Bunkyo, Tokyo

Hongo Kikusaka Walk: Old Iseya Pawnshop, Tandan-zaka and Ichiyo Higuchi

I would explore Hongo’s Kikusaka streets in daylight to understand the slopes, old pawnshop and everyday world of writer Ichiyo Higuchi. It is a literary neighborhood walk, not a row of indoor museums open at all times.

Why Kikusaka is worth slowing down for

Kikusaka runs through Hongo 4- and 5-chome, linking the upland and the lower neighborhood. Small lanes and steep stairways cross the longer slope. I would watch those changes in street level before searching for commemorative plaques. This is still a residential area, so public streets rather than private courtyards are the proper route.

Old Iseya Pawnshop

At 5-9-4 Hongo, the former Iseya Pawnshop operated from 1860 until 1982 and is now preserved by Atomi Gakuen. Ichiyo Higuchi borrowed money there while living nearby between September 1890 and July 1893. The white-walled storehouse and wooden shopfront are worth seeing, but their component buildings do not all date untouched to 1860.

Limited opening dates, not daily entry

The old pawnshop opens on designated dates, normally 12:00–16:00 with last entry at 15:30. Atomi Gakuen’s published calendar governs the actual dates rather than a blanket every-weekend rule. Visitors remove shoes, wear socks and should bring a bag for footwear. There is no visitor toilet or parking. If closed, I would view it from the public street and continue.

Ichiyo Higuchi’s former neighborhood

Higuchi lived around Hongo 4-chome 31–32 with her mother and sister while supporting the family and beginning her literary career. The former residence area is not a public house museum. I would read about her life from the street and not enter private passages looking for a well, plaque or old front door.

Tandan-zaka and Abumi-zaka

Tandan-zaka, between Hongo 4-chome 32 and 35, is a steep stairway of 53 steps according to Bunkyo’s information. It is associated with literary life, including Tsubouchi Shoyo and later the Tokiwakai lodging. Abumi-zaka has a narrower, curved residential feel, with stonework and historical signboards. Neither should be forced into a stroller or wheelchair itinerary.

Starting station and an easy finish

The old residence area is approximately five minutes from Kasuga Station and seven minutes from Korakuen or Hongo-sanchome according to the original guide. Those are station-to-area estimates, not total walking time. Afterward I would continue toward FIRE HOUSE in Hongo for burgers, or go toward Kasuga and LaQua for seafood, rather than double back for both.

Facts checked: 2026-10-28