Kichijoji & Inokashira Park (Tokyo) ~吉祥寺・井の頭公園

Kichijoji has long been a popular place to live. Kichijoji is close to popular urban spots such as Shibuya and Shinjuku, and yet it has many parks, including Inokashira Park, and is a town with a lot of greenery. It is a favorite place where you can relax without feeling self-conscious, with a sense of multiculturalism while still retaining a Showa-era shopping district.

By train
from Shinjuku : on the JR Chuo Line Rapid, 15 min.
from Tokyo：on the JR Chuo Line Rapid, 28min.
from Shibuya : on the Keio Inokashira Line Express, 16 min.

・Inokashira Park : Inokashira Onshi Park, which opened in 1917, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2017. At the time of its opening, the park was considered a suburban park, but today it is a precious green space adjacent to a residential area. Visitors can enjoy the four seasons with cherry blossoms in spring and autumn leaves in fall.
・Inokashira Nature Park : A comprehensive family park with a zoo, aquatic life museum, sculpture hall, amusement park, and other facilities.
・The Ghibli Museum in Mitaka : Studio Ghibli’s animation, which is popular worldwide, has a lot to do with Kichijoji. Since Studio Ghibli originally settled in Kichijoji, Kichijoji is a memorable place for Ghibli’s works and director Hayao Miyazaki.

・Cafes : There is a unique culture and artistic atmosphere, which has been fostered by the coffee shops. Unlike the coffee shops that can be found in every town, they all have a unique character that can only be found in Kichijoji.
　 ・COFFEE HALL Kugutsusou: Since its opening in 1979, this store has been watching the changes in the city of Kichijoji. The entrance is located in a corner of the bustling Dia-gai arcade and catches the eye. Inside the store is a long-established coffee shop that looks like an underground tunnel. check here!
　 ・The long-established jazz cafe “SOMETIME“: Kichijoji is a town of jazz cafes. While many jazz cafes have gone out of business, this long-established store is still going strong. It is not a pure coffee shop, but it is open for lunch, so it is a place you should try at least once. Live jazz music can be heard both day and night.
　 ・HATTIFNATT -Home in Kichijoji : Casual atmosphere with a fairy tale atmosphere, serving cakes, curry, doria, and pizza. (details here in Japanese)
・Cat Cafe Temari no Oshiro : Cat café in Petite Village in Kichijoji. You can enjoy a party in a cat castle with rules. (Paying)

Harmonica Alley : The shopping street is a collection of about 90 shops, both old and new, with a total floor space of about 2 tsubos (about 1.5 square metres).
・Sun Road shopping street
　　・Sato : Menchikatsu (fried pork cutlets)
　　・Tsukada Kamaboko shop：Kichijoji fried fish.
　　・Amane：Crispy winged taiyaki
・Iseya : Yakitori at long-established yakitori shop
・Maji : The special feature of this ramen is the “chunky, chewy rice noodles” and the “salt soup with the flavour of sea bream extracted”.
・81 NOODLE BAR : Pork bone broth ramen during the day and dashi soba noodles at night (large portions and toppings not available).
・Tombo: “Ajitama shoyu no umami soba + chashu pork” (930 yen + 300 yen).

・Asagaya : Famous as a town loved by cultural figures such as the literary and art circles, and still an area where many cultural people live.
・Koenji : The area is famous for its second-hand clothes, and is home to some of the most popular shops in the country between the south side of JR Koenji Station and Shin-Koenji Station on the Marunouchi Line.
・Jindaiji : Buddhist temple in Jindaiji Motomachi, Chofu City, Tokyo. Buses are available from Kichijoji.