History, TV Drama Drives Popularity of Tokyo’s Kichijoji Among Young People
KICHIJOJI, Tokyo — Kichijoji in Tokyo’s Musashino is a bustling commercial district teeming with young people, lined with department stores, restaurants, clothing stores, and variety shops. With its trendy image, the town is a regular favorite in rankings of “best places to live.”
Kichijoji, a bustling commercial district in Tokyo’s Musashino, has become a popular destination for young people in recent years. Its trendy image and vibrant atmosphere have earned it a place among the best places to live. The origins of Kichijoji’s cultural appeal can be traced back to the 1960s, when jazz cafes like Bar & Brasserie Funky first opened their doors.
Originally a jazz cafe that opened in 1960, Funky was run by Iori Noguchi, who first came to Kichijoji in 1959. The cafe attracted students from nearby universities, who would flock to listen to the loud music and request specific songs. In the late 1960s, folk music became a nationwide craze, and Musashino kayakuko guwarando opened as one of the pioneers of live music houses.
Kichijoji emerged as a new hub for youth culture, attracting young people from across the country. After the student movement gained momentum against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, Kichijoji replaced Shinjuku as a center for youth culture. The TV drama "Oretachi no tabi" (Our Journey) had a major impact on Kichijoji’s popularity.
The drama, set in Kichijoji and aired on Nippon TV from 1975 to 1976, showcased the lively portrayal of college students’ youth, with backdrops of Inokashira Park and the Kichijoji Sunroad shopping district. Many people were drawn to Kichijoji by the show and ended up settling in the neighborhood. Today, Kichijoji is no longer the thriving independent shop district it once was, with large stores and chain stores proliferating.
However, longtime residents lament that while unique independent shops have declined, there are still plenty of charming shops left to enjoy.
Written by urgent.news from The Japan News by The Yomiuri Shimbun's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
