Sunday in Shimokitazawa

Shimokitazawa, or "Shimokita" for short, is one of my favorite neighborhoods in Tokyo. It's a half-dozen stops west of busy Shibuya on the Keio Inokashira commuter train line, and totally worth a trip to look around. Heaps of college students, cheap restaurants, fashion-y stores and nightspots - on a human scale. (Natasha Caryl, whose husband was Newsweek's last correspondent here, took me there 2 years ago.)



I took Lucinda and Arno there on Sunday to see "Playmoland," which had a gazillion Playmobiles and other stuff.



Other curiosities from our day out: This restaurant sells fugu, or blowfish, which are poisonous unless you prepare them properly. There was a fish tank built into one corner of the building (just in front of Lucinda).



The Hana Donuts shop which, in addition to plain and cinnamon-sugar, sold a donut that maybe had basil or thyme in it?


And a pink Jaguar.


Very stylish.