Hundreds of rose bushes in bloom at Tokyo’s off-the-beaten-path, next-to-the-tracks flower street

Local road goes from trash dump to treasure.

One of Tokyo’s largest and most beautiful collections of roses is in bloom right now. However, you won’t find them blooming inside a park or private garden, but right on the street in the Otsuka neighborhood in Toshima Ward.

These beautiful flowers, which are in bloom right now, are located on what’s now called Otsuka Rose Road (or Otsuka Rose Street – the signage is sort of inconsistent). However, such a pretty name wasn’t always so fitting for the place. The street used to be cluttered with illegally dumped trash and improperly parked bicycles, and had become a full-fledged eyesore. During projects to clean the place up, workers came across 100 or so rose bushes that had been planted on the roadside long ago, and the decision was made to lean into this floral theme, in hope that it would improve the aesthetics and atmosphere of the neighborhood.

Since then, the number of rose bushes has grown from 100 to 1,210, representing 710 different varieties of the flower. The community even designates the period when the most roses are in bloom as the “Otsuka Rose Festival,” which is celebrating its 25th year from May 3 to 24.

As this is a free event held on a public street, there’s no admission charged. Otsuka Rose Road runs from Otsuka Station to Fujiwara Station, with beautiful scenery the whole way.

▼ Walking route from Otsuka Station to Fujiwara Station via Otsuka Rose Road

Looking at that map, you might notice that Otsuka Rose Road follows the path of the Arakawa Line. Also known as the Tokyo Sakura Tram, the Arakawa Line is Tokyo’s only remaining streetcar line, so if you’re not in the mood for a stroll, you can also hop on the tram and view the roses while you ride.

Of course, doing the route on foot gives you the opportunity to snap photos of the flowers and tram together, and even if you’re not a train otaku, the combination is a really cool snapshot of how connected the roses are to the local community. Honestly, with the walk between Otsuka and Fujiwara only taking about six minutes, walking Otsuka Rose Road in one direction, then taking the tram back in the other, is a perfectly viable option and lets you see the roses from both perspectives.

Without any flashy, high-profile tourist attractions, Otsuka isn’t on a lot of people’s Tokyo sightseeing itineraries, but it’s located just a bit east of the Ikebukuro neighborhood, and easy to tack on as a side trip if you’re planning to visit the more well-known part of Tokyo, maybe to get some of its newly famous super salty ramen.

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