The district of Ningyōchō, a name that literally translates to “Doll Town,” is named after its past as feudal Tokyo’s center of puppetry and theater arts. Starting in the first half of the 17th century, the area attracted a number of kabuki and bunraku troupes, as well as merchants and craftsmen dealing in dolls and puppets with the said entertainers. Today, as you explore the quaint district you might come across a lifelike sculpture of a whale emerging from the concrete ground with a big smile. Created by artists Hiroshi…
