Your Best Guide to Musashi-Koyama and Togoshi Ginza

Tokyo has many great well-known places such as Harajuku, Ginza, Asakusa, and others. However, there are also less familiar places that are real hidden gems. Hopefully, this post will become your best guide to Musashi-Koyama and Togoshi Ginza.

Musashi Koyama

Let us begin with Koyama, better known as Musashi-Koyama, area. The closest station is Musashi-Koyama on the Meguro line. The area is best known for its covered shopping arcade called “Palm”. The arcade prolongs for 800 meters and offers many places for shopping and dining. Also, many seasonal events and festivals are held here all around the year. Make sure to check their event page (only in Japanese) for more details.

There are also many places to see outside the arcade. For example, for the most beautiful (and tasty!) croissants in Tokyo, visit Le Lieu Unique. This is an authentic French bakery owned by a French chef with over 23 years of experience.

If you bought something at “Palm” or at the bakery, you can have a picnic at Rinshi-no-mori park, located only a short walk away from both places. The park is very big and very green, and it also has many seating options, which is not common in Japan. There are spaces for kids and for dogs, where they can play safely.

Some more recommended cafes nearby:

Kenohi is a cafe and a diner, usually open from 10 in the morning until 9 in the evening. At Kenohi you can find lunch and dinner options, alcoholic drinks, as well as homemade cakes and desserts, and good coffee. But what is more important, here you will find a homey, cozy, and relaxed atmosphere. Perfect place to read a book or to do some work on your PC (yes, they have WIFI and outlets).

Amameria Espresso is a great coffee shop and a roastery where you can buy beans for home or enjoy a cup of fresh coffee inside the cafe space. This place is also woody, cozy, and very pleasant.

Haimuru Coffee is despite its name, not exactly a coffee shop but a super popular ramen and kakigori place. Here you will find some beautiful-looking and delicious shaved ice and a very decent ramen. However, be ready to wait in a queue. Especially in summer. Especially on the weekends.

Chum Apartment is a chick vintage restaurant that has been around for the past 20 years. Their main focus is on Italian cuisine, but they also have great cakes and coffee. The restaurant is located only a short walking distance from Musashi-Koyama station.

Togoshi Ginza

About a 20-minute walk from Musashi-Koyama, there is another worth-visiting area known as Togoshi Ginza. Togoshi Ginza is the oldest and the longest not covered shopping street in Tokyo. Along the street, you will find 400 different shops: cafes, restaurants, fresh meat stands, street food stands, grocery shops, you name it. This area is not very well known among tourists but Japanese people know and love this place. On the weekends it becomes especially lively.

Places that you might want to visit in Togoshi Ginza:

Togoshi Ginza is famous for croquettes. Many shops make them freshly every day. In order to try some of the best ones visit Nakamura Tadashi Shoten. For a more unique one go to Oden Croquette by Goto Kamabokoten.

Japanese Confectionary Aoyagi has been in business since 1919. Visit this historical shop for Japanese traditional sweets and especially their specialty persimmons confectionaries.

Onigiri Togoshiya is a popular onigiri shop where you can try more than 40 different kinds of this snack. All onigiri are made after the order is placed, therefore they are extremely fresh and tasty.

Etude Monz Cafe is a Western-style modern cafe where you can go if you are tired of street food and want to relax in a nice atmosphere. Here you will find cakes, avocado toasts, eggs Benedict, and of course great coffee.

Unagi Imo Store was originally opened in Shizuoka and now has a branch in Togoshi Ginza. This is a dessert shop selling soft serve, puddings, mochi, etc. Many desserts have a Japanese sweet potato flavor or are decorated as an eel. It is very cute!