Itabashi-ku, Special ward in northern Tokyo, Japan.
Itabashi-ku is an administrative ward in the northern part of Tokyo that covers a large residential area with low-rise houses, shopping streets and several sizable green spaces. The district feels calmer than the city center, with wide roads and parks scattered among the residential blocks.
The wooden bridge that gave this ward its name was once a resting point for travelers on the old trade route between Tokyo and the mountains to the northwest. After World War II, the area grew rapidly as factories and new housing districts appeared.
The name of this ward comes from an old wooden bridge that still appears in the local emblem today. Small shrines stand at many street corners where neighbors leave fresh flowers and pause briefly on their way.
Several train lines cross the ward from east to west and north to south, making it easy for visitors to move between different neighborhoods. Most stations have English signage, and ticket machines accept transit cards from across Tokyo.
The Akatsuka Botanical Garden preserves rare plant species and opens only on certain days, so many visitors overlook it. In autumn, foliage along the Shakujii River parks turns red and draws photographers from other parts of the city.
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