A worker cuts a tree using safety ropes at Todoroki Ravine in Tokyo’s Setagaya Ward. (Photo courtesy of the Setagaya Ward Government)
TOKYO — A walking trail in Todoroki Ravine located in Setagaya Ward, the only gorge in the Japanese capital’s 23 wards, has reopened for the first time after about three years.
The path had been closed since 2023 due to the risk of trees falling, but after dangerous trees were cut down and other measures were completed, the “urban oasis” has been restored, and visitors are coming to the site one after another.
The trail is within Todoroki Ravine Park, about three minutes’ walk from Todoroki Station on the Tokyu Oimachi Line. The roughly 700-meter path, lined with trees such as zelkova and Japanese white oak, has long drawn visitors as “an oasis where people can experience abundant nature despite being in the heart of the city.” According to the Setagaya Ward Government, the ravine drew several hundred thousand visitors annually before its closure.
The problems began in July 2023, when a local resident found a 20-meter-tall Japanese white oak tree lying across the trail. A subsequent survey by the ward government found a total of 52 nearby trees with spreading rot and decay that required action, including felling or pruning. It is believed that the spread of tree-weakening pests and the recent extreme heat led to the decline in the health of the trees. That month, it was decided to make the trail off-limits due to the danger of trees falling.
Dealing with the dangerous trees took time. As the trail is narrow for heavy machinery, workers were forced to rely on manual labor, including climbing the trees with safety ropes to carry out the cutting. Ultimately, 26 trees were felled and 16 were pruned, and the remaining 10 were treated by preserving topsoil and roots to help restore their vigor. After completing the work around the trail, the ward government reopened it on March 24. Efforts to improve the underground soil environment of the entire forest area will continue.
In a bid to restore the ravine, the ward government also launched a crowdfunding campaign using Japan’s hometown tax donation system to support the restoration work. The “Todoroki Ravine Project,” which ran from June 2024 through December 2025, raised approximately 49.5 million yen (around $315,160), which has been used to cover work costs and other expenses at the site.
The chief of the ward’s parks and greenery division said, “We received donations far beyond what we expected, and it made us realize once again that this is a place cherished by many people. We hope people will enjoy this space, filled with a quiet and relaxed atmosphere that feels nothing like a big city.”
(Japanese original by Yusuke Kato, Tokyo Bureau)