01
Nakano and Nakano Broadway
My #1. No Debate. Five floors of otaku paradise, the Sun Mall arcade and the tiny bar streets by the station.
TOKYO / NEIGHBORHOODSNEIGHBORHOOD GUIDES
TOKYO NEIGHBORHOODS
THE NEIGHBORHOODS I ACTUALLY SEND MY FRIENDS TO.
Every single one of these is a short train ride from Shinjuku or Shibuya. You literally have no reason not to go.
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Each neighborhood guide covers what the area is like, the spots worth your time and how to get there. Comparing where to base yourself? Start with where to stay in Tokyo: all 8 neighborhoods at a glance.
EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD GUIDE
02
Koenji
Tokyo's punk rock neighborhood. Vintage shops, live houses and cheap standing bars.
03
Shimokitazawa
What Williamsburg wishes it was. Vintage shops, tiny theaters, craft beer and stupid good abura soba.
04
Ebisu
Where you go to drink, but fancy. My Ebisu night, Ebisu Yokocho and three bars, is on my bars page.
05
Shibuya
Skip the crossing. Tiny alleyways, vinyl bars and food halls that go hard at night.
06
Ikejiri-Ohashi
The sleeper neighborhood, one stop from Shibuya. Quiet streets and incredible coffee.
07
Sangenjaya
Dive bars and backstreets. The Triangle Zone is a maze of tiny bars.
08
Hiroo
The chill expat neighborhood. Leafy streets, a traditional sentō and Arisugawa Park.
09
Golden Gai, Shinjuku
Why I skip it now, and the Sangenjaya bar maze I go to instead, 5 minutes from Shibuya.
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