This is a historical street marker for Sangenjaya (三軒茶屋) — the area’s name literally means “Three Tea Houses.”

The upper part is a tile relief in an ukiyo-e style, showing Edo-period travelers stopping at a tea house — a nod to how this area looked when it was a major rest stop on the old roads leading in and out of Edo (Tokyo).

The lower metal plaque explains the history of Sangenjaya, including:•

The area once had three famous teahouses (三軒茶屋):

Kado Chaya, Iseya, and Tanakaya• Travelers on the Setagaya road would rest here, eat, drink tea, and continue toward Futako-Tamagawa or Shibuya. • The spot became a lively stopover town, eventually growing into today’s Sangenjaya.

You’re basically looking at a heritage marker showing what Sangenjaya used to be — a busy Edo-period roadside tea-house district — before it became the cool, crowded neighborhood it is today.

15november2025