Koenji, a hidden gem 7 minutes from Shinjuku

GulaCockaigne
Jan 9, 2021
2 min read

Having visited Nakano, we considered ourselves offbeat travelers. Not till we stayed at Koenji (高円寺). Never on our to-go list, we discovered Koenji by accident, as we booked our accommodation less than 1 month to travel.

塞翁失马, 焉知非福 link

Koenji (高円寺) is a district of Tokyo in the Suginami ward, west of Shinjuku. With the new Airbnb regulations in Japan, finding an Airbnb in a good location is tough, let alone a cheap one, gone are the days. But we found this, just under SGD $135 a night, complete with 2 bedrooms, kitchen, laundry area with washing machine, balcony and tub..... Just 3 mins walking from JR Koenji station. From here, you are just about 7 mins from JR Shinjuku station via the JR Chuo Line. Only if we must complain, this is a walk-up apartment with no lift. PS: 2nd floor was famous local Bar Pump.

Don't microwave eggs. We did clean this up after.

There is also a cosy bistro BU-AN (葡庵 BU-AN) nearby serving french/italian cuisine. More on Bu-An here

There seem to be limitless unique local dining options that are relatively cheaper as you get further from the JR Koenji train station. We didn't really have the chance to explore round the clock as we were not prepared for what Koenji has to offer.