Shimokitazawa & Koenji in One Day
Vintage shops and curry in Shimokitazawa, the covered arcades of Koenji, a detour into Nakano Broadway and a night of live music and izakaya.
Last updated 2026-09-03 · 1-day self-guided plan
Shimokitazawa & Koenji
Thrift racks, curry, arcades and live houses
For travellers who would rather rummage through second-hand racks and record bins than queue for a landmark, and who want to end the day in a basement live house.
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Shimokitazawa vintage lanes
Take the Odakyu or Keio Inokashira Line to Shimokitazawa and arrive around 11:00, when the shops start to open. The lanes north and south of the station are dense with second-hand clothing, from cheap bins to curated denim and vintage American workwear. Reload, the walkway of small shops along the old rail line, and Bonus Track are easy places to start.
1.5–2 HoursCost: ¥0–5,000 - 2
Curry lunch in Shimokita
Shimokitazawa calls itself Tokyo's curry town and holds a curry festival every autumn; there are dozens of shops within five minutes of the station. Look for spice-forward soup curry, Japanese-style katsu curry or the thick, sweet kind served with a pile of pickles. Most places are counters with ten seats, so go before 12:30 to avoid a wait.
45 MinutesCost: ¥1,000–1,800 
3Koenji arcades, Pal and Look
Ride the Odakyu Line to Shinjuku, then the JR Chuo Line a few stops west to Koenji, about 30 minutes in all. South of the station the Pal covered arcade runs into Look Street, a long strip of vintage shops, record stores and cafés with a rougher, more punk edge than Shimokita. Prices are lower here and the piles are bigger.
1.5 HoursCost: ¥0–3,000
4Nakano Broadway
Koenji to Nakano is one stop on the Chuo-Sobu Line, then a five-minute walk through the Sun Mall arcade. Nakano Broadway is a four-floor mall of collectors' shops: Mandarake's dozens of specialist branches, vintage toys, watches, cels and figures. The upper floors are the deep end; the basement has an eight-layer soft-serve for the brave.
1.5 HoursCost: ¥0–5,000
5Koenji at night
Head back one stop to Koenji around 19:00. The lanes under and beside the tracks fill with tiny izakaya, standing bars and yakitori smoke; the north side has a cluster of cheap, loud, friendly counters. Koenji has more live houses than anywhere in Tokyo, and most post the night's bands at the door with a modest cover charge, so pick one and walk in.
2 HoursCost: ¥3,000–6,000
Day 1 Estimated Cost
- Food & drinks¥4,000–8,000
- Transport¥600–1,000
- Shopping & live house¥2,000–10,000
Tips
Odakyu to Shinjuku, then JR Chuo Line west: Koenji and Nakano are neighbours on the same line, so buy nothing but an IC card top-up.
Vintage shopping is standing and stooping for hours: wear something you can pull layers over in a changing corner, and shoes that slip off easily.
Eat curry at lunch and yakitori at night; the Koenji bars under the tracks take cash and add a small seat charge, which is normal.
Shoot the arcades in the late afternoon, when the roof lights come on but daylight still spills in from the side streets; ask before photographing inside shops.