In this walk, we’re exploring the flatlands northeast of the Palace, where much of the real work of the city has always been done. In this episode, we discover how the past lives on in the present, with the old gods still palpable, even when they’re no longer in residence, having been displaced by newer forms of faith.

We start on Hijiribashi, Saint’s Bridge, high over a canal carved through a mountain, between two churches, one Christian, one Confucian. We walk north to two shrines, which bear witness to the inability of the state to suppress the need for worship. Kanda Myōjin still thrives, with the recent reinstallation of a rebel deity, earlier banished by a nervous government, and a booming business catering to anime fans. Yushima Tenjin also does good business, with students beseeching its poet deity for help with their entrance exams. As we move into Ueno, the hand of the state becomes heavier. First with the crafting of the landscape to resemble that of Kyoto, four centuries ago, pond, shrine, and temple protecting the shogun’s castle from the demons who come from the northeast. Then with the destruction of the original temple by 19th-century rebels, and their subsequent transformation of the hill into a cultural mecca, to serve the modern nation. Still, though, the landscape is littered with older survivals, monuments and tombs, shrines and temples still witness to the violence that has marked the place, and the faith through which it is remembered.

You can follow the walk on this map: bit.ly/43jXwRq

And you can find the full transcript here: bit.ly/3qopux7

See a sneak peek on TikTok: tiktok.com/@walkhistoricity and Instagram: instagram.com/WALKHISTORICITY

WRITER AND PRESENTER: Angus Lockyer

PRODUCER: Jelena Sofronijevic

This series was supported by the Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation. Find out more at: gbsf.org.uk

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