Shimokitazawa

Indie neighborhood with vintage clothing, coffee shops, music venues, and curry places. Safe and low-key. Less English than tourist areas.

Shimokitazawa has narrow winding streets with vintage shops, indie coffee places, small music venues, and a lot of curry restaurants. It's laid-back and attracts artists and people into alternative stuff instead of mainstream trends. Easy to wander alone browsing record stores or sitting in cafes. Only three minutes from Shibuya by train but totally different vibe. Safe day and night, though it gets quiet after 10 PM when shops close. They have a curry festival in fall because the area is weirdly known for curry. Music venues run shows most nights. Less English than tourist spots since it's more for local creative types, but the chill atmosphere makes it manageable with a translation app.