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…
Tag: Music
A Classical Cafe of Lynchian Appeal
Café Le Violon in Asagaya is a wonderfully queer little place tucked away in Asagaya’s north side. At least to me. I could see a segue in a David Lynch passing through here. But it’s the first classical music café I’ve been to. First appearing in the 1920’s and experiencing their heyday during the 1950’s–a time when…
“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…
Asagaya Jazz Streets 2015
The 21st annual Asagaya Jazz Streets was last weekend. Construction at Suginami City Hall caused its stage to relocate to building’s side facing the much busier/louder street of Ome-Kaido. And while the space was a bit more cramped, the traffic wasn’t much of a factor. And it is a much sunnier spot. There were some…
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…
Christmas Clowns & Riverboat Jazz
Just another reason to love Asagaya. There was a small troop of street performers enhancing the mood along the Pearl Shotengai on this fine Sunday.
Asagaya Jazz Streets 2014
A little video compilation I made of the incredible annual Jazz Streets festival in Asagaya last month.
Koenjagaya 