Needing some unique Sunday morning canine strolling concepts, my spouse and I made a decision to stroll around the well-known inexperienced practice line which passes by most of Tokyo’s city centres in a loop. I ought to level out that our little six-year-old chihuahua would do a mixture of strolling and being carried both in my arms or in his backpack.
The 35-kilometre route for the entire Yamanote line was damaged down into 5 elements. The 1st half consisted of a stroll between Tokyo station (JY01) and Nishi-Nippori (JY08), Half 2 started again at Nishi-Nippori and continued on to Ikebukuro which is the place this third half begins.
Date: Sunday 18th January 2026
Beginning Level: Ikebukuro (JY13)
Finish Level: Harajuku (JY19)
Period: 4.45 hours
Approximate Distance: 7 km
On extra acquainted territory and no maps app wanted for any of this stroll not that you really want such a factor when mainly following a practice monitor! Nonetheless, it’s not doable (or so fascinating!) to at all times stroll parallel to the Yamanote Line and naturally we did take the odd little detour like we did to see the outside of Jiyu Gakuen Myonichikan, the Frank Lloyd Wright designed public corridor heritage constructing from simply over a century in the past which is positioned on a quiet again avenue between Ikebukuro and Mejiro.
As we approached the following station we handed by Ceres Takadanobaba which, based mostly on the constructing exterior, I at all times thought was a Catholic Church however it’s really only a marriage ceremony venue.
Shin Okubo station was subsequent and a return to the world the place we as soon as lived for a few years. We hardly ever went to Korea City after we resided within the space however this time we did stroll among the many crowds and picked up some avenue snacks from a fast-food spot known as Gamaro Gang Jung.
It’s a little bit of a vacationer entice that sells some viral rainbow cheese snacks and twisted potatoes, however my spouse simply bought some spicy fried hen and topokki.
It’s essential to remind you that this enterprise just isn’t actually about seeing a load of sights on the best way as it’s mainly a glorified canine stroll! One fascinating wanting place neither of us had seen earlier than was Yoyogi Broadway, a cool little space with some paintings paying homage to NYC. Presumably it’s a livelier space after darkish
By the point we received to Yoyogi station we have been fairly drained however determined to push on to the following cease as that may be a greater start line for us after we continued this stroll a month later.
The stroll between Yoyogi and Harajuku is a sizeable one. Alongside the best way we handed one of many fashionable arty bogs that are a part of the Tokyo Rest room Mission. 17 public bogs in Shibuya have been redesigned with a lot of them later that includes within the film ‘Good Days‘ (2023) though this one close to Yoyogi station didn’t seem.
The overly congested buying avenue in Harajuku referred to as Takeshita-dori mainly completed off this a part of our stroll not that we ever contemplated taking place it in any respect. Our canine has really been down there earlier than anyway.
The subsequent instalment will start again at Harajuku station to make sure the entire loop is walked in its entirety and that may seem right here quickly.
Click on right here to learn ‘Biking Around the Yamanote Line within the Reverse Path To 12 Years In the past!’
Click on right here to learn ‘Biking the Yamanote Line (2009)’
Click on right here to learn ‘#WeStopAtNothing! Platform Zeros in Japan, Z Stations in Tokyo & The Opening of a New Yamanote Line Station’
Click on right here to learn ‘The Full Tour of Katakana-Named Stations in Tokyo’
