| A 30-minute walk along the road that stretches
south from Shimokitazawa takes you to Sangenjaya. This area originally developed thanks to its location at the intersection of several major roads. The name Sangenjaya, which literally means "three tea houses," was officially given to the area 72 years ago in commemoration of three establishments that used to operate there. Sangenjaya's shopping area is considerably bigger but less trendy than that of Shimokitazawa. It is longstanding local residents, rather than young visitors, who are the heart and soul of this area. Here, down-to-earth eateries serving popular favorites like tonkatsu (deep-fried pork in breadcrumbs), yakiniku (Korean-style barbecued beef), and ramen far outnumber extravagant French restaurants.
But, perhaps with one eye on Shimokitazawa's transformation into a trend-setting hotspot, Sangenjaya is changing. It all started seven years ago, when a 26-story orange-colored building called Carrot Tower was constructed in the center of the district. This complex contains a department store, a restaurant floor, and commercial offices, as well as the Setagaya Public Theatre. The Carrot Tower development has played a major role in revitalizing the whole Sangenjaya area.
The theater, which has a large auditorium, a small auditorium, and three rehearsal spaces, has played an especially big role in changing Sangenjaya's image. Under its talented artistic director, it has hosted a wide range of performances, from traditional Japanese theatrical forms like noh
and kyogen (comic drama) to modern theater. Rather
than becoming a rival to neighboring Shimokitazawa, Sangenjaya's well-crafted strategy seems to be to make the entire area covering both of these districts
into one big theatrical hub.
On the first floor of Carrot Tower is a station on the Setagaya Line, a short local railway that takes 16 minutes to travel its full length of five kilometers, passing through tree-lined residential districts on the way. Some people come
especially to ride this line, which is like a rare piece of twentieth-century heritage. |
