been at the helm of the over 35-year-old izakaya for more than two decades. Softly spoken he appears to embody his own impression of the Edogawa district.

“It has humanity,” he explained of the area. “There are a lot of kind people here. A lot of greenery and nature, too.” 

Customers of all stripes then will find this Edogawa kindness in Matchan where Mori sees to it that overseas visitors, office workers, families and singles, ... whoever, can sample the shitamachi mood in an izakaya where everyone is treated as an equal, and where English-speaking locals will lend a hand to foreign customers! 

Japan’s hanami celebrations have always been a great place for foreigners to find friends among the locals -- drinks and food in Edogawa’s Matchan then would appear to be a great place to continue the Tokyo hanami spirit.

Matchan on YouTube, produced by Edogawa City:

Discover more shops and restaurants in the Komatsugawa Senbonzakura area on TOKYO EDOGAWA GOURMET NAVI:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K_CrPbLvihY&list=PL3wE_rANOE80csDX9iqHh-YGm06Er9P8T

Hanami and food in Tokyo's Edogawa City: Spot details

Hiyoko Purin (ひよこプリン)

3-16-11 Hirai, Edogawa City, Tokyo, 132-0035

3-min walk from South Exit, Hirai Station

11:00 - 14:30 / 18:00 - 21:00

Closed Weds

Web: https://twitter.com/hiyop2018

Matchan (松ちゃん)

3-26-4 Edogawa City, Tokyo, 32-0035

3-4-min walk from South Exit, Hirai Station

17:00 - 24:00（L.O. 23:20)

Closed Weds, 3rd Tues of month

Web: http://macchan3.com/

Komatsugawa Senbonzakura (小松川千本桜)

Access by train is from Higashi-Ojima Station (Toei Shinjuku Line) from which it takes around 5 minutes on foot to reach Komatsugawa Senbonzakura.

Ojima Komatsugawa Park is around 100m north of the station’s Komatsugawa Exit. Head east through the park to the banks of the Arakawa River and the cherry trees. 

From the northern end of Komatsugawa Senbonzakura it’s a 20-30-min stroll to Hirai Station (Chuo-Sobu Line) and the restaurants in this article.  

The Komatsugawa Senbonzakura Matsuri is an annual event held during the cherry blossom season, organized by a local committee in cooperation with other organizations in the area. Past matsuri have included food / refreshment stalls, stage events and pony rides.

This article was supported by TOKYO EDOGAWA GOURMET NAVI, presented by Edogawa City