One of the great things about Koenji and Asagaya is the number of cool events taking place on a regular basis. One week might be a festival of circus performers, magicians and buskers on the side streets of Koenji, while the next weekend could be a Hawaiian Festival in Asagaya. Only to be followed by…
Category: Koenji
Death by Chain-ten
[Originally written November 2017] I’m not too happy about Suit Select opening their sterile, salaryman uniform shops in my hood, but at least their main threat is aesthetic. They’re not really stealing business from anyone, except maybe Aoki, another ubiquitous purveyor of cheap, off-the-rack clothes for corporate drones. It’s the small, local businesses that I…
The Passing of a Koenji Legend
There was very sad news earlier this month, that struck close to home. While we were not mateys, we’d tipped our hats to one other in passing numerous times over the better part of the last decade. That was, after all, a large part of his joie de vivre–being one with The People. Not only a…
No Friend As Loyal As A Book
Said Ernest Hemingway. And perhaps I am in half-agreement, as there are two types of stores that I can spend hours lost inside: bookstores and record stores. It’s no secret that Koenji is a Tokyo hotbed for political discourse–or at least protest. It was after all the birthplace of Japanese punk, which at one time (before…
Board Game Bonanza
Since the 1970’s the gaming world has been shifting from the manual and mechanical to the digital and (more recently) mobile. The global video game market jumped from zero to $35 billion in its first decade and has since grown to $91.5 billion worldwide. Movies became games, games became movies and even those manual, physical,…
New Year’s Sushi
While most people in Japan head back to their hometowns to spend New Year’s with family dining on (osechi ryori / おせち料理), there are many who stick around the city. Similarly, most shops and restaurants are closed for the New Year holiday — but there are those that remain open as well. Fortunately for Koenjagayans, one…
New Year’s Soba … ‘Chya!
If you live (or have lived) in Japan, you are no doubt familiar with toshikoshi soba (年越し蕎麦 or New Year’s soba). If not, it is Japanese tradition to eat soba on the last of the year, letting go of the hardships endured, with the buckwheat plant representing strength and resiliency. The tradition started sometime during the 250 years…
Honey, Damn Good Honey.
It’s time to bee serious. One thing I love is finding a specialist. Especially one who loves what they do. And that’s exactly what I found at Yoshino Junsui Hachimitsuten (hachimitsu ten = honey shop) on Koenji’s north side, nearing the far end of Koshin Dori shotengai. Everything from the owner’s explanation about the varieties…
“KoenjiFes” Street Festival 2015
This past weekend (Oct 31-Nov 1) Koenji played host to its ever-growing street festival called Koenjifes. Just more to add to the towering pile of evidence that Koenjagaya is the coolest district in Tokyo. Koenjifes is a two-day street festival that began just a few years ago in 2011. Up and down the village’s many…
Event of the Year: 59th Koenji Awa-odori
Perhaps the most important festival in the country — nay the world — is upon us. The Koenji Awa-odori Festival is in full-swing. After a misty but more or less rain-free day yesterday, the festival continues today with the ren (dance groups) doing their thing from 5pm-8pm. The Koenji Awa-odori has grown to be counted…
Busker’s Paradise
The Koenji Bikkuri Daidogei (高円寺びっくり大道芸) was initially held to mark the opening of the neighbourhood’s new public theatre, Za Koenji (which has a great little market last week). The Daidogei (Japanese for street performance) has since grown into a fairly large event, replete with jugglers, clowns, mimes, acrobats, musicians and all artists outside or in…
New Ramen On The Block
Koenji is not for want of ramen shops, however Kou Kei Menya (Emperor Chicken Noodle Shop) opened a few months back and is a welcome addition to the neighbourhood’s noodleverse. Small yet spacious, it seats six at the counter and four others at two deuces along the wall. The standard coin-op ticket machine is right inside…
Koenjagaya 