Tokyo Walk: Recommended spots and delicious dishes in Kichijoji

Magazine

ReleaseJanuary 4, 2021

Located in Musashino City, the western part of Tokyo, Kichijoji can be accessed by train from Shinjuku in about 15 minutes. With a big park, department stores, shopping streets, and yokocho districts with drinking places, Kichijoji is a perfect place to enjoy eating, drinking, playing, and being refreshed in nature!

Inokashira Park

Opened in 1917 as the first suburban park in Japan, Inokashira Park has a history of more than 100 years. The park has a pond, forest, and Japanese garden.

The neighboring area has other facilities, such as Inokashira Park Zoo and Ghibli Museum, which is a museum showcasing the work of famous animation studio Studio Ghibli.

Oasis in a big city

There are about 200 cherry trees around Inokashira Pond, serving as a popular cherry blossom viewing spot in spring. A view of fully-blossoming cherry flowers reflected on the water and the blossoms showering on the water is very beautiful. With fresh greenery in summer and colored leaves in autumn, you can see various attractive views in different seasons. It is a perfect place for dating, walking, and relaxing! The area has also been used as a shooting place for some dramas, movies, and anime works.

Autumn view

*There are no trash cans in the park. Please bring you trash home with you.

https://www.kensetsu.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/jimusho/seibuk/inokashira/en_index.html

INOKA

A cafe inside Inokashira Park, mainly serving to-go items.

The cafe offers some snacks, such as French fries, karaage fried chicken, and hotdogs, as well as drinks, including home-made lemon soda, hand-drip coffee, and hojicha tea latte.

The most recommended item is “tofu donuts”! There are three kinds, including plain, matcha, and cinnamon (containing no egg nor dairy products). They are freshly served, with a crispy outside and moist inside! They are not too sweet and very nice and light.

The handbag you get with a drink-to-go is very cute.

https://www.instagram.com/inoka.cafe/

【Recommended Shops】

Paper message

A shop that specializes in original paper items.

You can find many paper-based products, including message cards, notebooks, and wrapping papers, which are all beautiful and cute. You can make your own original notebook with paper of your choice!

Address: 4-1-3 Kichijoji Honcho, Musashino City
Access: 8 min. walk from Kichijoji Sta. (JR, Keio)
https://www.papermessage.jp/

Sippo

Half the store serves as a shop selling everyday items and sundries, while the other half serves as a restaurant.

With stationery, plates and utensils, and various other kinds of items, you can find everything somewhat nostalgic as well as stylish!

The restaurant serves several kinds of set meals with rice, which are nutritionally well balanced, and some desserts, including cakes, as well as seasonal parfaits!

Address: Kichijoji Kitamachi 1-18-25, Musashino City
Access: 10 min. walk from Kichijoji Sta. (JR, Keio)
https://www.sippo-4.com/

Cafe Chairo

A modern cafe with Japanese taste that opened in June, 2020.

The owner is James, an American who loves Japanese culture and architecture. He says that he produced everything about this cafe, from the shop logo to interior. While feeling a traditional Japanese atmosphere, you can enjoy a modern and stylish space.

The food served at the cafe is all based on his original recipes. The recommended items are miso-dango dumplings, seasonal yokan, and matcha-an muffin.

Miso-dango

Matcha au lait and seasonal yokan

According to James, he opened this cafe hoping for Japanese young people, who are gradually losing touch with traditional Japanese culture, to rediscover and become more familiar with it.

Address: 3F, Kichijoji Honcho 1-11-21, Musashino City
Access: 5 min. walk from Kichijoji Sta. (JR, Keio)
https://www.instagram.com/cafechairo/

Iseya Sohonten

Opened in 1928, this long-established izakaya pub has a history of more than 90 years.

In addition to various kinds of yakitori, the signature dishes, you can enjoy various dishes and daily recommended dishes. There was a major renovation in 2008, in which the current building was created based on the image of the old building. The exterior and interior decorated with lots of lanterns are a must-see!

Address: Gotenyama 1-2-1, Musashino City
Access: 5 min. walk from Kichijoji Sta. (JR, Keio)
http://www.kichijoji-iseya.jp/publics/index/13/

Kichijoji Sato

Located in “Daiyagai” shopping street stretching in front of the station, this popular shop specializing in selling Japanese black beef, is especially famous for menchi-katsu (breaded and deep-fried ground beef patty).

It also offers delicious korokke, gyu-katsu (breaded and deep-fried beef on a skewer) and buta-katsu (breaded and deep-fried pork on a skewer). There is always a long line of people for the famous menchi-katsu and other delicious items.

Menchi-katsu

Buta-katsu

Gyu-katsu

Korokke

Address: Kichijoji Honcho 1-1-8, Musashino City
Access: 1 min. on foot from Kichijoji Sta. (JR, Keio)
https://www.shop-satou.com/shop/kichijouji1/

Yakitori Monden

Located a short distance away from the busy area in front of Kichijoji Station, this cozy little restaurant specializes in yakitori.

Using various parts of chicken and grilled with charcoal, the yakitori is soft and juicy. You can also enjoy a wide selection of local sake from all over Japan.

Chef’s selection of yakitori

Chicken wings

Mini-tomatoes wrapped with bacon on skewer

Grilled firefly squid

Deep-fried taro

Address: Kichijoji Kitamachi 1-10-22, Musashino City
Access: 10 min. walk from Kichijoji Sta. (JR, Keio)
https://retty.me/area/PRE13/ARE663/SUB1202/100001351016/

【Recommended Souvenirs】

Ozasa

A long-established shop making and selling exclusively yokan (thick, jelly-like sweet made of red bean paste, agar and sugar) and monaka (sweet azuki bean paste sandwiched between two thin crispy rice wafers), which are categorized into namagashi, a type of wagashi with high water content. Both are hand-made by craftsmen. They attract people with their perfect balance of sweetness and sophisticated taste. The yokan is especially famous and people make a long line for the yokan even before the shop opens.

A set of 15 monaka

Monaka

Address: Kichijoji Honcho 1-1-8, Musashino City
Access: 1 min. walk from Kichijoji Sta.
https://www.ozasa.co.jp/guide.php

*The information herein is as of November 2020.