5 under-the-radar Tokyo suburbs to explore once the city is open to visitors again
- The capital’s population has fallen, no tourists are visiting and Covid-19 is keeping residents in their home suburbs for longer, changing the city’s complexion
- A cosmopolitan, European feel permeates Jiyugaoka, Iriya is full of old houses that are rare in the city centre and Gakugei-daigaku is filled with energy
Tokyo is famously crowded. Commuters cram onto congested trains, hungry office workers sit like sardines in small izakaya pubs and an estimated 1,000-plus pedestrians pour across Shibuya’s famous crossing each time the traffic lights change. But the coronavirus has affected the rhythm of everyday life in the Japanese capital, as it has urban centres around the world.
For the first time in decades, the population of Tokyo dropped last year, having previously bucked the trend of decline seen in the rest of Japan. Tourist arrivals fell by a whopping 99.3 per cent, a drop that has led to popular attractions – such as the Kawaii Monster Cafe, the Tokyo One Piece Tower theme park, the Sailor Moon-themed Shining Moon Cafe and Shinjuku’s Robot Restaurant – shutting up shop.
Furthermore, locals have been avoiding the city centre; Asakusa and Shinjuku have been abandoned in favour of usually less crowded suburbs and downtown districts. New cafes, social hubs and shops have been popping up in under-the-radar neighbourhoods, an array of hidden gems and thriving corners to explore once the city is open again to visitors.
1. Jiyugaoka
A cosmopolitan, European atmosphere permeates the sculpted streets of Jiyugaoka. Down its narrow cobbled lanes and along its leafy streets, dating couples stroll hand in hand, locals chat on benches in the shade of trees, friends linger over lunch in terrace cafes. Despite coronavirus restrictions, this well-heeled neighbourhood in Meguro City (a ward in Tokyo) is bustling.
