Tokyo's best neighborhood in 2007

I wrote this post "Tokyo's best neighborhoods" in 2004. 'Tokyo Walker' is a kind of Tokyo town magazine and they released "Tokyo's best neighborhood 2007" based on a questionnaire completed by readers.

Tokyo's best neighborhood 2007 on Tokyo Walker.
No1 Kichijoji: Tokyo has 23 wards, 26 cities and the Izu and the Ogasawara Islands. Kichijyoji is in Musashino City and Kichijoji is the only place in this ranking not in the 23 wards. But it takes 15 minutes from Shinjyuku by train, there are stores, bars, izakayas, fashion buildings, department stores and a big park "Inokashira Koen." The town scale is small though it's very convenient. Musashino was the area old cultural figures loved to live in (maybe still now), so we have an image of it as something new and old mixed, a kind of cultural town. However, some people disagree with this No1. They say people have too favorable an image of Kichijoji and recently the town lost its old unchangeable charms. Hmm, accidentaly I found this new place "cross" on the web. That place has a costume izakaya, a cross-dress bar. It's totally an Akiba-kei place. I like Kichijoji, but I won't agree with it as No.1 too. Maybe I don't like its area on the JR railway (especially Chuo and Sobu line).

No2 Jiyugaoka: This town was No1 in 2004. It takes 10 minutes or so from Shibuya. There are many small shops and cafes and no big stores, no department stores. Jiyugaoka is especially famous for confectionery shops. "Mont St.Clair", a cake theme shop "sweet forest" will be nice to visit for sweets fans. My co-worker is living there. His apartment costs around $400,000 or so, but it's small. Rent is very high, that is problem.

No3 Shimokitazawa: I love Shimokitazawa. I hung around there often before when I was a college student, but most part of Shimokita has not changed at all. Shimokita is an artistic, cultural town. There are small theaters like "Honda" and "Suzunari", live studios like "garage", "shelter", "mosaic", antique stores, interior stores like "Mokuyokan", "Antiekayu", my favorite book store "Village Vanguard" and I know there is "Shisha" cafe too. I used to go to "mother", "mother's ruin" and "trouble peach" before. These shops taught me music. :-) People drank and discussed music, art etc,. I always loved to stay late at such places in Shimokita.

Shimokita has about 1500 of such interesting nice small shops and there are no tall buildings. This is because the roads around Shimokita are so narrow and it is very hard to drive in town. But finally Tokyo had a Shimokita renewal project, then Shimokitazawa lovers including famous artists and culture figures started a protest campaign. This is the site "Save the Shimokitazawa." Looking at a campaign T-shirt page, Urasawa seems to have joined this project too. I am thinking of buying Lily Franky's crow one. Here is another English article. Hmm I will write about Shimokita again later.

This is the rest of the ranking.
No4 Ebisu
No5 Kagurazaka : This is a cute blog of Kagurazaka.
No6 Omotesando : Omote sando Hills? but Harajyuku is fun.
No7 Odaiba　This site has a lot of information
No8 Asakusa, kitchen town Kappabashi is near too.
No9 Daikanyama
No10 Futako Tamagawa

Comments

[0653 hot amateur wives]

The man who goes out alone can start today; but he who travels with another must wait till that other is ready.

[clonecd368]

Crime is contagious. If the government becomes a lawbreaker, it breeds contempt for law.

[moncler jackets]

I did not discuss that particular issue!!

[mj]

I actually love Kichjoji a lot! I went there once only and it was on a weekend. I love the energy of the place - but I agree that it has become quite commericialised.

I also love Shimokitazawa - so many vintage stores!

I would visit Jiyugaoka the next time I go to Tokyo.

Meanwhile, I'm surprised Ebisu is in the top 10. Maybe I'm too unfamiliar with that place, but when I visited, all I could see were restaurants and more restaurants. Kind of boring.

[Tokyo Katie]

So I am guessing Ebina did not make the Top Ten - thats a shock ha ha ha. I love Shimokitazawa so much I hope to live there in 2008 - if I can afford an apartment.

[Mari]

Hi there
I really can't understand why it's Kichijoji. In the best 10, I would choose Jiyugaoka.

[Hee]

Visited Shimokitazawa last Sept against the advices of some kind gentlemen I met at the Tsujiki Market. They asked "why you want to go there? Nothing to see there". Glad I went. Thoroughly enjoyed the place.

[KK]

Definitely Odaiba. I love that place and the shopping mall, Toyota showroom, ferris wheel. I had the best time there.

www.tociti.com

you can visit my website for more pictures.

[snowfox]

:) Odaiba, Techie Place. Love it.

But the Place that stole my heart. Machida.

Small metropolitan neighborhood. Also where use to date.

Tokyo Daisuki. Go down one lane, you get a the lastest the World have to offer, turn another lane, you get the rustic charm of old Japan.