The ladies lunching in Nakameguro shun Gucci and Louis Vuitton in favour of hand-sewn, reworked vintage fashion. In this sprawling neighbourhood of South-Central Tokyo, the atmosphere is a mix of cutting-edge contemporary and stylish retro.
Young designer boutiques and new restaurants line the Meguro river, but it's worth wandering into the winding back streets, too, to discover cute cafes, vintage clothing stores, and shops selling bric-a-brac from the 50s. Further south, you'll find a spray of funky bars - soul and jazz bar Shu, which specialises in authentic Louisiana gumbo, and a bar called Ef with no sign and room for only six - it's recognised only by the orange banquette visible through the door.
Few of today's hipsters can remember the area's dark past. Rumour has it that, during the Tokyo air raids of the second world war, many people drowned themselves in the river, giving rise to stories of ghostly screams in the night. What is certain is that the waterway was contaminated with factory waste and swarming with mosquitoes until the late 80s. After government efforts to clean up and revive the area, young entrepreneurs and designers from nearby fashion district Daikanyama decided to take advantage of the convenient location and low rents. Nakameguro has been picking up commercially since the mid-90s, and has recently gained attention from Tokyo's coolest artists, musicians, and designers.
Too much attention for some. The last year has seen the arrival of two new retail and living complexes, with more on the way. Construction is rife, so visit soon, while the area retains its bohemian feel.
• Melinda Joe of bento.com, a bi-lingual guide to restaurants, bars and events in Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto.
• Tokyo streets don't have names. Addresses indicate ward, district within it, plus 3 numbers for sub-district, sub-section of that, and building number. Buy a city map and ask for directions.
Kakitsubata Bekkan
This gallery exhibits some of the exquisitely crafted products that are on sale around the corner, at the high-end home accessory shop of the same name. The shop itself is laid out like a museum, with products beautifully displayed around a white wooden sculpture depicting a placidly smiling face. One shelf is lined with elegant, hand-carved chopsticks and chopstick rests; on another sits a set of spoons cut from pieces of a gilded porcelain plate.
• Aobadai 2-16-7 (+3 3770 3401, kakitsubataweb.jp). Shop: 1-13-11 (+3 3770 3400).
Aoya
A paper lantern in front of a pebble-lined walkway marks the entrance to the hidden lunch spot which serves healthy Japanese home cooking - tofu and vegetables simmered in spicy miso, or chicken meatballs stewed with Napa cabbage - and speciality teas. The daily lunch special comes with a main, three side dishes, soup, and your choice of gokoku-mai (a blend of white rice plus five grains) or brown rice. Drinks and desserts like green tea flavoured cake are served until 6pm, after that, it's open to members only.
• Aobadai 1-15-10 (+3 3464 1615, aoya-nakameguro.com)
Red Book
Follow the enticing spicy aroma to Red Book, a tiny cafe serving tasty curries and dirt-cheap beer all day long. Choose from buttery chicken curry, keema curry with ground beef, or one of their daily specials. The sea-green walls scream Bangkok, while the single chandelier and squat maroon velour bar seats seem lifted from the French Quarter in New Orleans. But the tattooed, fedora-wearing clientele is pure Tokyo.
• Kamimeguro 1-3-2 (+3 3710 3438).
Cerons
Follow the road beneath the train tracks heading south from Nakameguro station, and, after seven minutes, you'll see the sign. No words, just a picture of a glass of red wine, half full. Inside, this quiet little bar is relaxed and comfortable. Soul and R&B play in the background, and the friendly staff will gladly recommend a wine for you.
• Kamimeguro 2 - 43 - 13, +3 3714 3937.
Art Bird Books
This fashion/photography book specialist is hard to find - look for the sign in English advertising "books, photo, fashion, art books" etc, which points to the shop's narrow staircase - although the grate will never be up before 1pm. The tiny space is lined from floor to ceiling with art books and fashion magazines. You could spend hours browsing through 80s issues of I-D and The Face, or Vogue and Elle from the 70s.
• Kamimeguro 1-20-8 Nagata Bldg 2F (+3 3719 1103).
Hatago International
This quirky shop, dedicated to vintage airline paraphernalia, lies on the second floor of a former apartment building. The space is crammed with colourful kitsch that recalls a time when promotional items were designed with flair and flying was fun - bags, tags, and even boarding passes from the 50s and 60s from the likes of Pan Am and Braniff International. The staff are cool and helpful and the Hatago mascots - a black Labrador called Syrup and a pit bull, unfortunately named Poop - are always happy to play.
• Kamimeguro 1-2-9, Highness Nakameguro #105 (+3 3716 6270, hatago-international.com).
Seirinkan
With its dramatic cast iron facade and grey concrete interior, this pizzeria feels like the set of a cold war spy flick. The Japanese menu is written in a style that resembles the square Cyrilic characters of Soviet propaganda posters, and army-themed memorabilia is scattered throughout the restaurant. Although they serve only two kinds of pizza here - marinara and margherita - taciturn owner Susumu Kakinuma bakes both to perfection in the wood-fired oven. The menu features other tantalising items like caprese salad, sautéed baby octopus and garlicky giant prawns.
• Kamimeguro 2-6-4 (+3 3714 5160, seirinkan.jp).
