A short train ride from Shinjuku Station drops you at the front stoops of Shimokitazawa, Tokyo's rising star of creative bohemian acclaim. Shimokitazawa shares Harajuku's highly stylised aesthetic, but it’s slightly removed from the masses that gather in the centre of the city. Chaotic in a charming way, Shimokitazawa is more organic than organized—its roads are sinewy and nearly too narrow for cars, its architecture endearingly haphazard, and its look meticulously inelegant.
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On the Map
Shimokitazawa is within Setagaya District and bordered by Shibuya District, Meguro District, and Suginami District
Shimokitazawa: Fashion, Style, and Design In Mind
More laid-back but arguably as fashion-forward as Harajuku, Shimokitazawa centres on Shimo-Kitazawa Station in western Tokyo.
Clothes artfully drape, cuff, roll, and layer their wearers.
Wall-sized murals grace the neighbourhood's textured surfaces.
Affectionately referred to as "Shimokita," Shimokitazawa relentlessly endears itself to Tokyoites.
Impossibly narrow streets and sinewy alleyways weave through the neighbourhood.
They make Shimokitazawa exceptionally approachable for pedestrians and uncommonly quiet from lack of cars.
Its unpretentious boutiques and cafes emanate a kind of hand-hewn charm.
They make the neighbourhood feel less business-like, less buttoned-up, than other commercial centres in Tokyo.
In Shimokitazawa, the day feels unforced.
Time passes naturally.
The neighbourhood's train station makes its shops, cafes, and music venues conveniently accessible.
Recycled and Reused: Shimokitazawa's Vintage Look
What cosplay is to Harajuku and Akihabara, vintage and recycled is to Shimokitazawa.
Broken-in T shirts, previously worn jeans, and reimagined coats, jackets, and hats define the neighbourhood's thrift store vogue.
Shimokita exudes a sort of preconsidered playfulness.
The area's stylish disorganisation is extraordinarily orderly.
The Scene In Tokyo's Newest "It" Neighbourhood
Alleyway artists and tunnel performers characterise Shimokita's renowned rock 'n roll reputation.
Music aficionados throughout Japan know the area by name.
Petite theatres provide intimate venues for bands before they make it big.
The area's artistic nature shines through in more than its music.
Instead of malls and arcades, art galleries, record stores, and bookshops pervade Shimokitazawa.
These days, they're a novelty.
The In Crowd at Shimokitazawa's Outdoor Cafes
Unlike Paris or Sydney, patio seating doesn't come standard in Tokyo.
Shimokitazawa defies the odds.
The area is peppered with outdoor cafes, plein air seating, and sidewalk cafes.
Indoor dining is just as easy to find.
The area's establishments often serve their food with extra panache.
Many of Shimokita's restaurants double as galleries, performance spaces, and bars.
Tomorrow's trend is probably being born on the second floor.
See you then, trend.
The Residential Charm of Shimokitazawa
Designer apartments and traditional Japanese homes provide the backdrop to Shimokita's stylish sensibilities.
Its dwellings reflect its commercial attitude.
Contemporary with a twist of timelessness.
Photography
Airbnb works with local photographers to capture the spirit of neighbourhoods all around the world. The photography on this page includes work by:
Masaru Goto
Masaru studied Photography at Parsons The New School for Design in NYC. He has 25 years experience photographing social and human rights issues in Asia and South America. After spending many years abroad, he has begun to focus on his own country of Japan. He established Reminders Photography Stronghold in Tokyo in 2013, a curated membership gallery making multi-photographic activities possible. His photographs have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Newsweek Japan, and many others.