Tennozu Isle – Ten Minute Tokyo

Kind: Island/Town

Location: 35°37’14.63″ N 139°45’01.02″ E

Stations: Tennōzu Isle Station, Tokyo Monorail or Shinagawa Station, Tokaido Shinkansen , Yamanote Line , Keihin-Tōhoku Line , Tōkaidō Main Line , Yokosuka Line , Keikyū Main Line , Joban Line

Free Wifi: Yes

Our Rating: ⭑⭑⭑⭑

Worth it? Do not miss it.

Updated 11/17/2021

History

Tennozu Isle (literally Heavenly King’s Sandbar Island) was originally a defensive fort in the Edo Period in medieval Japan. Later it became a commercial fishing center.

The island has a very nice official site.

Access

Tennozu Isle lies just east of Shinagawa – a major cosmopolitan destination in southwest Tokyo. You can get to Tennozu either on the Tokyo Monorail, or by walking from Shinagawa Station a few miles to the west. Note that the Tokaido Shinkansen (bullet train) also stops at Shinagawa Station, making it an easy jump-off/arrival spot from other parts of Japan. You can also walk across onto the island from any 1 of the 3 bridges on the north, west, or south sides.

The island also has easy access to Haneda Airport, just to the south.

Area Layout

The island is rather small, and is sandwiched in between 2 other islands to the north + east. There’s a huge 3-diamond baseball park at the island’s south end.

Tennozu Isle, shown bottom, center is one of the smaller islands in Tokyo Bay. Shinagawa is just off to the left.

Arts

The island is known for its art community and you can find several art galleries + festivals here. It’s also known for its illuminations at various holidays year-round – especially at Christmas + New Year’s.

TY Harbor

After the arts, hands down, the Tennozu’s biggest attraction is TY Harbor at the northwest corner of the island. TY Harbor is a large brewpub serving beer and food (which is actually quite good). The atmosphere is great. Reservations are required in advance.

Tennosu Isle Daikyu Park

At the very southeast corner of the island is Tennosu Isle Daikyu Park – a small but nice public park with a walkway. There is also another nice park on the southwest corner of the island on the banks of the Meguro River.

Crystal Bay Cruise

On the northeast side of the island you can take the 2-hour Crystal Bay Cruise around Tokyo Bay starting at 2,000¥ (around $20 USD). If you want some great views of the Tokyo waterfront, this is the way to do it.

Galaxy Theater

At the very north end of the island is the Galaxy Theater – a performing arts center. There is also a small garden area around the theater. The view of the waterways from the very northeast tip of the island is pretty decent.

Higashishinagawa Sanchome Park

If you cross the small Isle Bridge at the southwest corner of the park, you’ll come to Higashishinagawa Sanchome Park – another fine park on the Meguro River. There’s also a free DoCoMo Bike Share if you’re looking to find a free bike to ride around. You can speed up your visit to Tennozu by grabbing a bike here, riding back onto the island, then returning the bike when you’re done. It’s a very short walk to the park from the island. The DoCoMo bikes are electric-assist – making it easy to get back if you’re feeling tired.

Shinagawa

If Tennozu Isle isn’t enough for you, you can head back to the mainland and Shinagawa itself – which is about a mile to the northwest. It’s an easy + quick train hop from the island. Of particular note in Shinagawa is the huge Shinagawa Central Garden right smack in the center of town – a popular spot with locals. There’s also a massive food court on one side of the park. The park also has Christmas/New Years’ illuminations in the winter.

Shinagawa Central Garden

Conclusion

Tennozu Isle is a great little day trip with easy access in southwest Tokyo and is well worth a look. You can easily see everything in 1/2 a day and bolt out w/o spending too much time. While it’s a tiny island without a lot to do, it’s still a fun, quick walk. So if you’re in the Shinagawa area, pop in and give it a look.

Enjoy!

LINKS

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinagawa_Station

Tokyo Monorail : Tennozu Isle > Station Info

Shinagawa Station and Guide

TENNOZ ISLE | 天王洲アイル地域情報サイト

https://www.e-tennoz.com/en/whatstennoz/history.html

Tennozu Isle – Japan Travel

Explore Shinagawa, Tennozu & Odaiba | GO TOKYO

Tennozu Isle | A Different Side of Japan

State of the art | Time Out Tokyo

https://www.tysons.jp/tyharbor/