Explore Setagaya On The Setagaya Line

Above, yours truly with some friends at the Godzilla statue at Toho Studios in 2014. 

One of the "must do" things Godzilla fans include in their itineraries while visiting Tokyo is to go to Toho Studios in Setagaya.

While the studio does not offer tours, visitors can see the studio lot from the outside along with the man-sized Godzilla statue and the Godzilla and Seven Samurai murals.

Above, the Seven Samurai mural at Toho Studios. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The most direct way of getting to Toho Studios is to take the Odakyu Line from Shibuya Station to Seijogakuen-mae Station. From there, one must either walk to Toho Studios (I've done it, both ways) or take a taxi.

There's a more roundabout way to get to Toho Studios, but even then, one must transfer to the Odakyu Line. That is the Setagaya Line. The nearest stations of the Odakyu Line to the Setagaya Line are the Kyodo and the Umegaoka Stations from the Setagaya Line's Yamashita Station. It will take a good walk or taxi ride to get to either station.

Above, the Toho Studios Godzilla mural. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

What sparked this blog post was an article in The Japan News (Yomiuri Shimbun) on the Setagaya Line. For those adventurous, the article talks of exploring the Setagaya section of Tokyo via this line.

They begin it with:

Buying a one-day ticket for the Setagaya Line the other day reminded me of the excitement of visiting an amusement park in my childhood. Although Sangenjaya Station, the streetcar line’s terminal, is only two stops from Shibuya Station on the Den-en-toshi Line, the area along the line has a warm, nostalgic atmosphere that makes you forget you’re only three kilometers from the hustle and bustle of central Shibuya. Furthermore, with the one-day ticket in hand, you feel like an explorer. 

Whenever I travel by train in Japan and abroad, I feel the urge to choose my destinations in advance out of fear of getting lost. But the Setagaya Line allows for a carefree journey that can be done on the fly, since it covers a distance of only 5 kilometers and passes through 10 stations in about 18 minutes. What’s more, the one-day ticket is ¥340 for adults — about half the price of most one-day tickets sold by railway operators in Tokyo.

Above, the Setagaya Line (circle) and Toho Studios (arrow).

So, if one wants to visit Toho Studios but have plenty of time to explore the Setagaya section of Tokyo for the fun of it, this is an idea to consider.

To read more about the Setagaya Line, go here.