🏞 A relaxing and peaceful field trip in the suburbs of Tokyo: Japanese tea, Zenshoen, and the Hansen's Disease Museum
🏞 A quiet journey to unwind in the Tokyo suburbs: Wacha, Zenshoen, and the Hansen's Disease Museum
~Spend time contemplating in the Higashimurayama/Kiyose area~
☕ Take a break at the shopping street cafe "Wacha"
Store Name: Tea and Snacks Wacha
Address: 1F Maison Yokoo, 1-20-4 Matsuyama, Kiyose City, Tokyo
Access: Approximately 6-minute walk from the south exit of Kiyose Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line
Hours: 12:00 PM - 7:00 PM (Last Orders 6:00 PM)
Days: Monday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday (Closed Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday)
*Please check the latest information before visiting as sweets may sell out early.  
Seating Capacity: 12 seats total (1 x 4-person seat, 4 x 2-person seats, 2 x 1-person seats)
Reservations: Reservations required for groups of 3 or more (same-day reservations not accepted)
Children: Children under 5 are not permitted (due to overcrowding and safety concerns)
The store's minimalist and quiet atmosphere makes it easy to enter even solo, offering carefully brewed tea and seasonal homemade snacks.
☕ Walking through the Kiyose/Higashimurayama shopping district to "Nagomi-cha" Cafe
The shopping district, within walking distance of Kiyose Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line, is dotted with fruit and vegetable shops and delicatessens reminiscent of the Showa era, creating a nostalgic atmosphere.
Nagomi-cha, located in one corner of the street, is a small cafe specializing in additive-free tea and Japanese sweets. I enjoyed a quiet conversation with the owner from the counter, savoring seasonal nerikiri (sweet rice cakes) and matcha green tea, and the tranquility was just right for the start of my journey.
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🌳 Tama Zenshoen: A Forest of Memories Where People and Nature Coexist
From the cafe, we took a bus or walked to Tama Zenshoen, surrounded by vast green spaces.
Formerly a sanatorium, it's now open to the public as a place where visitors can experience a "society where we live together."
The grounds are planted with seasonal trees and flowers, and as you walk through the grounds, the only sounds you'll hear are the birdsong and the wind. In the silence, as I encountered traces of the people who once lived there, a deep emotion filled my heart.
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🏛 Voices and History Encountered at the National Hansen's Disease Museum
At the back of the Zenshoen grounds is the National Hansen's Disease Museum, which is free to visit.
The exhibits are meticulous, showcasing the history of the isolation policy, prejudice, struggles, and recovery experienced by leprosy patients and their families through photographs, videos, and testimonies.
What was particularly striking was the display of paintings and poems by patients themselves. The words embedded in each piece touched my heart, and I felt as if I was questioning "what it means to live," going beyond medical care and human rights.
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About an hour by train from central Tokyo. While not a tourist destination or flashy, this area offers profound learning and healing amid its tranquility.
A place where you're welcome to "stop and take a moment." The casual atmosphere of the town and the engaging exhibits in the historical museum enriched the meaning of my trip.
🚌 Public Transportation Access
• Route from the South Exit of Kiyose Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line:
Take the Seibu Bus bound for Kumegawa Station North Exit for approximately 10 minutes to the "Leprosy Museum" bus stop. The museum is just a short walk away. 
• Route from Kumegawa Station (North Exit) on the Seibu Shinjuku Line:
Take the bus bound for Kiyose Station (South Exit) and get off at the "Leprosy Museum" bus stop (approximately 20 minutes). 
• Footpath from Shin-Akitsu Station on the JR Musashino Line (or Akitsu Station on the Seibu Ikebukuro Line):
Approximately 20 minutes on foot (see the museum's official website or the park map for a map). 
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🚗 Access by Car (Parking Information)
• Main Route Examples:
Approximately 4km (13 minutes) from the "Sakaemachi 1-chome" intersection on the Shin-Ome Kaido, or approximately 9km (30 minutes) from Tokorozawa Interchange. 
• Parking Information:
While there is free parking (approximately 10 spaces) at the facility, it is limited, so public transportation is recommended.  
Some nearby paid parking lots are within a 10-13 minute walk, with a maximum daily fee of around 400 yen (e.g., K's PARK Aobacho, Times Yamazaki Hospital, etc.).
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