Morishita

Beneath the bustling urban tapestry of Tokyo lies Morishita. It’s a district brimming with contrasts. Modern apartment blocks rise against the backdrop of preserved Edo-era streets. Morishita offers a glimpse into both Tokyo’s past and present. Morishita Station, serving the Toei Oedo and Toei Shinjuku Subway Lines, acts as a gateway to this captivating blend. A short walk from the station, the Matsuo Basho Museum awaits. This museum is dedicated to the life and works of Matsuo Basho. He was the renowned haiku poet who elevated the art form during the early Edo period. Seeking tranquility for his writing, Basho moved to Morishita in 1680. He established his hermitage, the Basho Iori Hermitage, along the Sumida River, between Shin-Ohashi and Kiyosu Bridges. The museum stands on this very site. Inside, visitors can explore maps detailing Basho’s travels on foot through Honshu. The museum also houses artifacts and materials related to his writings and serves as a literary center for haiku research. In the museum garden, a small shrine stands as a quiet tribute. Nearby, tucked away on a back street, lies the Basho Inari Jinja Shrine. Legend has it that after Basho penned his famous frog haiku, a disciple gifted him a stone frog. Basho cherished this gift, placing it near his hermitage. Though lost for a time, the stone frog resurfaced after a typhoon in 1917. Locals, honoring Basho, built a shrine on the spot. They dedicated it to his spirit and the god Inari. Destroyed during World War II air raids, the shrine was rebuilt in 1975, complete with replica frogs. Today, it is recognized as a historic site by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. A short distance from the shrine, Matsuo Basho Memorial Park offers breathtaking views of the Sumida River and Kiyosu Bridge. A bronze statue of Basho graces the center of this elevated terrace garden, surrounded by bamboo, banana trees, and various plants. Morishita invites you to step back in time while embracing the pulse of modern Tokyo.