Tokyo Execution Grounds and Forgotten Souls: Dark History of Edo
- 3 hours
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Mobile ticket
Highlights
Already been to Sensoji and Zojoji? Have a love of history? This guided tour explores a pocket of the city once feared and avoided—where execution grounds, unclaimed graves, and grim legends shaped local history. We begin where a towering Jizō statue silently marks the site of Edo-period executions. Here you’ll hear chilling stories of executioners and the notorious figures who now rest nearby. Once nicknamed the “Temple of Thrown-In Bodies“ for centuries, next was the final resting place for those cast aside by society—from Yoshiwara’s abandoned courtesans to today’s unclaimed dead. We will also visit a quiet neighborhood shrine with a cafe on site to take a look at a local shrine. Drawing on years of research, this tour uncovers forgotten details and little-known stories, weaving together storytelling with cultural insights.
Inclusions
What's included
- Any use of public transportation or taxis is included.
What's not
- Drinks / snacks along the way and the optional cafe meal fee are not included in the tour price.
Itinerary
We begin near Minami-Senju, where a towering Jizō statue silently marks the site of Edo-period executions. Here you’ll hear chilling stories of the Yamada Asaemon executioners—masterless samurai who tested swords on condemned criminals, sold unusual “medicinal” remedies, and played a surprising role in the birth of Japanese anatomical study. You’ll learn how Western medical knowledge entered Japan in this unlikely place, and about the notorious figures who now rest nearby.
A short walk brings us to Jōkan-ji Temple, once nicknamed the “Temple of Thrown-In Bodies.” For centuries, this was the final resting place for those cast aside by society—from Yoshiwara’s abandoned courtesans to today’s unclaimed dead. You’ll see traces of infamous Edo crimes, including a well tied to a kabuki-famous murderer.
From there, we pass through Namidabashi—once the “Bridge of Tears,” the last crossing for prisoners on their way to die. Though the river is gone, the name still echoes in the lives of modern-day day laborers who inhabit its low-cost lodgings.
We will then visit a quiet neighborhood shrine with a cafe on the premises to take a look at a shrine visited by locals and to rest and refresh ourselves. It is located by a wide river where we can relax, if there is time!
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Know before you go
- Meeting point
- McDonald's Minami-Senju Branch Located in-between the JR Minami-Senju Station and the Tokyo Metro Minami-Senju Station
- Pickup
- Everyone meets at the starting point; there is no pickup.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Group size
- Up to 6 travellers
- Operated by
- JAPAN B
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Great for fans of dark tourism, samurai lore, and lesser-known Tokyo. As this tour is centered around crime and punishment in the Edo period, there will be descriptions of punishment and violence. We will be visiting shrines and temples that still have functioning graveyards on the premises, so please cover shoulders and midriffs, and wear bottoms that cover the thighs, as to not disrespect other visitors. Included transportation includes public bus or taxi, depending on circumstances. Tour will still run in light rain. Due to the Japanese custom of often renewing shrines and temples or holding random private worship or closures, a location may partially be covered by construction scaffolding or be completely closed without notice. We will have a backup location, but please understand. The tour may be a little longer or shorter depending on group size.
How it compares in Tokyo
- Its from-price is 37% below the median of the 4374 experiences we list in Tokyo.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Tokyo
Neon-lit districts, quiet shrines, superb food and distinct neighbourhoods make up Tokyo, a vast, orderly metropolis linked by punctual trains.
Every district feels like its own city. Shibuya's famous scramble crossing and Shinjuku's towers, bars and Golden Gai alleys pulse with energy, while Harajuku mixes youth fashion with the forested calm of the Meiji Jingu shrine. In Asakusa, the Sensō-ji temple and its market street keep an older Tokyo alive, and Ginza offers polished department stores and galleries.
Top-ranked sights in Tokyo: Senso-ji Temple (Asakusa Temple), Tokyo Imperial Palace, Meiji Shrine (Meiji Jingu).
Special offers in Tokyo
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
15% offFree cancellation
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