by Alexander Valbere
The issue with Tokyo is that:
1. Many things people hear about are outdated, but tourists often think they are still happening.
For example Yoyogi Park used to have a lively street scene with many cosplayers every Sunday in the early/mid 2000s.
This was a popular spot for seeing street performers and people dressed in elaborate costumes.
However this has mostly faded because many got tired of tourists taking pictures.
Shimokitazawa (an other area in Tokyo) was once known for its vintage and retro stores run by individuals selling used clothing and other things at cheap prices but now big companies have taken over selling the same things but at overpriced prices for tourists.
The generic looking train station that was build in the mid 2000s did not help either.
Takeshita Dori (a famous shopping street in Harajuku, pronounced “takeshta” because the "i" in many Japanese "shi" words is not pronounced) was a cool spot in 2005 when I first visited Tokyo.
Now it’s packed with so many tourists wanting pictures it scared away the Japanese and companies selling overpriced unoriginal things for tourists has not helped either.
I miss Third Stage, a shop on Takeshita Dori that sold Visual Kei music (a style where people dress up in extravagant visuals).
I used to send them yen in envelopes when I ordered my music online.
Areas like Yoyogi Park, Shimokitazawa, Takeshita Dori and others were iconic spots for youth culture and fashion in the early 2000s.
Over time overtourism have transformed these places where the Japanese got tired of being Instagram pictures and companies started selling unoriginal things at overpriced prices for tourists.
2. To fully experience Tokyo you need to plan ahead.
Tokyo has many businesses located on higher floors which are marked with an "F" (for "floor"). For example, a cafe might be on the 5th floor of a building and you wouldn’t know it unless you paid attention to the signs and knew in advancewhere to look.
You could be walking down a seemingly quiet street at 01:00 not realizing that just meters away there’s an elevator leading to several floors of bustling venues.
In places like Shinjuku Nichome (Tokyo’s LGBTQ district) the streets can look quiet but in reality it's home to one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ bars in the world.
These bars often have unique themed interiors but they’re hidden behind understated signs or in buildings with no flashy exteriors.
Events are also frequently happening just out of sight.
For example a local street festival with hundreds of people might be going on just a couple of blocks away but you wouldn’t hear it due to the buildings blocking the sound.
Tokyo has a large music scene with livehouses (small intimate music venues) but many of them are located in basements or higher floors of buildings.
Each livehouse has its own schedule so you need to research ahead.
A useful resource for finding livehouses by neighborhood can be either by searching "livehouses" on Google maps or found at https://www.tokyogigguide.com/en/livehouses
In Tokyo many things are hidden away in multi-story buildings so it’s easy to miss interesting places if you don’t plan.
For someone unfamiliar with the city it might seem like there’s nothing happening on the street level but vibrant businesses and venues are often found upstairs or underground.
3. Some neighborhoods that were once famous for certain things have changed over time.
You might have heard about Kichijoji or Shimokitazawa as great places for vintage and retro shopping.
However you’ll find that many of these stores are now overpriced and run by larger companies.
Koenji (also known as Koenjikita) is still considered one of Tokyo's coolest neighborhoods by locals.
It has a lot of vintage and retro stores run by individuals and it’s not overrun with tourists.
The area also has a strong underground punk scene which keeps its character alive.
While once trendy spots like Kichijoji and Shimokitazawa have become touristy Koenji retains its local, alternative charm with authentic small businesses and music culture.
4. Kabukicho (Tokyo’s red-light district) might surprise you.
At first glance Kabukicho might seem like any other neon-lit area full of generic shops, tourists, and families, similar to Akihabara (the district known for electronics and anime).
You might know the famous Godzilla Head near the cinema or the Shinjuku Golden-Gai, a maze of tiny bars.
But did you know about GODZ, a heavy metal bar located in the basement of a building (not in Golden-Gai)? or the Shinjuku Batting Center, where you can play baseball for just 300 yen? There are also food festivals in Okubo Park, not to mention the adult-only attractions.
While Kabukicho may look like a family-friendly tourist area even during the evenings it has a much edgier side if you know where to look.
5. Akihabara and underground culture in Tokyo require more effort to explore.
If you don’t speak Japanese, it can be hard to access some of Tokyo’s deeper underground culture.
Places like Akihabara (famous for anime, manga, and electronics) have a lot to offer but the real gems are hidden in small, local spots that don’t cater to tourists.
You really need to do your research before coming to Tokyo to avoid sticking to just the major tourist spots.
6. Tokyo can feel private and inaccessible without the right knowledge.
Unlike some cities where you can wander the streets and stumble upon interesting things, Tokyo is more structured.
Except in certain areas like market streets or parks, street life is limited.
This may be because, as tourism has grown, locals have retreated to more private, low-profile spaces.
It’s not a place where you can simply wander and expect to find something interesting, which is good in a way.
It keeps the local spaces safe from overtourism.
Tokyo's street life is more subtle compared to other major cities.
Many interesting spots are hidden or inaccessible without knowing where to look, which has preserved some of the city's local charm from mass tourism.
Once an area gets to many tourists many individualy run buisnesses gets replaced by big companies selling overpriced things for tourists.
Unlike the individualy run buisnesses that inovat since they know the local culture/scene of that area.
Areas usually close to train stations that were once interesting gets rebuild with huge shopping malls housing the same generic buisnesses found anywhere else and the soul of the place either dies or goes underground.
And dont worry.
Its not like I mention most of the unique places or where to look besides livehouses and that wont change..
Need my places as well
