We chose our neighborhood because of its convenience to many different train stations. We also really liked the apartment! We can easily walk to 3 stations within 10 minutes. We are not right across the street from a station as we were in London, but we are very conveniently located. Each of the three neighborhoods around the three stations each has its own flavor as well. There is Ebisu - a neighborhood with many foreigners; Nakameguro - a very Japanese neighborhood, complete with Pachinko parlors; and Daikanyama - a neighborhood unlike any other in Tokyo, with it's fashionable shops and white brick modern, low-rise complex buildings. Now that we've lived here for a while, we've gotten to know our neighborhood. At first it was a challenge to find our way from home to any of the three stations, but now, we have no problems wandering around our neighborhood. We've stopped in many of the shops & restaurants nearby. Here are some of the more memorable neighborhood experiences.
The Doraemon Shop
- by Tara
My
favorite shop is the toy store that we pass walking home from Ebisu. The
owner's know me because every time I go in, I buy something with Doraemon
on it! I frequent the shop so much that the owners have started giving
me discounts on my purchases & even free, little ("service") Doraemon
gifts.
Restaurants
Seth and I have had lots of fun exploring the restaurants in our neighborhood.
We have a wide range to choose from and have been slowly working our way
through them. It's also obvious from one look at us that food has become
one of our major hobby's!
Scooping ice-cream for 15 minutes!
Dirty Gyoza - our favorite ramen shop
I'll take whatever they are having & your favorite (Korean BBQ)
Charleston Cafe with the couches in front of the fire-place that you can dine at
The street market outside Wendy's
The stand-up noodle shop outside of Nakameguro station with the nice little, old lady.
"Here, here, try some of my food free" said the street vendor as he noticed us staring at his truck in fascination! This man was selling food from a truck that had fascinated us since the first time we heard one driving around. We've figured out that this is the Tokyo equivalent to the American ice cream man in the summer. However, there are some MAJOR differences! First, these trucks only drive around in the winter. There is a recorded song coming from them and it repeats in a very distinctive tone "Ya-ki-mon..... Ya-ki-mon..... Ya-ki-mon". So, there is no way you can miss the fact that one is approaching. Even more interesting is that fact that the small truck emanating this song has a blazing fire burning on the back of it. Yup, something you sure don't see on the ice cream truck. An open fire right on the back of the truck. This fire is necessary (we learned when we asked a friend about this truck we'd seen) to bake the sweet potatoes on the inside of the oven on the back of the truck!
The tiny Indian restaurant near Ebisu Garden Place