01 Sugamo／巣鴨

Sugamo station is located at the crossing of Yamanote Line and Nakasendo Road, one of the two main routes that connected Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto in the Edo period (1603-1867).  The south-east area of Sugamo station is an excellent residential area called “Yamato-mura”, that was developed and sold to individuals by Mitsubishi Group in 1922. This street in “Yamato-mura” (photo below) was filmed by Yasujiro Ozu in ”Late Spring” (the father and the daughter walked along this street after the Noh stage play).

The south-west area of Sugamo station is an ordinary quiet residential area (photo below).

After the Meiji Restoration (1887), a large area between Sugamo station and Komagome station became properties of Iwasaki family, the founder of Mitsubishi Group. A soccer filed and a large building of Mitsubishi Sports Club and company housing of Mitsubishi Heavy Industry are located in the north-east area of Sugamo station. Below is a photo of the entrance of an old apartment in the area that was built in 1938 for foreigners.