We visited suburbs around Tokyo for our second visit to Japan last December 2013. One area that caught our attention was Kichijoji. After walking around Ghibli Museum (located between Mitaka and Kichijoji), we decided to take the long way home… to return to Kichijoji Station via the Inokashira Park.

Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, Japan

The walk should take about 20-30 minutes. Should. But of course, we took lots of photos in between and we got pretty lost too! It probably took us close to an hour to reach the station in the end, but hey, it was fun despite our tired legs that were starting to give up on us…

Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, Japan

We also came across a shrine in the middle of the park dedicated to Benzaiten, a Hindu goddess who would cast spells on courting couples who ventured out on the pond in boat, bringing an end to their love stories. How vengeful!

Benzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanBenzaiten Shrine at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, Japan

As we continued walking and getting lost (yep, at one point we were really lost), time kept ticking and the sun was slowly setting…

This could only mean one thing: super awesome autumn colours! Red. Orange. Yellow. And all the colours in between. Ahhhh, I was so happy to be able to experience the last bit of autumn in this trip!

Inokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanInokashira Park, Kichijoji, Tokyo, Japan

We finally made our way out of the park and onto a long road of vintage clothing stores and secondhand goods.

This is another good reason to visit Kichijoji, which is supposedly one of the neighbourhoods in Tokyo that the hip youngsters chooses to live in. It’s almost like a Japanese version of Melbourne, pretty cool indeed.

Hipster side of Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanHipster side of Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanHipster side of Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanHipster side of Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanHipster side of Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanHipster side of Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanHipster side of Kichijoji, Tokyo, JapanHipster side of Kichijoji, Tokyo, Japan

And with that, our visit to Kichijoji came to an end. From a magical adventure in Ghibli Museum to another magical autumn experience at Inokashira Park, Kichijoji surely delivered.

I would recommend this suburb to anyone who would like to have a slightly less touristy destination in Tokyo. I wouldn’t call it “off the beaten path” but it was much quieter than the also young and hip Harajuku when we visited, which made shopping and walking around much more pleasant.

Have you visited any less known suburb or area in Tokyo, Japan? Which is your favourite? Share it with me, I’d love to visit more.