Which Tokyo Enclave is among the Coolest ’Hoods in the World?
How many of Time Out’s “38 Coolest Neighborhoods in the World” have you been to, or even heard of? You probably need to be a local to know many of these esoteric happening hubs that are “great places to eat and drink, cutting-edge culture, street life and a thriving community.”
Notre Dame du Mont in Marseille, France is the coolest, with a “remarkable concentration of galleries, lively restaurants, chic and community-minded shops and new spots hidden behind pizza trucks.”
I’m quite well traveled, but I only know a handful of the 38. St Paul’s & Stokes Croft in my birthplace of Bristol, southwest England, used to be synonymous with crime and racial tension, but seems to have turned a corner “as the center of African-Caribbean culture.” And the street riots of the 1980s have earned it the moniker “cradle of social resistance.” There’s also Orchard in Singapore, Kowloon in Hong Kong, Ekkamai in Bangkok and it’s good to see my old sleazy neighborhood in Cape Town, South Africa get a new lease of life. Its East City follows the general theme of the 38 winners by drawing local creatives and curious digital nomads to a “neglected corner transformed into a colorful and eclectic hub for culture, food and design.”

FRED ROMERO [CC BY-SA 2.0] VIA FLICKR
And Japan? Time Out Tokyo gushed: “The former university enclave of Takaban is more commonly referred to by the name of its train station, Gakugeidaigaku. It has always lived in the shadow of its more famous neighbors, Jiyugaoka and Nakameguro – but that’s exactly why locals love it. While the crowds flock to more well-known neighborhoods, the cool kids and insiders know that Gakugeidaigaku has a more relaxed vibe and is much less commercialized. Here you’ll find mom-and-pop grocers and local institutions like bathhouses co-existing with independent, creative restaurants, cafés and bars. And being just four stations away from Shibuya, Gakugeidaigaku is the perfect antidote to all that city-center madness. With exciting new ventures in food and drink seemingly popping up every month of late, it’s worth visiting Gakugeidaigaku before everyone else inevitably catches on.”
Time Out Tokyo suggests you “pick up a fluffy, cloud-like Higuma doughnut to go while you make your way to the slick WR café for an excellent cup of coffee.” Then at Onya, queue for “the best udon in Tokyo.” Dessert? Grab a classic taiyaki (fish-shaped cakes filled with red bean paste) at Meguro Hiiragi, “or sit down for a dainty French pastry at Taisuke Endo before dropping by Yuyugin to shop for artisanal tableware.”
Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at Chiyo no Yu bathhouse. In the evening, grab a seat at Yakitori Yaoya Hanare for charcoal-grilled chicken on skewers, before ending the night with Japanese craft beer at Another 8 Corner.
The rankings, created using the “insight and expertise of Time Out’s global network of city editors and local experts,” are a “celebration of the most unique and exciting pockets of our cities,” says the guide. “But they’re also a distinct reflection of their cities, with each of them offering something special you wouldn’t find anywhere else.”
Here is the full list:
1. Notre Dame du Mont, Marseille, France
2. Mers Sultan, Casablanca, Morocco
3. Pererenan, Bali, Indonesia
4. Seongsu-dong, Seoul, South Korea
5. Kerns, Portland, USA
6. Stokes Croft & St Paul’s, Bristol, UK
7. Chippendale, Sydney, Australia
8. Principe Real, Lisbon, Portugal
9. Glória, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
10. Windsor, Melbourne, Australia
11. Zablocie, Krakow, Poland
12. Little River, Miami, USA
13. Saint-Henri, Montreal, Canada
14. Punavuori, Helsinki, Finland
15. Gakugeidaigaku, Tokyo, Japan
16. Thao Dien, Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
17. Flatbush, New York, USA
18. Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany
19. East City, Cape Town, South Africa
20. Belleville, Paris, France
21. Northbridge, Perth, Australia
22. Strathbungo, Glasgow, UK
23. Chacarita, Buenos Aires, Argentina
24. Leyton, London, UK
25. Inchicore, Dublin, Ireland
26. East Hollywood, Los Angeles, USA
27. Ekkamai, Bangkok, Thailand
28. San Rafael, Mexico City, Mexico
29. Mount Pleasant, Washington DC, USA
30. Bonfim, Porto, Portugal
31. Palace Quarter, Budapest, Hungary
32. Brewerytown, Philadelphia, USA
33. Kowloon City, Hong Kong
34. Logan Square, Chicago, USA
35. Norwood, Adelaide, Australia
36. Osu, Accra, Ghana
37. Orchard, Singapore
38. Union Square, Boston, USA
Source: Time Out