Eat your way through this retro Showa arcade and explore vintage clothing shops
About this spot
This nostalgic Showa-era arcade stretches from the north exit of Koenji Station and got its name from Seiichi Nejime's novel 'Koenji Pure Heart Shopping Street.' Freshly fried croquettes from the butcher, taiyaki, old-fashioned kissatens (teahouses), and vintage clothing and record shops blend together in a way that lets you feel the neighborhood's heartbeat just by walking. On the day of Awa Odori, you'll cross paths with dancers in happi coats starting from midday. Some streets in this arcade later become performance venues for the evening, so seeing them in their daytime form will make their transformation later all the more striking.
Season & hours
Name: 東京高円寺阿波おどり
Date & time: 8/29 (Sat)・8/30 (Sun) 17:00–20:00
Venue: 高円寺駅周辺の商店街・大通り(演舞場)
1957年に始まり、今や本場・徳島に次ぐ規模となった東京の夏の風物詩です。第67回の2026年は8月29日(土)・30日(日)の17時から20時に開催。高円寺駅を中心に商店街や大通りが演舞場となり、約1万人の踊り手が「ヤットサー、ヤットヤット」の掛け声とともに次々と目の前を通り過ぎます。鉦と太鼓の二拍子が体に響き、男踊りの躍動、編笠に浴衣の女踊りのしなやかさ、子どもたちの懸命な踊りと、連ごとに違う個性は何時間見ていても飽きません。ビルの谷間の商店街に太鼓が反響する音圧は高円寺ならでは。夏の終わりを告げる3時間の熱狂を、街の真ん中で浴びてください。
Tips
当日は駅周辺が大規模な通行規制になり、演舞場沿いは大変混雑します。よい場所で観たいなら16時台から沿道へ。移動は演舞の合間に係員の誘導に従って。ベビーカーでの最前列は難しいため、家族連れは沿道後方や広めの交差点付近が安心です。帰りの電車は終演直後がピークなので、余韻を楽しんでから時間をずらすのがおすすめ。荒天時の開催可否は公式サイトで確認を。
Tips
Just a short walk from Koenji Station north exit. On Awa Odori day, crowds swell from midafternoon, and traffic restrictions begin in the evening. Buy your snacks now, and dispose of trash in shop bags or take it with you. Be mindful about vintage clothing—bulk purchases become heavy baggage, so balance shopping with the comfort of traveling light during the festival.
Best time to visit
About 1 hour 15 minutes. Early afternoon is noticeably less crowded than evening hours.
Access & map
〒166-0002 東京都杉並区高円寺北２丁目７−１３
Model course featuring this spot
2026 Tokyo Koenji Awa Odori Full-Day Immersion Course
Tokyo
Explore features & model courses
Like this spot? Sign up free to save it to your own booklet as a plan or a want-to-go.