Shimokitazawa (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)
We’re here for you
At Stars and Stripes, we believe the purpose of our community papers, magazines, special supplements, websites and social media platforms is to help you, the military community, make the most of your time while being stationed in the Pacific. We take our job seriously and know that our first-hand experiences are how we can bring you the best tips, directions and recommendations for exploring off base.
This summer, our team including Korea writer Hyemin Lee and Okinawa writer Shoji Kudaka, gathered at our Tokyo headquarters to spend time brainstorming and discussing ways to make sure you’re getting the information you need. For one week, our page designers, web editors and writers talked storytelling and presentation with you in mind.
This year, Hyemin, Shoji, their fellow writers Takahiro Takiguchi and Luis Samayoa from mainland Japan, and their editor, Denisse Rauda, brainstormed their perfect half day trips in Tokyo. The four writers partnered up and they spent an entire day exploring Tokyo. Last week, we published a 4-page spread about Shoji and Luis’ trip to Shinjuku. This time, they’re taking you to their other half day trip at Yanaka Ginza.
Tokyo has an incredible public transit system, so getting around to multiple locations is a breeze. We hope after reading this, you’ll get some travel inspo and plan your own fun trip! And don’t miss the following editions where Hyemin and Takahiro take us to two other great spots!
– Chris Carlson, Publishing and Media Design Manager
Illustrations of PMD writers and an editor (From left to right): Shoji Kudaka, Takahiro Takiguchi, Denisse Rauda, Hyemin Lee and Luis Samayoa. (Illustrations by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Japan)
Denisse Rauda (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Japan)
Takiguchi Takahiro (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Japan)
Shoji Kudaka (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Japan)
Hyemin Lee (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Japan)
Luis Samayoa (Illustration by Yukiyo Oda/Stripes Japan)
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Blend of old and new
Walk through hip Shimokitazawa for curry, secondhand shopping, and Komaba for taste of old Japan.
Though you might be drawn to the trendy Shimokitazawa neighborhood for shopping or dining along its narrow streets, a short walk away to Komaba District will transport you into a different era of old Japan.
Writers Hyemin Lee and Takahiro Takiguchi spent a half day exploring the both neighborhoods knowing they could’ve easily spent days seeing what these areas have to offer. Grab your walking shoes and let them take you on a journey!
Vintage shopping, coffee and curry
Just a short train ride from Shibuya or Shinjuku, Shimokitazawa is known as one of Tokyo’s coolest neighborhoods, but it isn’t the kind of place that needs a strict itinerary. I visited the area during a recent trip to Japan to meet my PMD team in Tokyo, and Takahiro-san, a writer in Japan, explored Shimokitazawa with me.
There are no department stores and no big landmark that tells visitors where to go first. What it has instead are narrow lanes, vintage stores, cafés, small theaters and indie live music venues. For Korean visitors, the neighborhood may seem similar at first to Hongdae’s indie energy and Yeonnam-dong’s café streets. But Shimokitazawa is smaller and more relaxed than both.
Shimokitazawa is compact, so you don’t need to spend the day walking long distances. You can browse a few vintage shops, sit down for coffee, leave room for curry and let the side streets decide where you go next. Keep in mind that most shops and cafés open late morning or closer to noon, so come around lunch to enjoy curry or later in the day to enjoy a livelier atmosphere.
Shimokitazaka map (Map by Stripes Japan)
1. Start around Ichibangai Street
Ichibangai is the neighborhood’s main shopping street and a good place to begin your visit to Shimokitazawa. The street is filled with small clothing shops, record stores, cafés and casual restaurants, giving a lively local energy, not overly polished for tourists.
2. Browse vintage shops
(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)
Vintage shopping is one of the main reasons people come to Shimokitazawa. The area has one of Tokyo’s biggest clusters of thrift and vintage stores, and each shop has its own character. Some are good for digging through racks and others are more carefully organized.
My coworker Hiro and I stopped by BIG TIME first where the racks were neatly displayed with unique clothing, accessories and small retro items. The shop features a wide range of American and European vintage clothing from the 1950s to the 1990s along with shoes and accessories. Some pieces may cost more than brand-new clothes, but that is part of vintage shopping. It’s a great spot if you’re looking for a shape, color or small detail that you probably wouldn’t find in a regular store.
Other popular shops include New York Joe Exchange, built inside a converted public bathhouse, where customers can bring their own clothes to sell. Flamingo is another good one to browse as there are many vintage pieces from around the 1940s to 1980s. Around Shimokitazawa, you can find everything from casual vintage shops to stores filled with more unusual, carefully chosen pieces. Even if you don’t plan to buy clothes, the area is still fun for browsing fashion that can be more personal than regular souvenirs.
– BIG TIME
– New York Joe Exchange
– Flamingo
3. Take a coffee break
Shimokitazawa has plenty of cafés, and many serve good coffee and desserts. Sarutahiko Coffee, right by the station, is a good stop to enjoy your break after browsing the vintage shops with a modern interior, comfortable seats and a beautiful terrace. Their coffee and brownies are worth trying. For dessert, Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory and Flipper’s are two popular stops in the area. Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory is known for Totoro cream puffs filled with custard, chocolate or seasonal flavors such as strawberry or mango. Many Studio Ghibli fans add the shop to their Tokyo list. Flipper’s is known for soft soufflé pancakes.
– Sarutahiko Coffee
– Shirohige’s Cream Puff Factory
– Flipper’s
4. Leave room for curry
Food is another reason people love Shimokitazawa. The neighborhood is home to many curry restaurants serving different styles and flavors, so choosing just one can be difficult. Planet of Curry, Magic Spice and Kyu Yamu Tei Shimokita-sou are three names worth checking before you go. Magic Spice is a popular stop for soup curry, a light broth-style of curry. The restaurant is known for its colorful interior, spice levels and many topping options. Kyu Yamu Tei Shimokita-sou serves Osaka-style spice curry that comes with three different curries on one plate. Planet of Curry is a small restaurant known for colorful curry plates that are as photogenic as they are flavorful. These restaurants are popular and draw lines, so try to avoid peak weekend hours if you can. For a closer look at Planet of Curry, see the sidebar.
– Magic Spice
Hours: 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m. / 5:30 p.m.–10:30 p.m. (Mon., Thu., Fri.); 11:30 a.m.–11 p.m. (Sat.–Sun.); Closed Tue.–Wed.
– Kyu Yamu Tei Shimokita-sou
– Planet of Curry
5. Check out new shopping spaces
If you have more time, check out some of Shimokitazawa’s new shopping spaces: Bonus Track, Mikan Shimokita and Reload. These small shopping and dining complexes are filled with trendy cafés, restaurants, bookstores, bars and shops rather than the older shopping streets and vintage stores.
Bonus Track is like a small village of shops and restaurants, and Reload has a more modern, open-air layout. Mikan Shimokita, near the station, is a good stop for food and browsing.
– Hyemin Lee
Read rest of their stories at the links below: