Kōenji
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Kōenji (Japanese: 高円寺 kōenji) is a suburb of Tokyo in Suginami ward, west of Shinjuku.
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[edit] History
The current division of Kōenji into north and south around Kōenji Station is a post-war arrangement. The whole area surrounding Shukuhõzan Kõen-ji temple used to be called "Kōenji".
There also used to be a town called Mabashi between Kōenji and nearby Asagaya, which has since been been absorbed into Kōenji, although the name "Mabashi" is retained in some schools and shrines.
[edit] Entertainment
[edit] Shopping
After Harajuku and Shimokitazawa, Kōenji is the best-known area in Tokyo for used clothing shopping. The majority of the stores are on the south side of the JR station, on or near Look Shōtengai (ルック商店街).
There are several large supermarkets, including Queen's Isetan (near Shin Kōenji Station), which stocks a fair amount of imported food.
[edit] Eating and drinking
Dozens of yakitori restaurants, izakayas and nomiyas can be found in the streets and alleys of both north and south Kōenji, as well as under the elevated tracks of the JR station. As with many areas of Tokyo, finding a place to eat or drink is easy, but finding a truly memorable one is another matter - often requiring drunken exploration.
[edit] Awa Odori
Each year in late August the Kōenji Awa Odori festival is held over three days. This is increasingly becoming a major tourist attraction for the area.
The festival has its origins in Tokushima and was adopted by Kōenji post-war. It involves a procession of groups performing traditional music and dance, and is enjoyed by a wide variety of people. The procession weaves its way through the streets on both sides of Kōenji Station, often with a dramatic conclusion at the "finish line".
[edit] Music
Kōenji is said to be the birthplace of punk in Tokyo, and some good (small) live venues can still be found there.
[edit] Parks
There are several parks in the area, including Sanshi-no-mori (蚕糸の森), Mabashi Kōen (馬橋公園), and Wadabori Kōen (和田彫り公園). Wadabori Kōen is the best in the immediate area for viewing sakura in spring, or for a stroll.
[edit] Transport
The Kōenji area is accessible by JR Chūō-Sōbu Line (Kōenji Station) and the Metro Marunouchi Line (Shin Kōenji Station or Higashi Kōenji Station).
The major roads Waseda Dōri (早稲田通り), Kannana Dōri (環七通り) and Ōme Kaidō (青梅街道) also pass through the suburb.
[edit] Kōenji in popular culture
The area appeared in the movie Nobody Knows (2004).
[edit] External links
- Koenji Navi (in Japanese)
- 高円寺純情商店街 Kōenji shopping area; local info, maps, businesses, etc (Japanese)
