Shimokitazawa: How to Get There, What to Expect, & More

Just a few minutes from Central Tokyo you’ll find a charming district filled with rare finds, intimate coffee shops, A LOT of mouthwatering curry restaurants, and live music houses – these are just some of the things you can expect in one of our favorite places in the city, Shimokitazawa.

Also known as Shimokita or Shimo, the neighborhood gives a more laid-back vibe from the busier districts like Shibuya and Shinjuku, giving us a breather from our jam-packed schedules. It was pretty crowded when we dropped by on a Saturday but definitely manageable – some crowds but an overall fun and relaxing type of weekend.

Shimokitazawa is on the western side of Tokyo and is just about 3-5 minutes from Shibuya by train. You’ll immediately notice the narrow streets filled with all kinds of shops and eating places: the majority being vintage clothing and all kinds of cuisines (things we personally love, tbh).

Since it was the weekend, some eating spots have long lines and while we’re not the type to queue (we hate it), we thought we might as well since we were in the area anyway! And you know what? It was so worth it, and it wasn’t a really long wait so don’t be too intimidated to queue for a short while. One of the shops we lined up for had unique gelato flavors, lined up by both locals and visitors! We’ll talk more about it in a bit.

Assuming you don’t really drive around Tokyo like us, we used the most popular, convenient, cost-efficient, and our favorite method… by train! As mentioned earlier, it’ll only take you about 5 minutes to get to Shimokitazawa if you’re coming from Shibuya or 10 if Shinjuku. For us, we came from Ginza, so it was a bit longer, like 20 minutes long.

What you’ll need is a transportation card like Welcome Suica or the Unlimited Tokyo Subway ticket (if you’re coming from farther areas like Ginza). As long as your Welcome Suica is sufficiently loaded, you’re good to go! 

On the other hand, using the Unlimited Tokyo Subway ticket is great too, another personal favorite, but you will have to buy an additional ticket to get to the train that leads to Shimokitazawa Station. 

As mentioned, we came from Ginza. One of us used the Welcome Suica and another used the Unlimited Tokyo Subway Ticket. For us who had the Tokyo Subway Ticket, we used it to get on the Tokyo Metro Ginza Line then got off at Omotesando and transferred to the Tokyo Metro Chiyoda Line then got off Yoyogi Uehara to get on the Odakyu Odawara Line (this is the one you’ll need to buy an extra ticket that only cost JPY 140, about less than 1 USD) that leads to Shimokitazawa. 

There are other routes with fewer transfers but this was the the most convenient for us at the time. Otherwise, you can just get the JPY 140 fare if you’re coming from Shibuya, then JPY 170 if Shinjuku since you won’t need to transfer trains. 

One of the things Shimokitazawa is known for is their endless vintage clothing stores. Don’t jump into thinking that these are cheap though, majority of the clothes you see on the rack are well-curated pieces in line with the theme of the store, well-maintained, and rare – you most likely won’t be able to find these pieces being manufactured anymore.

We know your food plans in Japan mostly or fully consist of Japanese restaurants and stalls BUT you won’t want to skip on all the other cuisines available to you in Shimokitazawa. 

The area is mostly known for its curry shops (yum!!) but you will also notice other cuisines that are equally as drool worthy like Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Thai, Indian, and so👏🏻much👏🏻more👏🏻. There are many pictures and food samples made of wax in almost every corner, so we really just let our senses take the lead ~ the old-fashioned way!

For dessert, we lined up for gelato in Kalpasi. The line was quite long but it was relatively quick! Their flavors were unlike any other that we’ve tasted before like was Jaljeera + Kiwi, Charred Mustard Seed + Coconut, and so much more. This is only a few of from their selection!

You can choose more than one flavor too in one cup. We each got different flavors and tried each other’s, as what friends do! We tried the Sichuan Pepper + Chocolate, Masala Chai, Cardamom + Mascarpone + Lassi, Blue Cheese + Roasted Cumin Seeds, and Habañero Pepper + Watermelon. ALL YUM!

Bookstores, co-working spaces, and even a mini cinema, these relatively new commercial spaces are worth a visit.

In relation to the many cuisines, you can find a whole bunch of them in the relatively new shopping and dining complex, MIKAN Shimokita. The complex has all kinds of cuisines like those we mentioned above as well as other shops like bookstores, department stores, art exhibits, and wine bars. 

The name mikan comes from Japanese that means “incomplete” or “unfinished”, which when you think about it, is Shimokitazawa’s charm. Despite its laidback appeal, the district is ever-changing and never boring, mixing in new things but also maintaining the beauty of the past.

You can also find Tsutaya Bookstore in MIKAN Shimokita. It’s mostly known for its large collection of manga in the entire Shimokitazawa but it’s also a co-working space and coffee shop! So if you’re looking to focus on a project, you can reserve a spot in their lounge here, bring your laptop, and enjoy the food and drinks available. 

Also near Shimokitazawa Station is Nansei Plus. Here you’ll find a beautifully minimalistic designed complex with a handful of cafes, restaurants, a cinema, and even a specialty grocery store. There’s also a rooftop park where you can walk around or rest up a bit on the many chairs available. 

There’s also the (tefu) lounge by KITASANDO COFFEE where you can work or study. If you need a place to work, you can reserve seats, bring your laptop, and sip your coffee in full focus mode. You can check out how to reserve a seat here.

We can all agree that the best way to get around any place you haven’t been to before is to get help from a friendly local. Like a friend, you’ll be asked to share your preferences so your guide can curate a unique Shimokitazawa itinerary for you.

These walking tours can accommodate up to 8 people, going solo is fine too!

If you prefer to be really near Shimokitazawa, check out accommodations in Setagaya. Setagaya is a largely residential area where Shimokitazawa is a neighborhood in. Here are some options, some even have hotel bundles that include either eSims, airport transfers, or even JR Area Passes.

You can also check out hotels in Shinjuku here.

Remember to prepare your Japan essentials before your trip!