Shimotakaido, Tokyo
Shimotakaido is a residential neighborhood about 15 minutes west of Shinjuku in the Setagaya Ward
The Shimotakaido Ekimae Ichiba fish market and movie theater are a couple reasons people stop by the area
It’s a lesser known cherry blossom spot in Tokyo during the spring
Just a little west from Shinjuku station on the Keio line is a small neighborhood area called Shimotakaido.
I lived just a 3 minute walk away from Shimotakaido station between 2014 and 2018 in a 1K studio apartment. While it’s not a major destination nor a must-visit, it’s a typical Setagaya, Tokyo neighborhood that nearby locals and college students gather at, and gives a taste of real, typical Tokyo life.
How to get there
From Shinjuku, the Keio local and rapid lines stop at Shimotakaido station. Keio line’s Express and Rapid Express won’t stop so there’s a need to transfer at either Sasazuka or Meidaimae stations.
The Setagaya line, a photogenic, 2-car street level train also travels between Shimotakaido and Sangenjaya stations.
A Keio line train stops at Shimotakaido Station on a snowy winter night.
Shimotakaido centers around it's main street, or Shimotakaido Shōtengai, which travels east-west. It’s painted green and is right outside of the station, so you can’t miss it.
Almost everything is either on this street or a block from it, so everything is really convenient. There are cafes, small outdoor markets, bars, convenience stores and a 24-hour supermarket - everything that makes for an easy place to live in.
The Shimotakaido Shōtengai on a clear evening.
A woman walks the Shimotakaido Shōtengai on a snowy, winter evening.
Shimotakaido Ekimae Ichiba
The Shimotakaido Ekimae Ichiba fish market is right across from the station’s north exit and has a few shops selling fresh fish and sashimi. There’s also a small meat shop in the ally right behind it, as well as another in front.
A man buying fish at the Shimotakaido Ekimae Ichiba fish market
A shop owner at the Shimotakaido Ekimae Ichiba fish market makes a sale.
Because it’s a typical residential area, it’s not a lively area and there’s not a whole lot of events to see. The two main events are the Shimotakaido Festival in the summer where there’s dancing and several food booths, and the Sakura Festival in the spring with much of the same centered around cherry blossoms.
Shimotakaido Summer Festival
Shimotakaido cherry blossoms
I learned in my time living there that Shimotakaido is one of Tokyo’s unknown cherry blossom spots.
While it doesn’t have a picturesque lake or grassy hillside or anything like some of these other Tokyo cherry blossom areas, there’s a pretty long tunnel full of the pink flowers covering the street right outside of Nihon University. If you’re not into fighting crowds to see a sakura tunnel, this is a pretty good option.
Japan’s kissaten coffee culture can also be experienced here as there are a few nice kissatens in Shimotakaido. It’s kissaten like these that inspired people such as W. James Freeman, the founder of Blue Bottle Coffee (part of the reason why their first international location was in Japan).
More than simply a coffee shop, kissatens are akin to homey cafes specializing in hand-poured, slow drip coffee and homestyle cooking where you can relax, chat, read or work.
Shimotakaido may not be as exciting as other nearby areas like Shimokitazawa, but it’s a great neighborhood to head to on an early weekend afternoon as people are out and about, and you can truly soak in the authentic Setagaya, Tokyo lifestyle.
Poem
Some of my favorite coffee. If you’re a fan of rich, dark coffee, this is the spot.
More of a kissaten cafe than a trendy coffee shop, Poem’s focus is entirely on the beans. Step inside the shop and the first thing you’ll see is a table seeking their assorted roasts, with the clear plastic bags of their dark roasts coated in coffee bean oil.
The biggest knock on Poem is that they allow unseparated smoking (as of Nov 2019). But otherwise it’s a nice place to kick back and enjoy an amazing cup.
Niku to Sozai no Hotta
Just out of Shimotakaido Station’s north exit is Niku to Souzai no Hotta, a butcher shop. Of course they have a range of meats, but their croquettes and fried foods are what people love to buy.
In the mornings people line up at their street-side stand, just across the fish market, for everything from crab cream croquettes to tonkatsu. They’re sure to sell out, so if you happen to walk by and and their trays aren’t empty yet, pick one up to take with you on the go.
Coffee & Roaster 2-3
A quaint little kissaten, Coffee 2-3 is a small, quiet shop that lets its customers do their own thing. Seating is separated and not arranged for a lot of conversation or staff interaction, so there are people reading, writing, or just enjoying being alone with their thoughts.
In traditional kissaten style, they have a few dishes with homemade flavor to choose from. I sat at the counter and watched the barista ever so slowly and carefully pour my cup, so I know they put a lot of care into their craft.
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