About Shimokitazawa "Shimokitazawa, commonly called "Shimokita," is on the western side of Tokyo, and although just a small town, it is very popular among young people. In questionnaire surveys about where young people want to live, Shimokitazawa is always one of the top three responses. This is because there are many small theater halls, live houses, bars and secondhand record shops, and this town is known as a trendsetting place for youth culture. With its many narrow alleys that are inaccessible to vehicles, you are given a real sense of adventure while exploring the town on foot, which is a real joy in and of itself."

Splitting Shimokitazawa "On a recent Saturday night, more than 300 protesters — older ones with shoulder-length graying hair tied back in ponytails, younger ones wearing paisley dresses or high-top sneakers and combat fatigues — marched through the neighborhood holding candles."

Save the Shimokitazawa

These are some of the pages in english that tell you a bit about the city where I'm going to live, and a place to sign the petition to keep it from being bisected by an 81 meter highway, planned for 2010. Tokyo has destroyed so much of it's history for industry, I don't want to see more of the same, especially in this place that will be my home at least until then!