Kishin-en Garden at Futako-tamagawa, Tokyo

Check Out Some of the Best Hidden and Off-The-Beaten-Path Neighbourhoods

Ultimate Two Day Suburbs of Tokyo Itinerary

This two day itinerary takes you through the suburban neighborhoods in the West and Southwest parts of Tokyo. These neighborhoods are often popular hangouts amongst the youths or for a family day out for the locals.

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Day 1

Day 2

Tokyo's Southwest Suburbs

Futako-Tamagawa, Jiyugaoka & Gakugei-Daigaku

Nature

Culture

Gourmet

Volume

Much of Tokyo's southwestern suburbs are served by Tokyu Corporation, and many of the areas along the lines are residential or lifestyle districts that have been developed by the company. As such, many of the neighborhoods embody certain values of youthfulness and family friendly design that can be felt as you explore them.

Futako-Tamagawa (二子玉川, Futako Tamagawa) was envisioned as a fusion between a modern working and lifestyle district. The station is surrounded by shopping malls with office towers above them, and just beside is a beautiful riverside park area.

Todoroki Valley (等々力渓谷公園, Todoriki Keikoku Kōen) is a small neighborhood that features a ravine park, a dense forested area that feels like a natural respite in an urban jungle.

Jiyugaoka (自由が丘, Jiyūgaoka) takes inspiration from the streets of European cities, and you can see this inspiration from the road tiling, the benches and the streetlamps.

Gakugei-Daigaku (学芸大学) feels more like the typical Tokyo suburb, but features a high concentration of cafes in the area.

Going through these areas, will make for a relaxing itinerary for the day, to rest and unwind.

Itinerary Details

Starting Time

Start off from Shibuya Station

Recommended Time:

10:00

Probably the easiest station to access for most, Shibuya will be a central hub for the places that we will pass through today.

渋谷駅

Shibuya Station

田園都市線

Den-en-Toshi Line

東横線

Toyoko Line

JR山手線

JR Yamanote Line

埼京線

JR Saikyo Line

湘南新宿ライン

JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line

半蔵門線

Hanzomon Line

銀座線

Ginza Line

副都心線

Fukutoshin Line

井の頭線

Inokashira Line

Take the train to Futako-Tamagawa

Est.

10:00

11 mins

Den-en-Toshi Line

Towards Chūo-Rinkan Station

Tokyu

Shibuya Station

Futako-Tamagawa Station

11 mins

Take East Exit

Est.

10:20

1 hour

Futako Tamagawa (二子玉川)

Explore the riverside area along the Tama River

When you first arrive at Futako-Tamagawa Station, you will find yourself surrounded by towering malls and buildings. One of the biggest mixed-use developments, the area doubles as both a business district on the weekdays and a lifestyle district on the weekends.

Clam-broth Ramen at Kuramu in Futako-Tamagawa, Tokyo

Est.

11:20

45 mins

Closed on Mon-Tue

Kuramu (貝出汁中華そばくらむ)

Enjoy delicious clam ramen at Kuramu

Kuramu is one of Tokyo's best hidden finds, specializing in an out-of-this-world clam broth ramen (ラーメン, Rāmen). Located in Futako-Tamagawa (二子玉川, Futako Tamagawa), a short ride from Shibuya (渋谷), this hole-in-the-wall shop always commands a queue of locals during lunch and dinner. The soup broth is jam-packed with the umami from the kai (貝, Shellfish) and hotate (ホタテ, Scallop) that have been boiled down to produce this lovely concentrated, and yet light and addictive broth. There's nothing quite like it, and that's why it's such a favourite amongst ramen enthusiasts.

Hop on the train over to Todoroki

Est.

12:05

6 mins

Oimachi Line

Towards Ōimachi Station

Tokyu

Futako-Tamagawa Station

Todoroki Station

4 mins

Take South Exit

2 mins

140m

Todoroki Station

Todoroki Valley

Est.

12:20

1 hour

Todoroki Valley (等々力渓谷公園)

Walk along Todoroki Valley, a lush green spot in an urban jungle

One of the popular nature trails near Tokyo, this whole walking trail only spans around 1.2km. However, there is something serene about walking on wooden planks through this lush green area, along a small stream. There are even stepping stones which allow you to cross over the river.

Take the Train to Jiyugaoka

Est.

13:20

25 mins

Along the way, you will also pass by a local shotengai (shopping street), filled with plenty of local shops selling everything from clothes to light snacks. It’s a great place to stroll along, and feel like a local on their weekend day out.

12 mins

950m

Todoroki Fudosan Temple

Oyamadai Station

Oimachi Line

Towards Ōimachi Station

Tokyu

Oyamadai Station

Jiyūgaoka Station

3 mins

Take Central Gate

Milk Tasting Platter from Milkland Hokkaido in Jiyugaoka, Tokyo

Est.

