Sumida

This is where the main character of Wim Wenders' film "Perfect Days" lived.

A diner featured in the film "Perfect Days".

A shrine featured in the film "Perfect Days".

You can cross from one riverbank to the other via the Sakurabashi Bridge.

In Sumida there is an interesting, little-known Takagi Shrine. First, it’s unusual for its purple color. Second, its symbol is the rice triangles — onigiri. The deity enshrined is Takagi Musubi no Kami, associated with marriage and spiritual bonds. Why onigiri? The word musubi is a key Shinto concept meaning harmony, balance and connections between people, nature and gods — and 'omusubi' is also another name for rice triangles. The shrine’s management used this wordplay to attract more visitors. The shrine also has unusual omikuji (paper fortunes): bad fortunes are usually left at the shrine, but at Takagi the omikuji are pierced with small arrows that have onigiri stickers.

Super Dry Hall at the Asahi Group headquarters is a popular bar-observation venue located on the 22nd floor of the Asahi building in Sumida, Tokyo. Visitors take an elevator to the 21st floor and then an escalator to this stylish spot offering panoramic views of Tokyo, including the Sumida River and Senso-ji in Asakusa. The main attraction is enjoying fresh draft Asahi beer — especially Super Dry and Nama Beer — against dramatic city views, particularly at sunset and at night. The space is relatively small and window seats are limited, but drinking beer right at the source in such a spectacular setting makes it memorable. Wait times can be 15–40 minutes depending on the time of day; evenings are especially busy.

The main attraction of Sumida is the Tokyo Skytree, the tallest structure in Japan. It stands 634 meters tall; the number is read in Japanese as “mu-sa-shi” (ムサシ), echoing the name of the old province that Tokyo was founded in. The tower has two observation areas — the Tembo Deck (350 m) and the Tembo Galleria (450 m). The best views are at sunset and at night, while on clear days you can see Mount Fuji during daylight. Tickets for the observation decks cost ¥2,400–¥3,500, but are cheaper if you book in advance.

You can cross the river on the pedestrian Sumida Bridge. From the bridge there is a view of the Asahi brewery headquarters.