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Neighborhood in Musashino, Tokyo, Japan
Photo: User:ITA-ATU, Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
Kichijoji (吉祥寺 Kichijōji) is a western suburb of Musashino, Tokyo. The general area also extends into Mitaka. The highlight is Inokashira Park, with long walking paths surrounding a lake. The park is filled with both cherry trees and maple trees, making Inokashira Park an excellent choice for both flower viewing in the spring, and seeing the autumn colors in the fall. Kichijoji once enjoyed a reputation as an artists' colony, and today it is filled with stores from little boutiques to the big department stores. Kichijoji seems to attract everyone, from upscale shoppers, hip-hop dancers practicing in the train station to musicians playing live music in the park and at the many live houses in the vicinity.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
吉祥寺美術館
Information is only available in Japanese.
吉祥寺シアター
A live show venue. Shows are only in Japanese.
A large animation festival that occurs in mid-October every year. English-language tours of the festival may be available from tour operator H.I.S. The last edition to date was held in 2020, with its future unsure.
Food and music from the Caribbean, South America, Africa, and Asia.
ぶぶか
The abura soba served at this ramen restaurant is a welcome break from the usual salty and soupy ramen. Actually ramen not soba, abura soba is served with no soup, but does include the usual green onion, slice of pork, etc. An interesting addition is raw egg (nama tamago). Look for the store with the line in front — it is a popular place.
吉祥寺さとう
Famous for its ball-shaped deep-fried mincemeat cutlets (menchi katsu, ¥300 apiece) which you can get as take-out, and there's usually a long line of customers spilling out into the shopping arcade. Has a steakhouse upstairs.
In the Harmonica Alley, across from the Kichijoji Station, there is a little shop serving the uniquely Okinawan dish called taco rice. Taco meat and all the usual taco toppings, all over rice. Surprising and tasty!
ブルームーン
This restaurant has an eclectic selection of Asian food and international interior decorations. The bizarre mixture of furniture from various countries and of assorted ages makes the mind boggle.
An Italian-style chain restaurant.
八十八夜
This restaurant serves western-style vegetarian and vegan sandwiches and salads. Oddly, the atmosphere is more reminiscent of a coffee shop near a college than a restaurant. Lights dangle from long cords from the ceiling and hover just above the table surface.
いせや
This yakitori (grilled chicken) tavern is a Kichijoji institution, first opening in 1928. The interior scene could be straight out of a 1950s black-and-white movie, full of raucous salarymen drowning their troubles in tall glasses of beer. This is the smaller branch shop; the main shop, housed in a marvelous old wooden building from 1953 to 2006, reopened as the base of a modern apartment tower in October 2007.
じいま
This restaurant is small — only room for 20. However, the meat and fish are quite good, and the young and energetic wait staff make for a worthwhile visit.
ラ・ベファーナ
An Italian restaurant serving pasta and pizza. The restaurant can get packed on Friday and Saturday nights, at which time reservations are recommended.
Buddhist ascetics and quirky jazz pianists alike will feel at home at this cozy "slow food" restaurant. The fare is organically-grown, mostly vegetarian/vegan home-style Japanese. When you sit down, the owner will almost certainly ask if you can read the Japanese-only menu, if you look like you can't. If that's the case, just pick one of the three daily specials — vegetarian, fish, or chicken. Chances are you'll get something you like, along with some other exotic healthy vegetable that you won't like.
李朝園
This is a very large yakiniku place. It has patchwork architecture and tasty meat.
Okinawa-themed restaurant and bar. Head downstairs for the Hawaiian-themed bar Jingle-Jangle.
うな鐡
This is a sushi restaurant that specializes in eel, as its name indicates.
ヴィレッジヴァンガードダイナ―
A burger and beer joint with a large variety of burgers and international drinks. Run by Village Vanguard, a chain of variety/bookstores.
きゃりこ
Enjoy the company of this cafe's 15 cats as you sip your coffee or tea. An outlet for cat lovers who don't or can't keep cats at home, this cafe was covered in news wire reports in late 2007. Has another branch at Shinjuku.
自家焙煎 珈琲散歩
Beans roasted to order, nicely-made lights sweets and a blend coffee to rival them all. Quiet, bright and popular.
A live house with recording studios available for booking.
チーキー
Formerly the annex of Warp, now independent. Musicians such as Inushiki and Latyr Sy gather there, and collaborate until the brink of dawn. Time spent there is to experience musical and artistic genius.
スターパインズカフェ
A large club and live house. 2 floors and stage.
アウボラーダ
A cozy Brazilian-style luncheonette and bar with good food and live music.
An English-style pub with locations throughout Japan.
吉祥寺東急REIホテル
An upscale branch of a national hotel chain.
A famous Japanese department store selling computers, components, cameras, household appliances, and pretty much anything electronic.
A handicraft shop adjacent to the station. There are two floors of crafting materials. The dedicated shopper may find interesting souvenirs on the fabric floor.
大直
A nice selection of traditional Japanese paper and related souvenirs. The website has some English info about papers and their shops.
Vintage clothes shop for popular brands.
By bus
Bus service connects Kichijoji directly with Narita Airport and Haneda Airport. Pick up the bus on the east side of the train station, underneath the JR tracks.
By bicycle
When arriving in Kichijoji by bicycle, parking is a concern. The police are vigilant about bikes parked illegally, particularly near the station and in busy areas.
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Tokyo · International · HND
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