Tokyo - A City of Hills

A brief introduction to Tokyo's Saka

Dorikonozaka - one of many hills in Tokyo, marked by a wooden pole

Tokyo is a city of hills – or saka in Japanese. From most depictions of the Tokyo skyline or especially aerial photographs this is almost impossible to discern, since most of the city's hills are not that much elevated above sea level and mostly covered under dense urban infrastructure. It may also be somewhat counterintuitive to most first-time visitors of this metropolis, since Tokyo is facing the ocean and therefore has a many kilometers of waterfront. However, when viewed from ground level, and especially when moving from Tokyo's eastern part – the areas near Tokyo bay, including the reclaimed and neighboring shitamachi (lower parts of the city) – towards the western part of the city, the variations in altitude become quite obvious. While some of those hills occasionally can make for a rather strenuous climb especially in Japan's hot and humid summers, they also provide some surprising vistas. The change of perspective that comes with the undulating ground makes it an interesting city to walk, offering varying views of the same area.

Geographic background

According to a certain Japanese website (LINK) there are more than 700 named hills within Tokyo's 23 wards, and the number is even higher when one includes all the hills without a specific name, and those outside of the 23 wards. With Tokyo Bay to its east, the city soon gets hilly just a few hundred meters inland, mainly to the west where the coastal lowlands transition into the Musashino Plateau, framed by the Arakawa and Tama rivers in the north and south, respectively. The eastern edge of the plateau follows a more or less north-southerly straight line, paralleling Tokyo's Sumidagawa river in the north, and its waterfront in the south, and is only interrupted wherever tributaries are flowing from west to east to either merge with Sumidagawa river (Kandagawa, Nihonbashigawa), or to directly flow into Tokyo harbor and Tokyo Bay (Shibuyagawa, Megurogawa, Tamagawa). This eastern edge of the Musashino plain is also referred to as yama no te, literally 'mountain's hand', and in Edo period described the hillier area roughly coindiding with Tokyo's area west of the imperial palace, which was actually facing the sea before the waterfront was removed due to land reclamation. Today yamanote is often used to describe the area west of the JR Yamanote line. In contrast, the lower-level shitamachi areas near the river mouths of Sumidagawa and Arakawa come with almost no discernible differences in elevation.

The number of hills varies from ward to ward, and is highest in the northern Bunkyo ward, followed by Minato ward in the south, then Shinjuku and Chiyoda wards in western and central Tokyo respectively. Even the highest elevations within Tokyo's 23 wards are not that much above sea level, but the many undulating areas, intersected by Tokyo's many larger and smaller waterways, make for some interesting vistas and varied perspectives of the cityscape. Although only a little above 25 meters in altitude, Atagoyama in Minato ward is the highest point within Tokyo's 23 wards. Were it not for the many highrise buildings in its immediate vicinity, Atagoyama would be a distinct geomorphological feature due to the flatness of the surrounding area in this part of the city.

Overall there were far more and steeper hills in the past, but as urban development progressed over time, many of those were adjusted to make the uphill areas more easily accessible. However there is still a considerable number of rather steep hills left, some of which can be ascended by one or multiple sets of staircases. The number of hills not just in Tokyo, but also in other cities of Japan that were given a distinct name as far back as in Edo period (1603-1868) is exceptionally high when compared to other countries. While many of today's roads and paths following these hills coincide with sections of major arterial roads and thoroughfares that often date back to Edo period, other hills came into being only after the Meiji restoration, as part of urban land readjustment projects.

Disaster prevention

Tokyo's many elevated areas do not just coincide with the city's more affluent neighborhoods. For its citizens, they also carry a fundamental meaning in the context of disaster prevention. Having a long history of coping with multiple types of natural disasters, Tokyo has many areas specifically designated as disaster evacuation areas (hinansho). These are often school or university campuses, public parks, temple grounds, or other spacious areas which are often located on high, more stable ground, which can prove critical especially in case of large earthquakes or fires. Similar grounds, especially when located close to the coastline and waterfront, are often designated as tsunami evacuation areas.

Historic origins

As with many other historical or cultural assets, Tokyo's citizens also have a deep connection to the historical makeup of their city. One indication for this is that many of Tokyo's hills come with designated markers, mostly to be found at both the upper and lower end of a hill. The very existence of these markers and their ubiquity throughout the city shows that the various hills continue to play a significant part in Tokyo's history, and in its urban development over time.

The majority of these markers consists of a square wooden pole, crowned with a pointed metal cap, but there are other types of markers as well, including framed plaques or metal poles. Some markers seem to be rather old, with the wooden color already fading, but others are much newer and come with a polished, almost bright yellow surface. Almost all of these markers are inscribed with the hill's name (often coinciding with the name of the street that is tracing the hill) as well as the – often presumed but not always confirmed – origin of its name and some historical notes. As such, the names often provide interesting clues about Tokyo's past, going back as far as early Edo period.

All across town there are hills that contain the name of Japan's holy mountain, Mt. Fuji. There are multiple Fujimizaka (富士見坂) or Fujimidai (富士見台), indicating that Mt. Fuji is or at least was visible from this particular hill (zaka) or elevated plateau (dai), towering above the skyline. While in the past Mount Fuji could certainy be seen from these spots, this is no longer true for most of them due to the high degree of urbanization, and especially verticalization of the skyline, that has happened since. As a result, the view of Mount Fuji is now often obstructed by high-rise buildings or elevated highways. However, from some of these spots one can still see the mountain looming in the distance, especially on clear winter days. Other hill's names often point to former residences of famous Tokyo residents, historic buildings, or the particular significance of a thoroughfare in the past. Some names can also be found repeatedly for different hills, although the name's origin would mostly vary. While many hill names often have a more meaningful historical context, others are rather simple. One such example is shinzaka, literally meaning 'new hill' and simply stating that at the time a particular street leading up that hill was newly constructed.

The markers are maintained by either the Tokyo Prefectural Government or Tokyo's individual wards. They are often described in the tourism sections of Tokyo's different ward's websites, and a lot of information can be found in various peoples' blogs, albeit mostly only in Japanese. There are in fact various Japanese websites that explore Tokyo's hills in some way or other. However, most of them focus on the hills located in central Tokyo, while e.g. Kita or Ota ward are covered less comprehensively, although they also feature a large number of noteworthy and sometimes scenic hills.

You can find a compilation of hills, including brief description, photos, and link to other websites (mostly in Japanese) here. The list only includes hills that I've visited myself, and is therefore a work in progress. I will continue to add or edit descriptions, and I hope that they might inspire you to go out and explore Tokyo's hills for yourself, providing some new perspectives on this fascinating city.