Planning a trip to Japan? Check out this new guide made by a Tokyo local (a.k.a me!)
I love the feeling of going to a neighbourhood on holiday and getting a peek into residents’ daily lives. And when that country is Japan, you know it’s going to be good! So, if you love that feeling too, then I definitely recommend going to Kichijoji, a neighbourhood in the west of Tokyo.
Nanaibashi Dori
Inokashira Park
Thrift shopping, Renga-kan Mall and Kichijoji PARCO
Getting to Kichijoji from Shinjuku, with stops at Nakano and Koenji
About Cat of @Japanintheuk
Nanaibashi Dori
Image Credit: Japan Nakama
I like to start by heading to Nanaibashi Dori. This street is filled with coffee shops, thrift stores and occasionally, people walking their pet meerkats (you read that correctly, I have the picture to prove it!)
Image Credit: Japan Nakama
If you didn’t know already, Japan loves a good sticker and the B-side Label brand is best known for its stickers. You’ll see this brand around stores in Tokyo but they have a store on this street and here’s a secret…there’s a Kichijoji exclusive in this store! It’s a great souvenir.
Image Credit: Japan Nakama
Sarutahiko Coffee’s Kichijoji Inokashira Park branch is a great spot to grab a drink before going for a stroll round the beautiful Inokashira Park. It trades as Sarutahiko Coffee from Wednesday to Sunday, 8am to 9pm, while on Mondays and Tuesdays the same space runs as SACHIOPIA COFFEE. If you’ve never tried an iced matcha latte before, now is the time! Down the road you’ll find Omotenashi Toriyoshi, potentially one of the prettiest izakayas you’ll find. An izakaya is a Japanese-style pub, a little like a tapas bar, with a variety of small, delicious dishes to go with your drinks. It’s a great atmosphere and somewhere to relax after a busy day.
Inokashira Park
Image Credit: Japan Nakama
This park is one of my favourites in all of Tokyo. I recommend going for a stroll (hopefully with an iced matcha latte in hand) around the pond, where you can watch all the swan boats go by. If you fancy joining them, a swan boat costs ¥1,000 for 30 minutes and takes up to two adults and two children. You can also find the small Inokashira Benzaiten temple nestled away on a small island on the pond. What’s more Tokyo than temples, skyscrapers and swan boats!
Image Credit: Japan Nakama
The Ghibli Museum can also be found on the west side of the park, but you need to buy tickets before your trip if you want to visit, as there are no ticket sales at the museum itself. Tickets go on sale through Lawson Ticket at 10am Japan time on the 10th of each month for the whole of the following month, and they sell out quickly, so you have to be fast. Adult tickets cost ¥1,000, and the museum is closed on Tuesdays. If you’re a Ghibli fan, the museum is a must. It’s filled with original drawings from all your favourite Ghibli films and only takes a couple of hours, so you have the rest of the day to explore.
Image Credit: Japan Nakama
Thrift shopping, Renga-kan Mall and Kichijoji PARCO
Image Credit: Japan Nakama
Kichijoji is one of the best spots for thrift shopping. Japan has a very strong thrift shopping culture with collections ranging from Vintage Americana to Japan Contemporary, it’s got it all. They are usually in really good condition and not too expensive, depending on the store. So if you want to grab some pieces, you’ll definitely be in luck in Kichijoji. I personally really like 2nd STREET. The chain has stores all over Japan, and it has a good range of brands and price points.
I also really like the Renga-kan Mall. It’s an older shopping arcade, and its third floor houses A Happy Pancake: if you’re into soufflé-style pancakes, this should fulfil your pancake needs! There are also other notable shopping spots, such as Kichijoji PARCO, which has a great gashacoco capsule toy store on its fourth floor, and Kichijoji Loft, which has a Muji on its fifth floor (if you haven’t been to Loft before, you definitely need to go. Ginza is my favourite branch, but Kichijoji is still good).
Getting to Kichijoji from Shinjuku, with stops at Nakano and Koenji
Image Credit: Japan Nakama
Kichijoji is in the west of Tokyo, and it’s under 20 minutes from Shinjuku on a direct JR Chuo Line train. There are also great stops on the way, like Nakano, where you’ll find Nakano Broadway, a shopping mall filled with vintage toys, anime and kissatens. Or try Koenji, the former punk capital of Tokyo, which is filled with music, vintage clothing stores and small boutiques.
About Cat of @Japanintheuk
Hello! I’m Cat, and I run the Instagram account @Japanintheuk. I’m an absolute Japan obsessive! I came to Japan on holiday about six years ago and immediately fell in love. When I went back to the UK, I started by finding all the best Japanese spots in the UK, from cultural events to great food, and after a few years decided that I needed to live in Japan.
So I am now fortunate enough to be living in Tokyo! I’ve discovered so much and I also receive a lot of questions from travellers getting ready for their Japan adventure. Now, after lots of visits from friends and family, I’ve put together a guide to help plan a trip to Japan, so if you’re coming to Japan this will definitely help you get ready.
