Koenji counterculture tour

Antinuclear demonstration
Antinuclear demonstration outside Koenji Station after the 2011 nuclear meltdown in Fukushima.

Just off Tokyo’s mainstream beaten track, Koenji is one of Japan’s counterculture epicenters.

Ten minutes west of bustling Shinjuku Station, Koenji has been a hot spot of postwar political protest, and despite recent gentrification efforts, its narrow, pedestrian-friendly streets and alleys still maintain a distinct bohemian vibe.

Rare dragon sculpture torii
The inaugural tour
Koenji street scene
Koenji Awa odori festival
Koenji street musicians
Street music scene

Visit:

  • the birthplaces of Japan’s punk rock scene
  • used clothing and record stores
  • off-the-wall shops and coffee houses
  • a one-of-its-kind Shinto shrine that represents Koenji’s transformative adaptation of Japan’s past

Price: ¥4,000 per person, minimum of two per tour

Estimated Time: 2 hours

Return to Jim’s tour page

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