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Kōenji (高円寺) is a district ofTokyo in theSuginami ward, west ofShinjuku. The district's name originates from the old temples in the area.
Kōenji is primarily a residential community with easy access to theShinjuku andTokyo stations. It was largely unaffected by the1980s building boom and therefore many of the houses and shops in the area are small and reflect the character of "pre-boom" Japan. Due to its agingretail district and location on a major commuter route, the station area has become a center for small restaurants and "Live Houses" which offerlive music. It is also known for having a young population and as a center for suburbanunderground culture including multiple used record andclothing shops. In 2006, when the JapanesePSE law went into effect restricting the sale of electronic goods built before 2001, Kōenji was chosen as the site for a protest due to its active "retro" culture and used equipment shops.[citation needed]
The current division of Kōenji into north and south aroundKōenji Station is a post-war arrangement. The whole area surrounding Shukuhōzan Kōenji temple used to be called Kōenji.
There also used to be a town called Mabashi between Kōenji and nearbyAsagaya, which has since been absorbed into Kōenji, although the name Mabashi is retained in some schools andshrines.
AfterHarajuku andShimokitazawa, Kōenji is the best-known area in Tokyo for used clothing shopping. The majority of the stores are on the south side of the JR station, on or near LookShōtengai (ルック商店街).
South of the station is the "PAL"shopping arcade with many food, clothing, and discount goods shops. North of the station are two main shopping streets with used record shops, restaurants and cafes. West of the station, both north, south, and under the tracks, are many smallyakitori restaurants and bars. The station itself was renovated in 2006, and a new Hotel Mets opened at the northern entrance in March 2007.
Between independent grocers and convenience chain stores there are also several large supermarkets, includingQueen's Isetan (nearShin-Kōenji Station).
Dozens ofyakitori restaurants,izakaya,ramen noodle restaurants, and bars can be found in the streets and alleys of north and south Kōenji, and under the elevated tracks near the JR station.
Each year in late August theKōenji Awa Odori festival is held over two days. It has increasingly become a major tourist attraction for the area. It is the second largest Awa Dance Festival in Japan, with an average of 188 groups composed of 12,000 dancers, attracting 1.2 million visitors over the weekend.[1]
The festival has its origins inTokushima and was adopted by Kōenji post-war. A procession of groups performing traditional music and dance weaves its way through the streets on both sides of Kōenji Station, often with a dramatic conclusion at the "finish line".
There are several parks in the area, including Sanshi-no-mori (蚕糸の森), Mabashi Kōen (馬橋公園), and Wadabori Kōen (和田堀公園). Wadabori Kōen is the best in the immediate area forviewing cherry blossoms in spring, or for a stroll.
The Kōenji area is accessible by the JRChūō-Sōbu Line (Kōenji Station) and theTokyo Metro Marunouchi Line (Shin-Kōenji Station orHigashi-Kōenji Station).
The major roads Waseda Dōri (早稲田通り), Kannana Dōri (環七通り) andŌme Kaidō (青梅街道) also pass through the suburb.
Suginami City Board of Education operates public elementary and junior high schools.
Kōenji Kita and Kōenji Minami are zoned to different schools.[2]
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