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When you step off at Shibamata Station on the Keisei Kanamachi Line, you are greeted by the atmosphere of a downtown area that strongly retains the scent of the Showa era. In the station square, the figures of a departing older brother and the younger sister seeing him off stand quietly.
The statue of “Tora-san the Vagabond,” erected in 1999 through donations from the local shopping district and tourists, depicts Tora-san wearing his trademark hat and suit, holding a suitcase, and looking back at his hometown. About seven meters ahead of his gaze stands the “Sakura Seeing Him Off” statue, erected in 2017. With a gentle smile, the figure of the younger sister seeing off her brother seems to recreate a scene straight out of a movie. (cinematoday.jp)
On the pedestal of the Sakura statue, a short scenario titled “A Farewell,” written by director Yoji Yamada, is engraved. It depicts the scene of Sakura seeing off Tora-san as he sets out on a journey after a heartbreak, with a cold wind blowing, touching the hearts of visitors. (tabi-mag.jp)
These sibling statues are beloved by many tourists and locals as symbols of Shibamata. It is said that stroking the left foot of the Tora-san statue will prevent your luck from leaving you, and at the base of the Sakura statue, the characters for “Sakura” and “chi” are engraved, which together form “sachi” (happiness), attracting people who wish for good fortune. (oricon.co.jp)
The streets of Shibamata are known as the setting for the film “It’s Tough Being a Man,” and in 2018, it was selected as Tokyo’s first nationally designated Important Cultural Landscape. Along the Taishakuten approach, long-established Japanese confectionery shops and river fish restaurants line the street, creating a scene full of downtown charm. After visiting the statues of Tora-san and Sakura, be sure to stroll along this approach and fully enjoy the appeal of Shibamata. (conex-eco.co.jp)
The figures of the departing brother and the sister seeing him off resonate with people’s hearts across generations. Why not visit this spot in front of Shibamata Station, feel the bond between Tora-san and Sakura, and bask in the warmth of the Showa era?