Kichijoji : Nature, Vintage shops and Street Food - Pocket guide
It takes only 20 minutes from Shibuya or Shinjuku to go to the hidden but highly-praised district called "Kichijoji". As a matter of fact, it is selected and positionned every year in the list of the 10 best areas to live in Tokyo. Why? Because it simply has it all!
First of all, 5 minutes from the station, you will find a beautiful park called Inokashira Koen, it used to be a property of the imperial family which made it public in the early 20th century. You can now enjoy to see the colours of the nature changing by each season like pink in spring with cherry blossom, so green in summer, and deeply red in autumn with the Japanese maple trees. Treat yourself with a romantic time in a roaming boat or in a swan-boat, it makes you feel as if you live in the impressionists' world but in Tokyo.


For gourmets, the Harmonica Yokocho is highly recommended. There are many stands offering a wide range of Japanese food, from yakitori to sushi or noodles. From 6pm, a friendly and welcoming atmosphere sets up, which makes it an ideal place for drinking after having walked all day long.

Harmonica Yokocho is the ideal place to enjoy drinks in the evening and to meet new people
However, Kichijoji is an ideal area for shopping, too. There are dozens of vintage shops, which provide a big selection of brands like Rag Tag but also lower prices in Mode-Off, so it is recommended to accomplish the shopping of your travel with something that you may not have a chance to find in your country. You can also find the local handicraft in different shops proposing Japanese potteries or handmade bags....
So, Kichijoji is a very nice place to enjoy the nature and the authenticity from the crowdy Tokyo.
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