all streets shibuya
A local guide made by walking
Bending an ear to the trees of Tokyo.
TOKYO TREE TREK
Shibuya edition
Vol.01 Lucas B.B.
(Creative director and editor)
2022.04.21
PAPERSKY is a travel and lifestyle magazine showcasing stories from nature, culture, and daily life around the world with a fresh perspective. For editor-in-chief Lucas B.B., Shibuya is a place where the city and nature coexist harmoniously. TOKYO TREE TREK is a walking course that runs through his beloved backyard. The trail connects the dots between trees in parks, shrines, and alleys. Beginning in Arisugawa-no-miya Memorial Park in Minato Ward, it runs from Hiroo into Shibuya Ward and then onto Shinjuku Gyo-en, which borders Shinjuku Ward. Join Lucas for a Tree Trek walk around Shibuya's many green spots.
Re-discover the charm of Tokyo
with “TOKYO TREE TREK”!
“My favorite place?...that’s a tough one. Let’s have a stroll and see what comes up!”
Where is your favorite point in the Shibuya section? The “TOKYO TREE TREK” kicked off with Lucas wracking his brains over this question. TTT, as people call it, is a walking tour of Tokyo championed by Lucas. The trail covers a hefty 55km, starting from Shinagawa Shrine in Kita-Shinagawa, which flourished on the old Tōkaidō Highway. It then takes in Shibuya, Shinjuku, and Asakusa, before finishing at the Imperial Palace.
“Despite being a concrete jungle, Tokyo is actually brimming with nature. Come on a TTT hike and you’ll see the city in a new light!”
The more real the trail. the more real the trail.
PAPERSKY, of which Lucas is the editor-in-chief, published its 62nd issue in 2020, a TOKYO TREE TREK special. This new Tokyo stroll around the city's symbolic trees was originally designed for tourists attending the Tokyo Olympics. While this turned out a little differently than originally planned, the response was rather unexpected.
“I hope our readers in Tokyo enjoyed it. I bet they were surprised to discover such abundant nature in the city limits. I'm pretty sure none of them knew there was such a splendid red pine tree at the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center. The TTT will become a real trail once people start to walk it in droves, so I hope it catches on!”
TTT is divided into six sections, with Section 2 running through Shibuya Ward. The distance between Hiroo and Shinjuku Gyoen is approx. 9 km. The first red pine tree at the Red Cross Medical Center stands some 15 meters tall. Since 1890, this colossal tree has taciturnly kept watch over the city’s history, like a maven.
In search of trees, like a plant hunter.
“This tree has a most unusual bark. I walk down here every day, but had never noticed it, so it was a real eye-opener. I feel like a proper plant hunter!” Such was the reaction of Lucas upon spotting the tree in front of Shibuya Ward Museum of Folklore and Literature, not far from the splendid zelkova tree at Kokugakuin University's Shibuya campus. The tree that commanded his attention with its scaly mottled pattern is a Shiromatsu (Pinus bungeana/ Lacebark Pine). Rare in Japan, it is characterized by three leaves growing in clumps that jut upwards, akin to hands clasped in prayer.
“All these different trees break up the monotony of the city. In a forest, the stronger trees outnumber the weaker ones, so the variety of trees becomes lopsides - as is often the case in a beech forest. That's precisely why trails in the city may be more enjoyable for genuine tree-lovers."
The close relationship between shrines and trees has preserved the nature of Tokyo.
The TTT runs through Hikawa Shrine (the oldest in Shibuya) and then onto Konno Hachimangu Shrine, where the name of the Shibuya district originates from. In fact, this neighborhood has been Lucas' home and office for over 2 decades.
“Shibuya is steeped in culture and attracts interesting folk. It is the perfect place to work for a magazine, but to live there, you need quiet time and relaxing nature. And that is what I like about the area - I think the reason why Tokyo is still rich in greenery is thanks to the shrines and temples. We need to take care of nature, just as the Japanese have since eons ago."
True to Lucas's words, the TTT meanders around the trees of Meiji Shrine and Hatomori-Hachiman Shrine before finishing at Tokyo's oasis, Shinjuku Gyoen. At the end of this three-hour trail traversing Shibuya Ward, it's time to once again pose the question from the beginning of this article.
“I still can't narrow it down. ......I love the newly sprouted green leaves, but also walking trails in the summer while enjoying it sky and the fall foliage is magnificent as well. Whoever you are, whenever you walk it, you'll encounter something that delights you because that's what the TTT is all about!”
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Lucas B.B.
PAPERSKY, first published in 2002, is currently on sale with its 65th issue featuring "The Iwate of Kenji Miyazawa." He is proprietor of creative agency Knee High Media, with an office located in Higashi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.