Shinagawa (品川)

Shinagawa (品川) is one of Tokyo's 23 wards, and Shinagawa Station is one of the city's busiest stations. Its convenience as a transportation hub has attracted many hotels, offices, restaurants and shops to the area. Shinagawa has been catering to travelers since the Edo Period (1603-1867), when it was the first stop on the main road linking Tokyo with Kyoto.

Shinagawa developed into an important town in the early 1600s after the construction of the Tokaido, the principal route connecting Edo (modern day Tokyo) and Kyoto, and Shinagawa was the first of fifty-three post towns along the way after departing from Nihonbashi. Post towns provided food and lodgings for travelers, much like the hotels of Shinagawa do nowadays.

Eventually, the city of Tokyo expanded and absorbed Shinagawa. The rustic feel of a post town was replaced with the familiar trappings of a modern Japanese city. However, the former Tokaido road with a few minor shrines, temples and sites of interest have been retained. A small information center is located along the road near the Ebara Shrine.