A Visit to the Cool and Hot Neighborhood of Shimokitazawa

Hakone Kamakura Pass

Since the Odakyu Line was shifted underground in 2013, the area formerly occupied by the tracks has been redeveloped, resulting in many new attractions. Among them, Reload opened over the former tracks in 2021, maintaining the appeal of Shimokita’s layout of shops arrayed among alleys and cul-de-sacs, and serving as a model for next generation development. This multifunction establishment features 24 separate two-story buildings connected by corridors and terraces, reminiscent of alleys, letting you freely move in and out. The unique openness and freedom gives you the enjoyable sense of walking through alley ways in a foreign country.

Located along the 1.7 kilometers of the Shimokita Senrogai (Shimokita Tracks Street), this facility houses roughly 24 shops and restaurants. You can travel through it as though walking along alley ways and find numerous dining options, including curry, sweets, vegan meals, sushi, wine bars, and Izakaya restaurants, as well as many unique shops offering goods and services such as stationery, incense, apparel, a barber, a Chiropractic, and a yoga school. The unique and open space, unlike your typical shopping mall, reinvents the “alley way” as the source of Shimokitazawa’s popularity.

Bonus Track, an appealing facility featuring buildings like private houses and row houses, is located within the grounds of the Shimokita Senrogai, and was developed according to a theme of a community that everyone uses and nurtures together. In addition to a collection of individually operated restaurants and shops, Bonus Track also features a co-working space and a shared kitchen. The plaza and gallery feature markets, pop-up stores, and talk events on weekends, and offers shoppers an experience of visiting a modern or futuristic commune.

Found on the grounds are a variety of restaurants, such as one somewhat new to Japan that recreates American-style Chinese food using Vegan recipes, another that offers meals featuring a modern reinterpretation of the traditional flavors of fermentation culture, offering fermented foods and drinks from around the world, and one that serves rice porridge and Japanese sake. There are also numerous unique individual-run shops, such as a bookstore specializing in new releases that hosts regular talks by authors, a record store, and a shop dedicated to diaries and day planners. So why not stop by and experience what it’s like to visit a small town on festival day?

Photo:Nacasa & Partners

Yuen Bettei Daita offers atmosphere and character that you would never expect to find just 10 minutes from Shinjuku on the Odakyu Line. The water of the outdoor hot spring bath, accompanied by a view of a Japanese garden, is carried all the way from the famous Hotel de Yama at the Lake Ashi Hot Spring in Hakone. The water is a simple alkaline spring that is gentle on the skin. Enjoy a moment to calm your mind and body, soothing the stress and fatigue from your trip in the gentle hot spring waters of this luxurious facility offering an environment not normally found in the middle of a big city.

Photo:Nacasa & Partners

The inn features a total of seven types of guest rooms, including a deluxe twin room, which includes its own private outdoor bath, and a maisonnette twin room. Each features Japanese decor, with tatami mats and shoji sliding panels, but western style beds, allowing you to relax in a Japanese style space.

Visitors cannot use the hot spring separately from other plans, but there are day-trip plans that combine the hot spring, spa, meals at the Japanese restaurant, and light snacks at the tea house. Visitors may also enjoy walking through the popular subculture neighborhood of Shimokitazawa along the promenade leading from the inn.

Known as a gathering place for all kinds of young people attracted by its subculture, theater, music, and vintage clothing, Shimokita has also become a hub for new fashion and trends. Compared to other fashion hubs in Tokyo, that feature high end and global brands from around the world, vintage clothing shops run by individual owners form the foundation of Shimokita. And the place that best represents the characteristics and uniqueness of that fact is the Toyo Department Store, a place that attracts people from all across the globe. Housing a total of 20 shops, including some long-established ones, it is like a garage that offers the full breadth of the Shimokitazawa experience.

Occupying a former indoor parking lot for the overall building, the place is packed with small shops offering vintage clothing and handmade accessories. Opened in 2004, this long-established facility has been a leader in the vintage clothing boom. Their impressive lineup can satisfy the preferences of any customer, covering everything from rare domestic vintage, imports including American casual and European styles, brand new foreign band t-shirts, and pop Japanese apparel from the 70s. This hole in the wall is like a toy box where anyone can find something they want.

This popular restaurant is located in Shimokitazawa, known as the holy land of curry in Japan. Opened in 2017, this is the Shimokitazawa branch of a famous shop in Osaka that has been a driving force behind the popularity of spicy curry. Their most famous dish is their spicy keema curry, which is served in a set of three flavors which rotates each month. Under their motto of “never the same curry twice”, you will always encounter a new flavor. The restaurant occupies a renovated traditional home, producing a nostalgic and relaxed atmosphere.

Curry at Shimokita-So is accompanied by Yamu Soup. The purpose of the soup is not to consume as is, but to be added to each of the keema curries and mixed in after tasting the unadulterated flavors first. Diners can then enjoy the new, altered flavors. The soup alters the three keema curries and results in different tastes as though you ordered something entirely different from the start.