Tokyo is home to 14 million people, the world’s busiest train station, and eternal skyscraper construction projects. But, you need only travel to its far eastern corner to discover a green sanctuary. Situated on the Edo River, our city is home to spacious scenic parks, photogenic gardens, and winding waterways. It’s a quiet nature retreat hidden from the bustle of the world’s most populous city.
Welcome to Edogawa, Japan, the birthplace of komatsuna and [EDO BEAUTY LAB].
In fact, there are 488 parks in Edogawa covering a total area of 7,760,682 square meters — That’s 10 square meters per resident! (データから江戸川区の魅力を再発見！これって何の数字？, n.d.)
Among the parks in Edogawa are shinsui koen, green spaces that offer much-needd respite from Tokyo living. These lush havens, five in total, are an opportunity to observe the changes of Japan’s four distinct seasons.
The pale pink petals of cherry blossoms signal the arrival of spring to the residents of Edogawa City. Sakura, as they are called in Japanese, flutter gracefully around skittish children celebrating their first day of school. On the banks of the Edo River, violet irises sway in the breeze.
Come summer, these children frolic in splash parks and wading pools. When night falls, Edogawa residents don yukata (cotton kimono) and watch firework displays in awe.
In the autumn, adventure-seekers rent rowboats meander underneath canopies of spectacular fall foliage. The inviting scent of fragrant olive trees, kinmokusei in Japanese, fills the nostrils as one breathes in the crisp and refreshing air.
Winter marks the end of a year and the return of the parks’ resident duck population. Overhead, the bare branches of cherry blossom trees sleepily await spring while the majestic Mount Fuji appears in the distance. Meanwhile, the waxy emerald green leaves and cream, magenta, and vermilion flowers of camellia shrubs take center stage.
This is Edogawa, and it is our home.
Want to discover more of the natural beauty of Edogawa, Japan? Here at [EDO BEAUTY LAB], green means “glow”! We hope to spread the goodness of “green beauty” and superfood skincare with the world’s first line of komatsuna-infused products.
Welcome to Edogawa, Japan — Sources & Further Reading:
データから江戸川区の魅力を再発見！これって何の数字？. (n.d.). Edogawa City Official Website. Retrieved September 17, 2020, from https://www.city.edogawa.tokyo.jp/e004/kuseijoho/gaiyo/data/index.html
