Japan 2026: 16 Tokyo Areas that are NOT Viral (yet)
These are 16 hidden Tokyo neighborhoods that tourists should NOT skip to experience authentic local life and historic “Showa era” charm. In this video we explore legendary spots like Nakano Broadway for retro collectibles, savor local sake in Monzen Nakacho, and I show you “Little Kyoto” vibes in the cobbled streets of Kagurazaka. In this guidei we explore Tokyo’s vintage shops of Shimokitazawa and budget-friendly izakayas of Akabane. This is the ultimate secrets of Tokyo’s streets and serene temples.
IN THIS VIDEO:
00:00 Ultimate Less visited Tokyo
00:18 Monzen Nakacho
01:43 Yanaka Ginza
02:29 Togoshi Ginza
03:30 Sunamachi Ginza
05:47 Daikanyama
07:46 Nakano
09:10 Kichijoji
11:03 Shibamata
11:32 Sugamo
13:03 Zoshigaya
13:56 Kagurazaka
16:13 Sangenjaya
18:39 Kita Senju
19:35 Jujo
20:41 Shimokitazawa
21:33 Akabane
22:35 Visit more of Tokyo
My second channel: @HappyGaijin
——————————————————————————————————————
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE FOR EASY ACCESS TO ALL LINKS!
☆http://www.ninjasaru.com☆
➡️ONE TIME DONATION ON PAYPAL:⬅️
http://paypal.me/ninjamonkeyguy
➡️Support me on Patreon: ⬅️
http://www.patreon.com/ninjamonkeyguy
⚠️JOIN THE DISCORD:⚠️
https://discord.gg/P49kr5vA2C
——————————————————————————————————————
➡️ MY SOCIAL MEDIA⬅️
Instagram: ⌲https://www.instagram.com/ninjamonkeyguy
Twitter: ⌲https://twitter.com/ninjamonkeyguy
Facebook: ⌲http://fb.me/ninjamonkeyguy
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0i5f25sQBpEWYQC1Y1tthQ/join
32 Comments
Hello there. First. 🙂
😅
These are the areas I love exploring! A few here I haven't been to yet so thanks (as usual) for the tips! I went to that Sake place in Monzen Nakacho on a rainy day after seeing your visit as it looked, and was, great!
I missed the mini gorilla in Sangenjaya! I walked though that area after visiting a Ghibli cafe. Didn't know about that observation deck! I love an observation deck and always seek them out – next time!
Been to several of these. At least two are on my "always visit" list, and others are ones I look forward to checking out
Sen-Biro with the boys sounds like my kind of night ❤
Well! Bad news is i couldnt change my flight to japan again. The good tho…I can still go to Japan! But solo trip instead. I'll be in Japan in my b-day!!! 😀
I got 1 more free day in Tokyo on the 18th. Have an idea to visit a place a bit further but also short on possible areas to spend in tokyo
I've wandered around some of these, but others I didn't know about. New areas to spend some exploring times. Of course now I'm hungry. Thanks Nathan.
Red underwear at last !!! 💪
Get me to that Sugamo spot 🏃🏼➡️
Perfect timing, heading to Fukuoka in a week and just two and a half days in Tokyo before I head home from Narita. Some really good places to experience and wind down before heading back home❤️🇯🇵
Well put together fantastic list of Tokyo spots that will reward the more adventurous visitor 👀
Well done 👍
Great suggestions!
I'm in love with the cozy nostalgic shopping streets ♥️ thanks, these are going on the map!
Wow, what an amazing video ! Really great content, thank you very much Nathan. I think this is your best video so far.
After several visits to Japan and about 30 days in Tokyo in total, I think that I know the city quite well, but this video just proved the opposite 🙂 as I havent been to many of those interesting looking places. Funnily enough, on my first trip to Japan in 2017, I went to Yanaka Ginza, and it has become one of my favorite places in Tokyo. Next March, I will probably spend 2 nights there, to experience the area at night. I will also definitely go to Daikanyama, mostly to visit the huge bookstore complex there (I think this was a place you mentionned in another video as well).
Now, I will add Togoshi Ginza and Sunamachi Ginza. And maybe Akabane (but I guess its only really worth visiting at night ?) and some other places.
Great suggestions!!!
Thanks for showing us all these unique areas❤
Thank you for another amazing video.
18:07 I have a Neko I have to return to the shrine when my wish comes true.
Gee I enjoyed that 🎉 wow you really made the ultimate list Ninja I love them all , what about the cafe looking out at the train tracks!
I always enjoy your videos, but this one really impressed me for your insider insights. Thanks for compiling this — I sort of hope it doesn't go viral and lead to too many newcomers discovering these special places!
Japan gets 40m visitors a year. I tried to find out how many are repeat but there's no statistics. The few that I know fly into Tokyo or Osaka and immediately leave the cities the same day.
Nice video!
I love Monzen Nakacho, and beside that Sake place you went, there are many other local Izakayas with local people and food and drinks.
Daikanyama is also awesome…as you mentioned, there is the big Tsutaya Bookstore including a Starbucks…awesome place to relax and to meet people.
Kichijoji is also nice, but at the weekends crazy crowded. But definitive worth to visit.
Shimokitazawa, in my opinion, it changed a lot during the last years. 10 years ago it was much more nicer than these days.
Many vintage clothing shops, but overpriced. Really expensive for vintage clothes.
But that is just my personal opinion.
Very good video, thanks a lot.
And a nice "click" picture…😀
Yanaka Ginza! Drank a bit of sake there by the roadside. You can drink inside and al fresco! Even bought dog treats from Live Dog for my kiddos!
I grew up in Tokyo during the Showa era. My world back then was mainly limited to Kichijoji, Chofu and Nerima areas. The rest of Tokyo was largely unknown to me. 55 years later, I still pass through Tokyo a couple of times each year, but each time I'm there, I try to reserve a whole day to go explore neighborhoods like these. Thank you for the video.
Dude…. I lived in Tokyo for 4 months and still haven't been to any of these. I gotta get out more lol….
01:23 fun fact. The heir who took over the shrine over a decade ago was this lady but the brother was jealous supposedly or something so he killed her. Attendance to the shrine dropped after the incident and they have been slowly rebuilding and doing renovations lately. The temple next to it I believe is affiliated to Narita Shinsoji Temple and they want foreign visitors to register when going inside and they make you wear that sign that says you are a foreigner but idk if that’s because you are going to sit by the fire blessing. I was able to walk by since I’m Japanese and used it to sneak by lol😂
TONS of editing work in this one. Well done. I mistook you for a point-shoot-record-head band vlogger. Time markers in the description too! Hope this gets lots of views for your work. Kichi and shimo are definitively viral though. All tourists, every day. Without inokashira koen, Kichi would be nothing…. park are that influential in monochromatic-sprawl Tokyo.
Great video! I've been to Kichijoji and Daikanyama. I loved both of them. Any favorites, Nathan?
I honestly really liked this video. The places you showed had so much character and felt so inviting at the same time! Just shows that Tokyo is so much bigger than it actually seems!
Visiting Japan for our second time later this year and want to go somewhere different in Tokyo. This video is fab, thank you so much for showing us alternative places to visit. Your hard work is very much appreciated. 👍❤
Monky Ninja as always tu videos son perfecto.👌👍✌😊
Excellent video!