Kagurazaka (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

Located in the center of Tokyo and a short 20-minute train ride from Hardy Barracks, Kagurazaka is a fashionable shopping and dining district where traditional Japanese and elegant French feels coexist.

During the samurai era, Kagurazaka was an entertainment district with a lot of geisha houses and eateries. You can still find some geisha houses and traditional Japanese eateries, here and there, in the hilly district. Go off the main street and explore the side streets, and you will find trendy, high-end “ryotei” Japanese restaurants and cafés housed in chic, classical buildings with traditional noren curtains. If you are lucky, you may come across geishas in colorful kimono or hear some nice sound of shamisen and koto instruments on the narrow streets only accessible by pedestrians.

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

With a couple of French schools located in the area - l’Institut Franco-Japonais de Tokyo and Lycée Franco-Japonais de Tokyo - Kagurazaka also has an elegant French atmosphere with a lot of trendy French restaurants, cafés, bakeries and cheese shops that are lined along the main street.

On the upper end of the slope, you will see picturesque Shinto shrine Akagi Jinja, which was originally built during the Edo Period (1603-1867) and was recently renovated into a unique, modern exposition of wood and glass by famous Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.

Akagi Jinja Torii gate (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

Akagi Jinja (Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

The main street of Kagurazaka is closed to car traffic from noon to 1 p.m. (on weekdays) and from noon – 7 p.m. (on weekends and holidays), so you can enjoy a pleasant walk along the impressive streets.

Check out Kagurazaka Awa Odori Festival held on the fourth Saturday and Sunday of July, as the extremely enthusiastic atmosphere created by thousands of dancers in traditional festive attire, colorful illuminations and countless food and game booths draws over 100,000 visitors annually.

Head to Kagurazaka and stray into a Tokyo wonderland coexisting charms of traditional Japanese and modern French along the hilly district!

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

(Photo by Takahiro Takiguchi/Stripes Japan)

Kagurazaka

https://www.gotokyo.org/jp/destinations/central-tokyo/kagurazaka/index.html