13:55

1 hour

Closed on Wed

Milkland Hokkaido Tokyo (ミルクランドホッカイドウトウキョウ)

Enjoy some delicious Hokkaido Milk at Milkland Hokkaido Tokyo

A mixed concept retail store, Milkland Hokkaido Tokyo features a small grocery and takeout stand on the first floor, and a restaurant/cafe concept on the second floor. On the first floor, in the grocery section you can find all sorts of dairy related products from Hokkaido, including milk spreads, cheese, and more!

Credit: Wpcpey (CC BY-SA 2.1 JP)

Est.

14:55

1 hour

Jiyugaoka (自由が丘)

Explore the Jiyugaoka Area

The neighborhood is highly pedestrianized and is heavily European-inspired, from its benches to streetlights and even facades. It is also extremely family- and pet-friendly, so don’t be surprised to see many furry friends running around or families pushing their kids in strollers.

Take the train up to Gakugei-Daigaku

Est.

15:55

14 mins

Toyoko Line

Towards Shibuya Station

Tokyu

Jiyūgaoka Station

Gakugei-Daigaku Station

2 mins

Take East Exit

12 mins

950m

Gakugei-Daigaku Station

Rescue Cat Cafe Necoma

Est.

16:20

1 hour

Closed on Thu

Rescue Cat Cafe Necoma (保護猫喫茶 necoma)

Pat some furry friends at Rescue Cat Cafe necoma

While animal cafes are quite common in Japan, not all of these provide for comfortable environments for these cuddly friends, and you can tell from their skittish nature and reluctance to interact with customers. Necoma, however, is a cat cafe consisting of rescue cats (cats brought in and protected either from the streets or from their previous owners), and the vibe is a far cry from the touristy nature of many animal cafes.

Exterior of Kanno Coffee Lab in Gakugei-Daigaku, Tokyo

Est.

17:20

1 hour

Factory & Labo Kanno Coffee (Factory & Labo 神乃珈琲)

Get some freshly roasted coffee at Factory & Labo Kanno Coffee

Even in the crowded cafe landscape of Tokyo, this shop stands out for its beautiful glass building exterior and modern industrial design. This two story cafe houses its own roasting factory, where beans are roasted in-house.

Est.

18:20

1 hour

Gakugei-Daigaku (学芸大学)

Continue cafe hopping in Gakugei-Daigaku

Cafe hop in the Gakugei-Daigaku area, the place is just chockfull of chic cafes that are just great for de-stressing and getting a nice cuppa.

Backtrack to Jiyugaoka

Est.

19:20

5 mins

Toyoko Line

Towards Motomachi-Chukagai Station

Tokyu

Gakugei-Daigaku Station

Jiyūgaoka Station

2 mins

Take Central Gate

3 mins

230m

Jiyūgaoka Station

Mallory Pork Steak

Est.

19:35

1 hour

Mallory Pork Steak (マロリーポークステーキ)

Slice into some juicy pork steak at Mallory’s Pork Steak

A Japanese spin on a European-inspired grilled pork steak dish, there is only one main on the menu: pork steak. The question is, how big do you want it, and whether you want to splurge on the higher-end version. For most people, the Mt Takao portion (270g), named after Mt Takao in Tokyo (the larger steaks are all named after taller mountains around the world) would be the perfect size for dinner. Those willing to spend a bit more can consider the Tokyo-X pork steak, a special brand of pork known for its premium quality from the texture, taste, and fattiness, there are only limited quantities of the Tokyo-X pork steak each day.

Hop back to Shibuya

Est.

20:35

12 mins

Toyoko Line

Towards Shibuya Station

Tokyu

Jiyūgaoka Station

Shibuya Station

12 mins

End the day or check out the night view at Shibuya

Est.

21:00

If you’re still up for one last activity, then consider checking out the view from the rooftop observatory at Shibuya Sky.

渋谷駅

Shibuya Station

田園都市線

Den-en-Toshi Line

東横線

Toyoko Line

JR山手線

JR Yamanote Line

埼京線

JR Saikyo Line

湘南新宿ライン

JR Shonan-Shinjuku Line

半蔵門線

Hanzomon Line

銀座線

Ginza Line

副都心線

Fukutoshin Line

井の頭線

Inokashira Line

Day 2

Shimo-Kitazawa, Nakano, & Kichijoji

Tokyo's Western Suburbs

Toyo Department Store in Shimo-kitazawa, Tokyo

Due to changing circumstances, readers are advised to do their own additional research. All information on this site is purely for reference only.

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