Visit the former Tokiwa-so site, a sacred place for manga!　

Tokiwa-so used to be located about a 15-minute walk from Shiinamachi Station, one stop on the local train from Ikebukuro. The god of manga, Tezuka Osamu, moved in in 1953, and since then, Hiroo Terada, Fujiko Fujio, Shotaro Ishinomori, Fujio Akatsuka and others have lived here, making it a mecca for manga culture that sparked the vibrant manga culture of Japan. Currently, the site and surrounding area are being maintained by Toshima Ward as a manga cultural heritage site. Let's visit this mecca for Japanese manga

The manga mecca was located at Shiinamachi Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line!

Tokiwa-so is located on Mejiro-dori Street from Shiinamachi Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line. The Ochiai Telephone Exchange used to be directly opposite, and young artists like Fujiko Fujio and Ishinomori Shotaro would use the public telephones nearby to contact publishers. Both buildings no longer exist, but a monument has been erected on the former site of Tokiwa-so as a mecca for manga

If you walk from Shiinamachi Station along Tokiwa-so Shopping Street towards Mejiro-dori, you will see a sign on your left that reads "Tokiwa-so Former Site." The area where Tokiwa-so once stood is at the back of the street to the right of the sign

The top half of the plaque reads "A place associated with Tokiwa-so," and the bottom half reads "Entrance to the former Tokiwa-so site." Let's head in the direction the finger is pointing

At the end of the street, there is a monument. This stone monument, erected on April 6, 2012, is a replica of the apartment from that time. It stands at the back entrance of the former Tokiwa-so. Tezuka Osamu later moved to Namiki House in Zoshigaya, Toshima Ward, and Fujiko Fujio moved into his apartment. According to the description in "Manga Michi," Tezuka Osamu left the deposit for Tokiwa-so intact, allowing the two young Fujiko Fujios to avoid paying their own deposits. "Manga Michi" is an autobiographical coming-of-age manga about Fujiko Fujio and his friends that could be called the bible for aspiring manga artists. It ran for 43 years from 1970 to 2013, changing magazines and titles as it was published

After Fujiko Fujio moved in, Shotaro Ishinomori and Fujio Akatsuka also moved into Tokiwa-so. They formed the "New Manga Party" with Hiroo Terada as its leader, and the lonely manga artists helped each other out while deepening their studies and communication. Later, Eiko Mizuno and others also became residents of Tokiwa-so. Popular manga such as "Doraemon," "Tensai Bakabon," and "Cyborg 009," which were even made into TV anime, may never have been created without Tokiwa-so. Incidentally, the new building of Nippon Kajo Publishing stands on the site of Tokiwa-so. The monument has been placed on the grounds of Nippon Kajo Publishing

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The Manga God's Favorite Food! What is Tokiwa-so Gourmet?

After seeing the monument, return the way you came. The restaurant with the yellow tent fabric sign you see ahead is Matsuba, a Chinese restaurant beloved by the gods of manga. Located within a three-minute walk from Tokiwa-so, Matsuba was a place of relaxation for these busy artists. It is said that before deadlines, Tezuka Osamu would have ramen delivered specially from Matsuba, which did not normally offer delivery. In their younger days, the gods of manga looked forward to Matsuba's ramen before and after deadlines. Incidentally, their usual meal, during their busy schedules, was a croquette sandwich in a roll, which they ate with one hand while writing with the other

Below the entrance to the restaurant, there is a poster depicting a scene featuring Matsuba ramen from Fujiko Fujio's "Manga Michi." Manga Michi was read as a bible by many aspiring manga artists, and Matsuba ramen remains popular today as "Tokiwa-so gourmet."
Matsuba was founded in 1950, when ramen apparently cost 40 yen. The interior of Matsuba, a sacred place for the gods of manga that still remains to this day, is decorated with autographs from numerous manga artists. The ramen is a traditional soy sauce ramen made with chicken stock. Toppings include half a boiled egg, thick roasted pork slices, and medium-thick noodles. It's quite a filling bowl. Be sure to stop by to commemorate your pilgrimage to this sacred place

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A new manga mecca: "Tokiwa-so Street Rest Area"!

Walk two minutes from Chinese Restaurant Matsuba down Mejiro-dori and you'll see Tokiwa-so Street Rest Stop on your left. On the first floor, you can find souvenirs and other items related to manga artists and editors. On the second floor, you'll find a replica of the workspace of Hiroo Terada, the leader of the New Manga Party and author of Sportsman Kintaro. On display are ramen bowls from Chinese Restaurant Matsuba when the gods of manga lived at Tokiwa-so, as well as tables and chairs from Cafe Eden, where they would frequent to cool off in the air conditioning on hot summer days. The Tokiwa-so Museum allows you to experience the youth of the gods of manga

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What did you think?
The area around Shiinamachi Station, just one stop from Ikebukuro on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, is a very ordinary residential area. However, there is no doubt that Japan's current comic and anime culture began in Tokiwa-so, located in this town. Why not take a stroll here with a sense of respect for our ancestors? I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Jun Nambara

Writer, screenwriter, animation producer. He wrote and directed the drama CD ``The Rose of Versailles,'' supervised by Riyoko Ikeda, and has written many books, including ``Onmyoji ``Abe Seimei'' (Futami Shobo). He is also attracting attention as a travel writer who works as a tour conductor on weekends. His hobby is visiting the sacred places of anime, dramas, and movies.