For decades Kōenji has been the haunt of counterculture types. Wander the neighbourhood’s narrow roads and you’ll find scores of small bars, live-music venues and secondhand stores. Don’t miss the Kita-Kore Building , where some of Tokyo’s most irreverent young fashion designers have set up shop. To find it, head left from the north exit of the station, following the tracks to a narrow shopping street; walk straight past the 7-Eleven and you’ll soon see a building on the left that looks like an abandoned funhouse. Restaurant Dachibin and Cocktail Shobō are on the same street.
