Neighbourhood in Setagaya
Shimokitazawa
下北沢
Tokyo's favourite neighbourhood for vintage clothes, records, small theatres and live music, a short train ride from Shibuya or Shinjuku.
- places to see
- 2
- Tokyo
- Setagaya
Shimokitazawa, or Shimokita, is known for its density of small independent fashion shops, cafes, theatres, bars and live music venues. It has long been a centre for stage theatre, with the historic Honda Theater and theatre festivals through the year, and its secondhand and vintage clothes and record shops keep it popular with students and young Tokyoites.
Since the railway was moved underground, the old tracks have become a strip of new shops, cafes and green space linking the area to the next stations. It is two stops from Shibuya on the Keio Inokashira line and a short ride from Shinjuku on the Odakyu line. More of the ward is in our Setagaya guide.
Don't miss in Shimokitazawa
Start with these, then wander the side streets.
1. Honda Theater
本多劇場The best-known of the neighbourhood's small theatres, at the centre of its stage scene.
2. Shingan-ji Temple
森巌寺A quiet temple south of the station, a calm break from the busy lanes.
Shimokitazawa on the map
Every place on this page. Tap a pin for directions.
Questions
How do I get to Shimokitazawa?
Take the Keio Inokashira line from Shibuya (about five minutes) or the Odakyu line from Shinjuku (about ten minutes).
What is Shimokitazawa known for?
Vintage and secondhand clothes, record shops, small theatres and live music venues, plus plenty of cafes.
Sources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources.
More areas in Tokyo
- ShibuyaHome of the world's busiest pedestrian crossing and the Hachiko statue, with new towers, rooftop views and a park on top of a mall.
- HarajukuTokyo's youth fashion district between Harajuku Station and Omotesando, next to the forest of Meiji Jingu shrine and Yoyogi Park.
- EbisuRelaxed district one stop from Shibuya, built around an old beer brewery, with lots of restaurants, izakaya and bars.
- ShinjukuTokyo's busiest hub: neon-lit Kabukicho and Golden Gai to the east, skyscrapers and free city views to the west, and a huge garden to the south.
- RoppongiCentral Tokyo district known for nightlife, embassies and the art museums of Roppongi Hills, Tokyo Midtown and the National Art Center.
- KagurazakaA sloping street from Iidabashi with stone-paved back lanes from its geisha days, old shrines and Tokyo's biggest cluster of French bakeries and bistros.
- IkebukuroBusy commercial hub of northern Tokyo around one of Japan's busiest stations, with Sunshine City, big department stores and anime shops.
- GinzaTokyo's classic upmarket shopping district, with department stores, flagship boutiques, the Kabuki-za theatre and a main street that closes to cars at weekends.
