Photo/Illutration A statue of Eiichi Shibusawa and a mascot named Shibusawa-kun at Asukayama Park in Tokyo's Kita Ward on Feb. 19 (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

When we are walking around town, our bodies are part of the town, but when we travel by train or car, we are separated from the town, according to sociologist Shunya Yoshimi. On the latter occasions, we can only enjoy the view from the window as if we are consuming video content, he argues.

Reading Yoshimi’s book “Tokyo Uragaeshi: Shakaigaku teki Machi Aruki Gaido” (Tokyo inside out: A sociological guide for walking around the capital) makes you feel as if you were walking with him while enjoying his erudite lecture about the city.

Take Asukayama, a small hill in Tokyo’s Kita Ward, for instance.

Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684-1751), the eighth shogun of the Tokugawa Shogunate, developed the hill as a place for common people to enjoy cherry blossoms, according to the book.

Looking down from the hill, you can see the site of a factory. Eiichi Shibusawa (1840-1931), a Japanese industrialist known as the “father of Japanese capitalism,” built a paper manufacturing plant at the site, believing that Japan would need huge amounts of paper money for its economic development.

A loyal shogunate retainer, Shibusawa loved Asukayama and, partly for that reason, chose the location for the plant.

Even if you do not have much historical knowledge, you can still enjoy history while strolling around town. For instance, you could accidentally find a monument with an inscription about some interesting historical facts.

Many people have probably given up the idea of taking long trips during this Golden Week holiday period and decided to content themselves with taking a stroll.

But walking in the neighborhood can lead you to some history, for example, how an almost deserted Buddhist temple was founded. Or the sign of a store could show you how long it has been in business.

If you have lived in the neighborhood for a long time, you may have memories about how things used to be. You may remember, for instance, that a mom-and-pop candy store once stood at a certain location.

Depending how you look at it, a street can be a passage to somewhere or a playground in your mind.

You feel that you are missing out on a lot of fun if you stay home during a long holiday season. That is why many people plan long trips for Golden Week and pass through many places to reach their destination.

If that is how you usually spend this season, this year may provide a good time to leisurely stroll around town, hoping to make some small discoveries.

--The Asahi Shimbun, May 2

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