Perspectives

Step Back in Time at Historical Estate Renovated into a Commercial Complex in Tokyo

Old & New video

By Ryuzo Suzuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Photographer

13:00 JST, February 15, 2026

A large residence in Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward dating back to the early Edo period (1603-1867) where community heads and then their descendants lived until two years ago, reopened in November as the commercial complex Itabashi Tototo.

The name Tototo comes from repeating the Japanese word “to,” which means “and.” It symbolizes the hope that the complex will be a place where people are connected to others, and past and present are linked to the future.

By Ryuzo Suzuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Photographer
The gate of Itabashi Tototo, a complex renovated from a grand estate, invites visitors to travel through time.

The complex has been attracting both local residents and far away visitors, who have discovered it through social media.

For more than 400 years, the Hasunuma family lived at the estate, located near Nakasendo, one of the major travel routes built in the Edo period that starts at the Nihombashi bridge. Following the death of the previous head of the family in 2023, the descendants discussed how to utilize the land and buildings.

By Ryuzo Suzuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Photographer
The Hatsuuma ritual is performed based on old documents for the first time in 70 years at Inari Jinja shrine on Feb. 1. The shrine is next to the main house of the former estate, now partially renovated as Itabashi Tototo.

They decided to renovate and reuse the buildings, rather than demolish them and, for example, build condominiums, with the aim of “giving back to the community by creating a comfortable place where people can experience history and local culture.”

By Ryuzo Suzuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Photographer
Paulownia tansu chests from the Edo period are used as counters at Apollon, a cafe.

The property covers roughly 2,000 square meters and contains four structures, including the main house and two kura storehouses. The main residence has undergone reconstructions and additions since the Edo period, and is now connected to another storehouse and a detached building.

By Ryuzo Suzuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Photographer
Paulownia tansu chests from the Taisho era (1912-1926), used as part of a bridal trousseau, are seen at utouto.

For the commercial complex, the Higashi-no-kura storehouse, built in 1916, was renovated first. It now houses Time travel books utouto, a shop selling books, stationery and other items themed around the concept of time. Cafe Apollon, which serves homemade baked sweets and specialty coffee, is also located in the building.

Many agricultural tools, household items, historical documents and other items were discovered at the estate during renovation, and about 6,000 were donated to the Itabashi Historical Museum. Detailed research on the donations is currently underway.

Some of the furniture from the estate is now used at the bookshop and cafe.

By Ryuzo Suzuki / Yomiuri Shimbun Senior Photographer
Customers can write a letter to themselves in the future or somebody else who likes reading at utouto.

Currently, renovation work is underway at the Nishi-no-kura storehouse, which is said to have been built by the late Meiji era (1868-1912). It will be available for rent as a gallery, among other uses, by spring. Options for the other two buildings are under consideration.

Itabashi Tototo is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.