If you’re joining us for a cooking class in Bunkyo, there’s plenty to explore nearby. As Edo, the city now known as Tokyo, grew around Edo Castle, feudal lords and samurai families established residences in what is now Bunkyo. Temples were founded or moved here as the area grew. You can still see that history today in places like Koishikawa Korakuen, once a Tokugawa family garden, and Gokokuji, a temple founded by the fifth Tokugawa shogun.
Use the map to find historic sites, gardens, and cherry blossom spots to visit before or after class.
Places on the Map
🌸 marks places to see cherry blossoms in spring.
- Hatoyama Hall（鳩山会館）
1-7-1 Otowa, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区音羽1-7-1）
Explore a Western-style mansion built for Ichiro Hatoyama in the 1920s and its rose garden. The visitor entrance is on Otowa-dori.
View on Our Map - Site of the Kirishitan Yashiki（切支丹屋敷跡）
1-24-8 Kohinata, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区小日向1-24-8）
During the Edo period, the shogunate confined Christian missionaries and believers here. One of them was the Italian missionary Giovanni Battista Sidotti, whose conversations with scholar Arai Hakuseki informed a book about the West. - Jinkoji Temple and Takizawa Bakin’s Grave（深光寺・滝沢馬琴の墓）
4-9-5 Kohinata, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区小日向4-9-5）
This temple is the burial place of Takizawa Bakin, the Edo-period author of the epic novel Nansō Satomi Hakkenden. - Harimazaka Cherry Blossom Avenue 🌸（播磨坂さくら並木）
Between Koishikawa 4-chome and 5-chome, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区小石川4丁目・5丁目の境）
Around 120 cherry trees line this hillside avenue. The central promenade is a lovely place to enjoy the blossoms in spring. - Koishikawa Botanical Garden 🌸（小石川植物園）
3-7-1 Hakusan, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区白山3-7-1）
This University of Tokyo garden traces its history to an Edo-period medicinal herb garden. In spring, look for the grove of Somei Yoshino cherry trees. - Denzuin Temple（傳通院）
3-14-6 Koishikawa, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区小石川3-14-6）
This temple is closely connected with the Tokugawa family. Tokugawa Ieyasu’s mother, Odai no Kata, and Princess Senhime are buried here. - Edogawa Park and the Kanda River 🌸（江戸川公園・神田川の桜）
2-1 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区関口2-1）
In spring, cherry branches arch over the Kanda River. The park also has a reconstruction of the weir that once helped supply Edo with water. - Sekiguchi Bashoan（関口芭蕉庵）
2-11-3 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区関口2-11-3）
The haiku poet Matsuo Basho is said to have lived here while working on Edo’s water supply. A small garden commemorates his connection to the area. - St. Mary’s Cathedral, Tokyo（東京カテドラル聖マリア大聖堂）
3-16-15 Sekiguchi, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区関口3-16-15）
Designed by architect Kenzo Tange, this cathedral is known for its sweeping walls and the cross formed by its roof. - Higo Hosokawa Garden 🌸（肥後細川庭園）
1-1-22 Mejirodai, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区目白台1-1-22）
This Japanese pond garden stands on a former Hosokawa family estate. Visit for cherry blossoms in spring and maple leaves in autumn. - Eisei Bunko Museum（永青文庫）
1-1-1 Mejirodai, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区目白台1-1-1）
This museum next to Higo Hosokawa Garden exhibits art and historical objects passed down through the Hosokawa family. - Gokokuji Temple（護国寺）
5-40-1 Otsuka, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区大塚5-40-1）
The fifth Tokugawa shogun, Tsunayoshi, founded this temple at his mother’s request. Its main hall dates to the Edo period and is a designated Important Cultural Property. - Koishikawa Korakuen Garden 🌸（小石川後楽園）
1-6-6 Koraku, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区後楽1-6-6）
The Mito branch of the Tokugawa family created this Edo-period garden. In spring, look for the weeping cherry tree known as Babazakura. - Site of Tokugawa Yoshinobu’s Final Residence（徳川慶喜終焉の地）
2-8-9 Kasuga, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区春日2-8-9）
Japan’s last shogun spent his final years here. The site is now part of a university, with a historical sign outside its north gate. - Genkakuji Temple (Konnyaku Enma)（源覚寺（こんにゃくえんま））
1-16-30 Kasuga, Bunkyo, Tokyo（文京区春日1-16-30）
The museum uses photographs and documents to tell the story of Kodokan judo, founded by Jigoro Kano.
Before You Visit
Opening hours and visiting times may vary by season. Check the latest visitor information for each site before you go.