There are four key attractions in Jimbocho, four good reasons to visit this peppy Tokyo neighbourhood – and that’s impressive for an area with pretty much no public profile among foreign tourists. You might know Shinjuku, you’ve heard of Harajuku, you’re familiar with Ginza and Asakusa. But who travels to Tokyo with the idea of calling through Jimbocho? Almost no one.
And yet, four big reasons to visit. The first? Books. Jimbocho, a relatively low-rise suburb within walking distance of Ginza, is known among locals as book town.
Those books, new and used, are housed in more than 200 stores dotted around Jimbocho, often squeezy places that make for fascinating window shopping, with everything from manga to novels to art and design books and more – though if you can’t read Japanese you might find few to purchase. You will probably find far more enjoyment in Jimbocho’s next attraction: curry. This area has become a hub in recent years for restaurants selling Japanese-style curry, which is sweeter and milder than the Indian curries it is distantly related to, and would make the obvious lunch choice for those tourists mid-shop if it weren’t for yet another Jimbocho specialty – ramen.
Ask any ramen fan in Tokyo and they’ll tell you that Jimbocho is an essential stop during your time in the city. There are all sorts of styles available here, from light Tokyo ramen, to spicy tantanmen, to the ramen I’ve just eaten, tsukemen, in which thick, chewy noodles are dipp.