Itabashi is a residential ward in Tokyo’s far north, where the metropolis meets the Saitama Prefecture. Home to a wide range of parks, shops, cinemas, hospitals and temples, and serviced by several major public transportation lines, Itabashi is one of the best places to raise a family in the Japanese capital. While still mostly a concrete jungle, it’s a homey concrete jungle, a place you can easily love.

Dodge the throngs of commuters who are heading into the city as you leave the subway to explore Itabashi in the early morning. As you walk the streets, see how the locals stop at small neighborhood shrines to pray and burn incense as offerings.

Ask the way to the Happy Road in Oyama, a covered pedestrian street that functions as an indoor market. A more stylish indoor shopping venue is the Aeon Mall near Tōbu-Nerima Station.

Home to the campuses of four Japanese universities, Itabashi is a place where students and young families dictate the fashion, the streetscape… and the prices. This makes Itabashi one of the city’s most affordable places to eat, shop and stay. The shops and cafés sell a range of weird and wonderful gadgets and the kind of sweet treats currently favored by students. 

If you are on a tight budget yourself, bring a picnic to Johoku Chuo Park near the Shakujii River. Each summer the spectacular Itabashi Fireworks Festival by the river wows the crowds. This unforgettable show has its roots in the Edo Era. There are also a few art and folk museums that are free or cheap to visit.

You can’t miss the district’s huge bronze statue, known as the Tokyo Daibutsu. This Buddha is 43 feet (13 meters) tall and sits serenely on a lotus flower pedestal in the Jōrenji Temple complex. You may spot the deities of Kōmokuten and Tamonten standing guard by the Sanmon (the entrance gate) that leads to the Buddha. If you have a life decision to make, don’t forget to consult the Wisdom Granting Bodhisattva, almost hidden among the foliage. The lush temple complex is close to the Akatsuka Botanical Garden.

To end your day in Itabashi, visit one of the district’s indoor spas to soothe your tired legs in a hot tub.