The Toei Mita Line, the first in Tokyo to install platform safety barriers, stretches across 27 stations. It begins in stylish Meguro in the southwest and ends at Nishi-Takashimadaira in the northwest. Known as the Blue Line, it is among Tokyo’s busiest and offers an extraordinary range of sightseeing opportunities.
Photo by leochen66
Meguro Station
Meguro Station, gateway to attractive parks and dining, is also the perfect example of what “cute” once meant—ugly but interesting. The free Meguro Parasitological Museum is, well, one to remember. A different kind of quality is Shirokanedai Station and the Matsuoka Museum of Art, which houses ancient Oriental ceramics, sculptures and paintings collected by developer Seijiro Matsuoka.
Shirokane-Takanawa Station
With an eight-meter circumference, the Chinkapin Tree of the former Hosokawa residence is an impressive sight. Accessible via Shirokane-Takanawa Station, the tree is a registered Natural Monument. A more somber experience is the Mizuno Kenmotsu residence. Located out of Mita Station in a warren of tiny back alleyways, this is where nine of the infamous 47 ronin took their lives with classic samurai honor.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Shibakoen Station and Onarimon Station
The amazing Shiba Park by Shibakoen Station is full of highlights. The most mysterious is the Shiba Maruyama Kofun. This ancient tomb for missing Japanese royalty continues to puzzle researchers. Shiba Park also features Zojo-ji Temple. A short walk from Onarimon Station, the grounds of this former Tokugawa temple feature a cedar tree planted by Ulysses Grant, the 18th president of the United States.
Uchisaiwaicho Station and Hibiya Station
Japanese alcohols are a thing and out of Uchisaiwaicho Station lies the Japan Sake and Shochu Information Center. With English-speaking staff and tasting opportunities, the center clearly has a receptive international audience. Aside from its namesake park, Hibiya Station also leads to the Hibiya Godzilla Square. Featuring a three-meter-tall statue of the famous beast, the square honors one of Japan’s most enduring cinematic legacies.
Want more Tokyo travel ideas? Check our full guide to the Metro Hibiya Line: Explore the Tokyo Metro Hibiya Line
Photo from Sanga Park
Otemachi Station and Jimbocho Station
Otemachi Station is overrun by government and business but for a sweeter taste, try Suikodo. This Japanese confectionery store offers a variety of treats made out of mashed sweet potato and red bean paste. Bookstores are a dime-a-dozen around Jimbocho Station but a convenient one for families is Book House Cafe. With 10,000 different children’s titles, this bookstore and cafe includes plenty of stroller space for parents.
Credit: TkKurikawa
Suidobashi Station and Kasuga Station
Outside Suidobashi Station, there’s no escaping Tokyo Dome. A huge modern entertainment complex, any visit contends with rollercoasters, galleries, cinemas and even the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum. Described as ‘no nonsense’, Marukin Ramen out of Kasuga Station is decidedly local. With thick broths and hearty flavors, this noodle bar is perfect for anyone looking for a belly-fill after a late night out.
Hakusan Station and Sengoku Station
Hakusan Station, close to Koishikawa Botanical Garden, is part of the University of Tokyo. The garden features several thousand botanical species and offers lovely cherry blossom viewing and a beautiful Japanese-landscaped garden. Tucked away from Sengoku Station is the little-known Sengoku Ryokuchi. A raised walking track through a dense grove of deciduous trees, this forest features one of Tokyo’s oldest elm trees.
Sugamo Station and Nishi-Sugamo Station
Outside Sugamo Station stretches 800-meters of the famous shotengai shopping street Sugamo Jizo Dori. The lane’s traditional ambiance includes sweets and a shrine believed to have healing powers. Of the temples surrounding Nishi-Sugamo Station, Sugamo Oudai Kannon-do stands out. Known for its turban clam shell-shaped design, the temple combines several ancient Bodhisattva statues with interior design art.
Photo from y-studio
Shin-Itabashi Station and Itabashi-Kuyakushomae Station
North of Shin-Itabashi Station is the Shakuji River, a tributary of the Arakawa River. Along its banks are several green spaces, including the Otonashi Kobushi and Kunugi as well as the Ikoi no Mori. Accessible from Itabashi-Kuyakushomae Station is the free Itabashi Petting Zoo. A boon for families, the zoo offers plenty of park space, carriage rides and, of course, petting animals.
Itabashi-Honcho Station and Motohasunuma Station
Close to Itabashi-Honcho Station, Dagayashi Game Museum is retro heaven. This old-time game center is loaded to the brim with cheap mechanical wonder years fun. An extraordinary plot of natural Tokyo, the Akabane Nature Observatory Park is easily accessible from Motohasunuma Station. The park features natural spring waters, native flora and a city-designated Cultural Property.
Shimurasakaue Station and Shimura-Sanchome Station
Before heading to the restored Edo-period Yakushi Kiyomizu fountain from Shimurasakaue Station try Onigiri Gonta. A tiny store with huge value, the rice balls and bento lunch boxes embody neighborhood volume and price. A lunch option from Shimura-Sanchome Station is Orizuru Sushi. Cozy, comfortable and complete, this 10-seater restaurant is the perfect example of local friendliness, fresh ingredients and safe prices.
Hasune Station and Nishidai Station
Hasune Station leads to the curiously named &Takano Pain. Established in 2019, this local bakery continues Japan’s love affair with quality with its savory breads and rolls. Nishidai Station is close to the Shingashi River along whose banks sits the Funato Riverside Park. Once connected to the Arakawa River, the park features a waterfront terrace and hosts the Itabashi Fireworks festival in summer.
Credit: EyeEm Mobile GmbH
Takashimadaira Station and Shin-Takashimadaira Station.
Takashimadaira Station is home to the Itabashi Botanical Gardens. Showcasing hundreds of floral species from various biomes over more than one level, the gardens also feature an aquarium complete with Southeast Asian fish. Unagi Naruse serves unagi eel, one of Japan’s great foods, just outside of Shin-Takashimadaira Station. Offering a down-to-earth vibe, the restaurant even provides English-language menus.
Love unagi? Read our full review of Ufuku Eel Restaurant for more Tokyo eel dining.
Photo from Wikimedia Commons
Nishi-Takashimadaira Station
It may be the line’s last stop but Nishi-Takashimadaira Station is home to a first. The Itabashi Art Museum was Tokyo’s first municipal art complex and showcases Japanese avant-garde and Edo-period works while also supporting artists from the area. This local attention seems a fitting finale to one of Tokyo’s busier and locally driven lines.
Explore the Toei Mita Line using a One-Day Pass (¥700), or with a combined Toei & Metro Two-Day Pass (¥1,200) or Three-Day Pass (¥1,500).
Did you like our Tokyo Train Guide to the Mita Line? Read our other guides here:
Tokyo Train Guide: Shinjuku Line
Tokyo Train Guide: Asakusa Line
AloJapan.com