Behind skyscrapers and modern fashionable downtown areas hides the world of shitamachi. “Shitamachi” literally means “lower town” and refers to downtown Tokyo, the areas located on the east side. These areas surrounded “higher” Edo (the old name for Tokyo) castle and along the Sumida River, where Tokyo’s original center started developing. The lower city was … Continue reading 5 Traditional Shitamachi to Visit in Downtown Tokyo