By DAIKI SUGIYAMA

Shimokitazawa is another popular spot with Todai students following Shibuya. You can easily walk along the railroad tracks to get there on foot from our campus. It is famous for the drama theaters and fashion. The atmosphere is very casual. There are not many tall buildings and looks less urban. Streets around Shimokitazawa are very complex. It is difficult to find where you want to go even if with a map. However, rambling around itself is very interesting there. You will discover interesting places tucked away in the corners of Shimokitazawa every time.

Shimokitazawa, South-exit shopping street. Photo by author.

If you are unfamiliar of Shimokitazawa, you should start by walking down the main street. It starts from the south gate of the station and ends at Sangenjaya Station. Firstly, in front of the south gate, there are often some street performers, such as musical instrumentalists, calligraphers, and strange storytellers. Actually, Todai magic club members also sometimes perform and surprise pedestrians.

Nearby the station, you can find there are a lot of theaters which always hold fascinating dramas. For example, there is a small theatre in front of the north gate of the station which often holds free comedy shows. If you are lucky, you may be able to meet famous actors and directors.

Along the main street, there are so many shops such as clothing shops and accessory shops. You can search for your favorite clothes, shoes, and bags and compare prices of each shop only by walking. If you don’t have much money, you can try to go to some of the countless used clothes shops. You can feel like a treasure hunter.

If you start to walk Shimokitazawa, I bet you will want to go down the narrower streets. By that time, you are already fascinated with this town.

Originally posted on Jan. 31, 2014.