Shotaro Ikenami (1923-1990), who is known for his historical novels, was born in Tokyo’s Asakusa district.

Each morning, his day began with the call of a natto (fermented soybean) vendor. And each day ended with the clacking of the wooden clappers of a neighborhood fire watchman on his nightly patrol.

Such memories must have resurfaced from time to time after Ikenami had become established as an author. He wrote that he sometimes saw, in contemporary Tokyo, some things that hadn’t changed at all from way back when.

Yushima Tenjin shrine was one such example. In “Tokyo no Jokei” (literally, “Scenes of Tokyo”), he recalled one snowy day when he visited the........

© The Asahi Shimbun