Tokyo’s excellent public transportation system isn’t a recent addition to the city. For generations, trains and subways have been the best way for Tokyoites to get around, but the city’s long-term relationship with rail is a continually evolving one, which means that sometimes once-bustling lines fade away into relative obscurity as different parts of town become more popular to live or work in. For example, Tokyo used to have a much more extensive streetcar network, which has now been almost entirely removed.
One place where you’ll still find them, though, is along the Toden Arakawa Line, also known as the Tokyo Sakura Tram. Connecting Arakawa and Shinjuku Wards, the Arakawa Line doesn’t get a whole lot of use these days, as it’s been largely superseded by newer train and subway lines. It’s still absolutely worth a ride, though, if you’re looking for a glimpse of a more relaxed, old-fashioned way of life in Tokyo, and it’s especially worth riding in May, when the roses are in bloom.
140 different types of roses are planted along a four-kilometer section of the Arakawa Line, stretching from Minowabashi to Arakawa-shakomae Stations. The flowers first appeared as part of a 1985 public beautification campaign with the goal of “Let’s make Arakawa a place with the scent of roses,” and the plants are cared for to this day by the Arakawa Rose Society, a volunteer organization made up of local residents. There’s a charming, low-key simplicity to the landscap.
