We just returned from three weeks in Japan. Instead of a chronological travelogue, I’ll be sharing a series of short, self-contained snapshots of some of our experiences, varying in scope and in no particular order. Our last few trips were packed with a loaded agenda, but this time, we deliberately made very few plans so that we could spend the majority of our time simply wandering at our own pace.

Over the years, I’ve frequently referred friends to Shimokitazawa as a homebase for activities while visiting Tokyo, and while I’ve been there many times, this was the first time we actually stayed there ourselves. What makes it ideal