Jeepney Press March-April 2023

Walk with me:

Nihombashi-Kabutocho

By Lala Lopez de Leon

March 13, 2023

It was really not my intention to visit this place - it’s way out of the way from my commute to work. But a clumsy, peculiar incident had led me to this old side of Nihombashi.

A little over a week ago, I nished work on time and decided to stretch my legs out for a much-needed walk – from Kyobashi to the Takashimaya side of Nihombashi, which is just one straight stroll along the main thoroughfare. It has started to get warm that day and I felt inspired enough to go for it.

At the Takashimaya annex I came upon a popular Italian chocolatier and bought a few pieces that I was looking forward to enjoying with coffee while I do work from home. It was getting close to dinner time and with no hesitation whatsoever, I headed right away to my favorite Soup Stock at COREDO Nihombashi.

The lovely evening went by just ne…until I got home and realized the little bag of chocolates was not on me!! Aww, I had left it behind!! What else can one do, but give up and consider it gone!

But what a surprise to find the other day a letter from the Central Police Department in Nihombashi Kabutocho! Someone had found my little bag of chocolates and kindly handed it over to the Lost and Found Office. It was a puzzle to me at first though…how did they know it was mine? Well, as it turned out…I had unknowingly left a utility bill in that little bag!! Oh, dear me!!

So here I am at the Central Police Department, Lost & Found Office to pick up my little bag of chocolates and the utility bill.

Nihombashi Kabutocho is much more than I expected. With the Tokyo Stock Exchange and several securities companies in the area, it is no exaggeration to say it is the equivalent of New York’s Wall Street.

The name Kabutocho literally means town of Kabuto or helmet. There is apparently a legend that a Minamoto clan samurai had buried his helmet in this area in the 11th century. Such Kabuto helmets are displayed with pride as Omikoshi or Portable Shrines carried around the town during festivals.

While being a prominent financial district, Nihombashi Kabutocho shows collective efforts of the government and the community to keep a well-balanced environment. There are pockets of greens and open spaces.

I also saw that some of the back streets are lined with Sakura trees. That, I think would be one good reason to come back in a few weeks or so!

Accomplishment for today’s walk: 10,324 steps.

Photos by Lala Lopez de Leon