A Beautiful Walk Among the Roses of Tokyo's Arakawa Tram Line

On May 9, my wife and I decided to take an afternoon walk along the Arakawa Tram Line (ATL) tracks east from Oji. While a walk along railroad tracks may seem a rather odd way to spend a spring day with fine weather, this is something special about the ATL tracks as I have previously reported.

Much of the rail corridor east from Oji and West from Otsuka is lined with rose bushes that put on a spectacular spring display.

*Roses in many colors. (©JAPAN Forward)*

This year in 2025, the rose bloom was even better than what we have seen in previous years. It was denser with more variety in the blossoms, ranging from classic red to recently developed kaleidoscopic.

*Roses along the corridor that leads to Arakawa Amusement Park. (©JAPAN Forward)*

Miyamae Park

Our original plan was to view the roses along the ATL east and west of the Arakawa Shakomae station. Then we would check out the flowers in a small park near the Ogu branch of the Adachi Ward Library system, and after that walk to the Ogunohara Park for lunch.

*Flowers planted with great attention to layout. (©JAPAN Forward)*

We have visited the park numerous times. Although small, it has a remarkable collection of seasonal flowers in plantings that suggest serious professional attention to selection and display.

However, we found so much more than we expected that we gave up on the third leg of our walk to concentrate on the wide range of colorful roses and other flowers at Miyamae Park. Then, we had lunch at the coffee shop plus bakery that is part of the Ogu Library.

Ogu Library

Coffee shops in libraries are now common in Japan. The one at the Ogu Library is operated by the Higurashi Bakery group.

Although rather generic in external appearance, the library is very pleasant inside. It has an open plan with numerous reading spaces in different styles including outside on a terrace.

For me, it was a reminder of how much libraries in Japan have changed since I first used them in 1971. At that time they were dingy and crowded. I often felt that librarians saw protecting books from users as their primary duty.

Municipal and university libraries are now bright and airy. Librarians see their first duty as getting people of all ages to use the library and its holdings, which include manga, music CDs, videos, and much more.

Getting There

The ATL intersects with major rail and subway lines at Machiya (Keisei, Chiyoda), Oji (Keihin Tohoku, Nanboku), and Otsuka (Yamanote).

Miyamae Park is a two-minute walk from Miyanomae Station on the ATL. The park is wheelchair user friendly. It is not unusual to see wheelchair users on the ATL but close-up photography and viewing of the track-side roses involves being in the streets on either side of the tram tracks. Extreme caution is advised.

Conclusion

There are numerous venues for viewing roses in Tokyo itself and the surrounding suburban area. Kyu-Furukawa-Teien is an easy walking distance from Oji and can easily be combined with rose viewing along the ATL. Shinjuku Gyoen is a short walk from the Shinjuku Station. Farther afield to the east is the Keisei Baraen and to the west Jindai Shokubutsuen.

But, as my wife was quick to comment, the roses along the ATL are a match for anything you will find in the better-known venues. Also, there is no entry charge, no crowding and queuing at entry wickets, and no opening and closing hours. The same is true for Miyamae Park.