Shimokitazawa. Referred to locals as only "Shimokita," this vibrant, coffee shop laden community is one of three places in the city that gives tangible form to Tokyo's hipster vibe (the other two are Kichijoji and Koenji). The streets and winding alleyways are home to a patchwork of quirky shops, music venues, cat cafés, and quaint restaurants, all contributing to its status as a thriving counterculture center.
Whenever I'm in the vicinity, I always make a point to swing by Kimoshita, mostly due to its chill atmosphere, in stark contrast to some of the more popular areas downtown. As a notorious window shopper, I enjoy being able to purchase a small snack or beverage and peacefully wander from shop to shop at my own pace, without having to worry about fast-paced crowds pushing me along.
In fact, the first thing I did upon reaching the station was buy a small curry bread (a deep-fried pastry with curry filling) to nibble on as I took a stroll down one of the streets.
I soon came across several vintage shops and a storefront with bright, colorful t-shirts on display which caught my eye. I took a step inside the latter to see what sort of fashion the store had to offer.
In view as soon as I walked in was a glass-top table displaying the current collaboration t-shirt line. The shirts, neatly folded in front of me, were plastered with a bizarre mix of minimalist abstract art and definitions for particular terminology relating to technology and mathematics. I quickly picked out a favorite: a t-shirt entitled "Colliding Particles" with the textbook definition of a large hadron collider printed in small font near the bottom.
I perused the clothing racks of a few other stores, curious as to what was considered fashionable this summer in the hipster scene. Patterned button down shirts, straw hats, and belt buckles of interesting design lined the walls as I wandered from isle to isle.
I found this hat to be rather trendy:
However, despite my best efforts, I was unable to determine why numerous articles of clothing emblazoned with "Duck Dude" were featured so prominently throughout the store.
As it was already mid-afternoon, a decided to examine the menu of nearby Southern Hills Cafe, a crepe shop of sorts that had attracted a fairly sizable crowd.
Although I had to wait over ten minutes for my order due to the sudden influx of customers, the banana custard crepe that was finally handed to me was a culinary highlight of the afternoon.
One prominent feature of Shimokita is its abundance of tasteful graffiti scattered throughout the district. While not as apparent mid-afternoon since the shops are still open, many businesses are outfitted with painted garage doors in place of the standard variety. As a result, the streets of Shimokita transform from a trendy shopping center to art-lined walkways as night approaches.
Standard graffiti can also be seen, tucked away in various nooks and crannies along the alleyways and stairwells. I had a lot of fun closely examining the streets in search of artwork hidden in plain sight.
As I made my way back to the station, rather satisfied with my afternoon excursion, I unexpectedly came across the following construction project well underway:
While I'm not entirely sure what kind of building was being built, the backdrop of girders and cranes served as a good reminder that Tokyo, as with any other city, is constantly changing. As new buildings come into existence and the cityscape continues to grow (vertically, in Tokyo's case), I think it's important to not take for granted the ever-dwindling pockets of culturally rich neighborhoods that have escaped (for now) the fate of over-urbanization. Shimokita in particular has been a battleground for the past several decades due to a controversial redevelopment plan that would demolish much of the area, replacing the small shop-lined alleys with high rises and a major arterial road. I'd personally be very disappointed if the plan is ever seen to completion, for the loss of such a vibrant community would surely take away from the overall uniqueness of Tokyo.
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