Kōenji

Kōenji is a neighborhood in western Tokyo where narrow streets with secondhand shops, music bars, and small boutiques run through covered shopping arcades. The alleys lead in different directions from the train station, connecting markets, galleries, and performance spaces together.

After World War II a residential area formed here, taking in families and workers in simple houses. In the 1970s students and musicians moved into the cheap spaces and opened clubs, turning the neighborhood into a scene for rock music and subculture.

Small theaters and cafés sit alongside record shops in the alleys, drawing visitors each day who look for local music, fashion, and art. The name comes from a nearby Buddhist temple, whose influence still appears in small shrines and traditional celebrations.

The JR Chūō Line brings visitors to the main station, from which one can explore the alleys on foot. Most shops and bars open in the afternoon and stay open late into the night, especially on weekends.

Each year in August a street festival takes place, where dance groups in colorful costumes move through the main streets. Over 10,000 people take part in the parades, which last several days and turn the whole neighborhood into an open stage.