OFF THE BEATEN PATH TRAVEL IDEASEveryone visiting Tokyo will want to see the main sites, but there are many great, off the beaten path neighborhoods and places that one might venture to for a different angle on Tokyo life. Almost any station in central Tokyo will have its own cluster of restaurants and shops, so most visits can be combined with a meal.
Shimokitazawa is an area of eclectic shops and cafes on little back streets that has an artsy vibe. There are lots of cafes and eateries, making it is a great place to take walk around and get a meal.
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Meguro is a friendly, upscale neighborhood, with a nice mix of restaurants. Among the reasons to make a visit to Meguro: several museums, the Meguro river, and an area of furniture shops.
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Nakameguro is a trendy neighborhood with the Meguro River on one side. It's great to walk around and checking out shops. Ebisu, Daikanyama or Meguro, are all nearby.
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Ebisu is a nice area on conjunction of the Hibiya line and the JR Yamanote line. Around the station there is a maze of back streets with shops and restaurants.
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Daikanyama is only one stop from Shibuya, but is a much quieter up-scale shopping area. There are numerous cafes and small eateries, as well as the Tsutaya bookshop.
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There is the Tokyo Dome, a good array of restaurants, the Korakuen amusement park, and a trendy shopping area. Close by is also the tranquil Korakuen park.
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Kichijoji is a bustling upscale station area with many shops, covered shopping streets, back alley restaurants and bars, and the beautiful Inokashira park nearby making it a great place to check out.
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The Ningyocho station area has some interesting shops and can be a neat place to check out some old Japanese style buildings and shopping areas.
Jiyugaoka Station is a fashionable trendy neighborhood only about 10 minutes away from Shibuya. There are many fashion shops and boutiques, and a nice amount of restaurants
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Takadanobaba is a neat station area three stops north of Shinjuku on the Yamanote line. It is a college area, so a bit younger crowd, and there area a good amount of restaurants and shops.
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Shin-Okubo is the Koreatown of Tokyo. The area has a large Korean population so there are lots of Korean restaurants and shops selling Korean goods and items.
Koenji is a popular residential area with a good array of shops and restaurants. There are also several live houses.
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Another urban center just a few minutes from Shinjuku, the area around Nakano station has a burgeoning number of bars and restaurants.
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