Beautiful blossoms and a taste of the slow life are waiting on the Arakawa Line . 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Connecting Arakawa and Shinjuku Wards, the Arakawa Line doesn’t get a whole lot of use these days, as it’s been largely superseded by newer train and subway lines.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 (2.5-mile) 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 .