shimokitazawa!

by mikka


I'll have what she's having: whoever thought to blend crepes and ice cream cones is an evil genius.

I am a lazy blogger, but at least this week I have an excuse (by which I mean a good excuse, for once, I swear) : the lovely Lenora is visiting us here in Tokyo for two weeks! So, in between our intensive course work and somewhat restricted budget, we made an excursion to Shimokitazawa, which has fast become my favorite neighborhood in Tokyo.


I love Tokyo, but much of it, to a newcomer especially, can feel like an impersonal sea of concrete and glass office buildings, Lawson drugstores and UNIQLO storefronts. I love UNIQLO as much as the next freezing cold gaijin who's come to rely on their cheap long underwear to stay alive in the frigid Tokyo cold, but I was immediately smitten by Shimokitazawa's individuality - artsy graffiti, quirky used clothing shops and almost relentlessly cool bars that, even more coolly, do not charge the ubiquitous cover charges.




This cow wants you to by its scarf. It may also be a deer - I'm not sure because staring at it for too long freaks me out.


I want - no, need - this piggy bank, and most likely, so do you. 
For those who find their wardrobe calls for both, Shimokita is also your place to stock up on both Obama shirts and naked lady shirts, all in one convenient location. 

At any rate: four more days of our class this week, and then we head down to Kyoto to get some culture.   Because, apparently, according to Iain, watching episodes of America's Shortest Next Top Model with Lenora does not count as culture.