Even though I live in Tokyo, I visited Senzoku-ike Pond for the first time.
I thought it would just be a regular pond in a residential area, but it turned out to be an oasis in the heart of Tokyo, located in Ota Ward, with a circumference of over 1km!
This is also recommended for those who are tired of the crowds in the city center and usually go to places like Shinjuku, Shibuya, and Ikebukuro.
Now, to get to Senzoku-ike Pond, take the Tokyu Ikegami Line from Gotanda or Kamata and you'll arrive right in front of Senzoku-ike Station.
The Bentenjima Island is noteworthy! Senzoku-ike is a beautiful scenic spot.
There are also many open spaces, making it a great place to visit with your family. It seems that the cherry blossoms bloom magnificently in the spring.
There is a walking path around Senzoku-ike Pond, so you can walk around the entire pond.
It's about 1km in circumference, making it easy to navigate, and it seems to be popular as a running spot.
By the way, this area is called "Senzoku", but why is it called Senzoku-ike (literally "washing feet pond") and not Senzoku-ike (literally "thousand bundles pond")?
The origin of Senzoku-ike is that Nichiren Shonin washed his feet in this pond on his way from Mount Minobu (a temple in Yamanashi Prefecture with some terrifying stairs) to Ikegami Honmon-ji Temple.
I had been wondering for a while, "Did someone wash their feet to purify themselves...?" but it was exactly as it sounded, wasn't it (lol)
A bench with a wonderful view of Senzoku-ike.
The "Ikegawa Bridge" with a unique atmosphere has appeared.
I thought it was a beautiful bridge without any signs of aging, but it was renovated for the first time in 20 years in 2016!
And, there were three two-seater wooden benches where you can relax while admiring the Ikegawa Bridge.
They are benches that offer a great view, and can be used for dates or as a place to eat your lunch at Senzoku-ike.
Is this Itsukushima Shrine in Hiroshima!? This is the red torii gate of Senzoku Hachiman Shrine.
The contrast with Ikegawa Bridge is wonderful.
There was an abdominal exercise bench on the back of Senzoku Shrine!
You can train your abs while enjoying the view of the pond! Let's do abs with a clear mind.
Near Bentenjima Island, down from the abdominal exercise bench, there was a bench where you could overlook the entire Senzoku-ike Pond.
It's a beautiful bench, and for resting at Senzoku-ike, this is the best spot according to the manager Pen-ta!
By the way, you can rent boats at Senzoku-ike, so I'd like to recommend it as a date spot in Tokyo.
A smart white heron living in Senzoku-ike. It seems to be famous among the locals.
I also saw many cute spot-billed ducks! Are the ducks floating??
A cat staring intently at the fish swimming in the stream. It seemed that there were only carp, though...
There are many animals to heal you♪
Near Hatanodai on the Senzoku-ike side, there was Senzoku-ike Park, which is well-equipped with playground equipment.
I visited on a Saturday, and it was bustling with many families with children♪
Oh, this is a historical exploration corner. It's Myofuku-ji Temple, a temple of the Nichiren sect.
The site related to Nichiren Shonin, who washed his feet in Senzoku-ike.
Is this Kamakura or Arashiyama now!? You can stroll through a bamboo grove. After passing through here, you'll find the Keisa-kake pine of Myofuku-ji Temple.
Even so, the area around Senzoku-ike is full of variety and interesting spots.
Behind Senzoku-ike Park, the Kaishu Katsu Memorial Hall is under construction! It's scheduled to open in the summer of 2019 in the middle of a residential area.
That's because, the graves of Kaishu Katsu and his wife are located near Senzoku-ike.
Kaishu Katsu was impressed by the scenery of Senzoku-ike on his way to his main camp, and he built a villa nearby.
In conclusion, Senzoku-ike was more interesting than I expected.
I didn't have much reason to go to Senzoku-ike, so it's a shame that I didn't know about it until now...
There are many cute wild birds, so I recommend it as a healing spot in the city!
It's also a good place for a hidden date spot in the city.
So, why not visit Senzoku-ike?