15 Tokyo Neighbourhoods to Explore Now

The Asakusa neighbourhood has bloomed around Tokyo’s oldest temple, Sensoji, built in 645. It’s this charming temple and its surrounding streets of traditional restaurants and souvenir shops that attract some 30 million visitors a year. While it’s one of Tokyo’s busiest areas, it’s still worth visiting, especially if you weave around the standard tourist tracks. Head for the quieter back streets where you can find second-hand kimono stores like Tansuya, or take a break with matcha-based sweets at Yanagi-Chaya (the matcha tiramisu is a standout). 

Just a few blocks from Asakusa, you’ll find somewhere that feels a world away. Packed with an array of indie cafes, casual restaurants and a trove of craft shops, Kuramae is an old neighbourhood next to the Sumida River. Lower rents have attracted young creatives to the area, which was traditionally a hub for leather artisans. There are still leather bags stores to browse, including Camera where you can relax with a snack and a coffee at the onsite cafe. Artists and writers will be in heaven at Kakimori, a beautiful stationery shop where you can blend your own coloured inks.

You can’t go to Tokyo without visiting Shibuya. The key to experiencing this buzzing district is to go with the flow (and to get off the main streets as soon as you can). Serious fashion fans should seek out Archive Store, hidden in a back street – it’s like shopping at a museum, with pieces by avant-garde Japanese and European designers. Join the local hipsters at She Wolf Diner for a classic hamburger with a side of 80s music and cap off the night at Nanzuka Taken, an “art bar” with a Blade Runner vibe that features works by renowned artists such as Hajime Sorayama and Daniel Arsham. 

Discover indie boutiques, chic design shops and relaxed eateries along the Meguro River, near Shibuya. Nakameguro draws hordes of visitors in spring, when the cherry blossoms that line the meandering river that curves through the neighbourhood bloom. Join the queue of hungry locals to buy cult-favourite doughnuts at I’m Donut? (don’t go past the maple bacon) or enjoy a wrap at the cyber-chic Hven Cafe, which turns into a live music space at night. Down a side street and behind a small wooden door, 3110NZ by LDH Kitchen is a cool art gallery by day and an exclusive eight-seat sushi bar at night.

Just a few streets back from the youthful chaos of Harajuku is the less crowded Sendagaya. Fans of modern architecture can see Kengo Kuma’s Japan National Stadium, built in 2021 for the Tokyo Olympics, next to Fumihiko Maki’s spaceship-style Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium from 1990. Drop in to Atmos for a coffee before you peruse their rare sneakers, then find some of Tokyo’s loudest streetwear at Punk Drunkers. For souvenirs, Think of Things sells beautifully functional tools, homewares and stationery that make perfect gifts for people who are impossible to buy for.

“Colourful” best describes Koenji, an eclectic corner of the city famous for its Awa Odori dance festival each August. You won’t find modern shopping malls or high rise apartments; the locals are determined to keep things low-key with a selection of tiny bars, live music venues, punk record stores and plenty of street art. Explore the maze of narrow streets and stop in at INCredible Coffee for a latte and indie art. Stick around: in the evenings, the space turns into a low-key DJ bar.

In the 30s, several large music stores opened here and Ochanomizu got its moniker, “Music Town.” The cluster of record and CD shops near Ochanomizu Station feel charmingly quaint in the era of downloads. Down the hill, the adjoining neighbourhood of Jimbocho is known for its second-hand book stores and curry restaurants. Surrounded by some of Tokyo’s top universities, this area’s food options cater to the needs of students (and travellers, for that matter): cheap, tasty and filling. Try the student favourite katsu curry – a crispy pork cutlet with curry sauce – at Kitchen Nankai Jimbocho.

Shinjuku ward is a sensory overload of people, lights and noise, radiating out from one of the world’s busiest train stations. Just beyond the neon and skyscrapers, Shinjuku’s neighbourhoods have a more human scale. Takadanobaba is a student area with a host of casual bars and great ramen joints. Try the tori soba (soy sauce-based ramen) at local favourite Ramen Yamaguchi (they have an English menu). Next to Takadanobaba is Shin Okubo, Tokyo’s “Korea Town”. It’s the place for K-pop and K-beauty, as well as delicious street food like hotteok pancakes. Most of Tokyo’s teenagers converge here on weekends to shop for cheap, cute accessories.

Once a lively geisha district, the cobbled streets of Kagurazaka now feature chic boutiques and bistros, mixed with kimono shops and traditional restaurants. Explore the back alleys and stop for matcha tea and elegant desserts at Saryo before visiting Akagi-jinja Shrine, stylishly renovated by renowned architect Kengo Kuma. On a sunny day, Canal Cafe is the ideal place to linger over lunch, and you can even rent a rowboat to explore what remains of the outer moat of the former Edo Castle.