Three Retro Neighborhoods in Tokyo

While many visit Tokyo for its futuristic cityscapes, there also happen to be a few areas of the city that give the feeling that you’re being taken (slightly) back in time. While I love Tokyo’s high-tech side, I also love a few hidden-gem neighborhoods that make you feel like you’re in a different decade.

The first neighborhood is Kita-Shinjuku in Shinjuku Ward. In addition to being a hub of many different international communities, it also has a feel like Tokyo in the ‘90s or early 2000s. While not intentionally trying to be “retro”, it feels more like other parts of the city modernized, while Kita-Shinjuku maintained a slightly y2k charm. You won’t find many tall buildings or hype-driven pop-up shops and theme cafes like in the rest of Shinjuku, but you will find delicious local restaurants (both Japanese and non-Japanese) that are committed to their craft. In addition, this neighborhood is incredibly convenient to live or stay in for a while, because it has almost immediate access to central Shinjuku while being more reasonably priced and less chaotic.

The next neighborhood is definitely trying to be retro, and you’ve probably already heard of it. This neighborhood is Asakusa in Taito Ward. Instead of the turn of the century, this neighborhood harkens back more to the 1800s and early 1900s in terms of style. Asakusa is Tokyo’s hub for traditional sweets and snacks, for old world architecture, and is the ideal place to walk around in a kimono. And, the entire neighborhood is centered around one main attraction: Sensoji Temple (you’ve probably already heard of it too if you’re researching a trip to Japan). Sensoji Temple is the largest and most popular Buddhist temple in Tokyo, and is a beautiful landmark - however, expect crowds.

The last neighborhood is kind of a mix of the two, in that it is trying to be retro to a degree, but it also isn’t the ultra-popular tourist hub that Asakusa is. This neighborhood is Yanaka in Arakawa Ward. Its main street is called Yanaka Ginza, running along a hill speckled with small independent clothing shops, cafes and restaurants. It doesn’t remind me of a specific era in Japanese history, but it’s definitely a neighborhood that likes to stay the way that it is. The other attraction is that Yanaka is loosely themed around cats; you will spot small cat sculptures here and there, and will encounter a fair amount of cat-themed merchandise here as well. Yanaka is also abundant in hand-crafted goods and delicious local food, especially famous for a restaurant serving a high-end Mont Blanc parfait.

Well, there you have it. These are the three retro neighborhoods in Tokyo that I would recommend if you want to get a feel of the older side of the city, and perhaps be transported back in time! Until next time, I hope you have a wonderful trip to Japan.