Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Peek inside a working studio
A long-time Yanaka resident, Allan West paints gorgeous screens in the tradi-
tional Japanese style, making his paints from scratch just as local artists have
done for centuries. Visitors are welcome to peek inside his
studio
(
3827-1907;
www.allanwest.jp
; 1-6-17 Yanaka, Taitō-ku;
1-5pm, from 3pm Sun, closed irregu-
larly;
Chiyoda Line to Nezu, exit 1)
when he's there.
Go shopping on Hebi-dōri
Earning its nickname from its dizzying curves (
hebi
means 'snake'), quiet,
residential
Hebi-dōri
is slowly being colonised by boutiques. Shoppers who
prefer a slower pace than, say, Harajuku come here to trawl for antiques or
one-of-a-kind homewares made by local artisans.
Grab a cocktail and a book at Bousingot
It's fitting that Yanaka, which refuses to trash the past, would have a bar that
doubles as a used book store -
Bousingot
( 3823-5501;
www.bousingot.com
;
2-33-2 Sendagi, Bunkyō-ku; espresso ¥300, beer ¥550; 5pm-11pm Wed-Mon; Chiyoda
Line to Sendagi, exit 1)
. Sure, the topics are in Japanese but you can still enjoy
soaking up the atmosphere with some resident book lovers.
